What do you do at VU and how long do you work there?
I am a PhD candidate at IVM, and have been here for almost 2 years. I work on future land-use scenarios and how they influence ecosystem services and biodiversity, as a part of the project NaturaConnect.
What is the best thing about working at the Faculty of Science?
I enjoy hearing about the diversity of topics people are working on, there is much to learn from them! I also personally really enjoy interdisciplinary research, so this exposure to various other topics gives me new ways of thinking about and approaching my own research.
What could be better at the faculty?
Action! There are frequent conversations about what can be improved and how, be it about better workspaces, cultivating better and more inclusive work environments, or encouraging healthier lifestyles. It would be great to see these discussions come to a fruitful result!
Do you have a work tip for colleagues?
Sometimes when the weather is nice, we have meetings outside or in the botanical garden, which gives us a nice break from the office.
What do you recommend colleagues do, see, read or listen to?
To read, these are some of my favourites in fiction: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
And for non-fiction: Working Class History: Everyday Acts of Resistance and Rebellion, The Question of Palestine by Edward Said, and Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky.
I’m also a big fan of the Mystery Show podcast with Starlee Kine, which contrary to its name, is a sweet and cozy listen.
To whom are you handing over the baton?
I’m handing over the baton to Camille Venier Cambron, we always have the most interesting conversations, and I’m very curious about what she has to say!
Dilemma’s
Are you beta or alpha?
Neither. Fun fact, the researcher David Mech who played a key role in the formulation of the alpha-beta theory in wolf packs, has since revised his work and stated that he was mostly wrong. But the publishers of his book were making so much money, it took decades for them to respect his wishes and stop publishing it!
Lift or stairs?
Depends on my mood
What is your favourite university snack?
We have a cookie jar in our department and whenever colleagues travel, they bring back something sweet from where they were. So I love discovering new sweet treats from around the world.
What do you think is the most beautiful VU building?
I like the views form the NU building.