What do you do at VU and how long do you work there?
I am in the final (fourth) year of my PhD at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). My research interests revolve around global biodiversity conservation planning and local environmental justice, and I seek to find ways that helps the international conservation community plan and work for just outcomes.
What is the best thing about working at the Faculty of Science?
My colleagues. We have a whole community of people who study similar problems from different disciplinary angles, and I love to learn to think about my own work differently.
What could be better at the faculty?
I think it is quite common for such questions to lead to answers like 'work life balance', 'manageable expectations for PhDs', 'Diversity and Inclusion'. These are all good objectives to have, but taking steps towards them can lead to solutions that reduce the core issue to measurable quotas, etc. Rather, I would like to see meaningful leadership training that facilitates constructive working relationships between ages/cultures/genders/epistemologies, with productivity standards that are adjusted so that curiosity and collaboration can be the main purpose of scientific inquiry. Of course, this would be made easier under a different global/political/economic reality, but I don't want to let 'realism' get in the way of identifying ideals.
Do you have a work tip for colleagues?
I like to work from cafes. Even the cafes on campus can be nice.
What do you recommend colleagues do, see, read or listen to?
I like to read, and in general I find philosophy (rec: Ecology of Freedom by Murry Bookchin) and history (rec: any author that speaks not from a western perspective such as Decolonial Ecology by Malcom Ferdinand, or for an excellent 'bridge' I quite like The West by Naoíse Mac Sweeney) excellent for forcing you to broaden or even change your mental model for how the world looks like and works.
To whom are you handing over the baton?
I would like to pass the baton over to Ana Clara Cassanti, who has been doing a lot of great work with/for the IVM and the VU in general. I think when you work with large communities as Ana does, your voice can become the groups voice. I would love to hear Ana's personal thoughts and inspiration for the institute.
Dilemma’s
Are you beta or alpha?
Neither.
Lift or stairs?
Lift
What is your favourite university snack?
When colleagues bring cookies from abroad. That or coffee and bailies.
What do you think is the most beautiful VU building?
Not sure, I suppose the NU building but this is also where I spend all of my time.