What do you do at VU and how long do you work there?
"I started in the education office four and a half years ago, in team graduation. That team makes sure students' subject packages are checked so that they can graduate. The printing of diplomas and supplements is arranged and care is taken to sign them. It also organises all the graduation ceremonies. I was also the coordinator of the faculty induction days."
"In May last year, I was hired as assistant education coordinator, in team educational processes. We deal with supporting colleagues with the various systems such as SAP, Canvas and UAS. We make sure that during the year BSA letters are sent out on time, tutor groups are assigned and, for example, diploma supplement texts are up to date, by querying them and putting them into the right systems. We have also been implementing OnStage, the new internship tracking system, for some time. Many courses are going live now, so a lot of time goes into that."
What is the best thing about working at the Faculty of Science?
"The fact that it is such a large faculty makes the work very varied. You notice this in everything, and at OnStage, for example, it makes for very different requirements than at other faculties. Since the entire VU has to switch to OnStage and we build the tracks ourselves, we sit down with all the study programmes to see what their graduation process looks like and how we can translate this into a smooth process in the new system. Beta has a lot of programmes, so that's a lot of meetings, haha. I really enjoy having these meetings and meeting colleagues at the different programmes. That's something I also really like about Beta; the people are very nice and the atmosphere is good. I really enjoy working at the education office, I feel completely at home here from day one."
What could be better at the faculty?
"Gender equality, although of course that is not STEM specific. When I started at VU, in one of my first weeks I found a box of books (I believe from about 10 years ago), which talked about the low percentage of female professors within the university. It listed targets that had not been achieved at the time I read it. Since this is a phenomenon that extends much wider than just professors, I wanted to do something with this, so when the opportunity arose, I applied to the board of WO&MEN@VU and was accepted. We organise activities to raise awareness of this issue. For example, on International Women's Day, we organised a festival with NEWConnective, 3D and FAM with music, talks and drinks. That was a great success!"
How was your summer holiday?
"I worked. When I was still working at team graduation, it was not possible to take time off in the summer because it is a very busy period. As a result, I am used to working in the summer and am totally fine with that. It also allows us to divide the holidays within the team more easily, so that colleagues with children can take time off in the summer. Incidentally, I did go to Texel for a long weekend with my sister and her husband and children. That was great fun and really felt like a mini holiday."
Do you have any work tips for colleagues?
"The standing yoga, on Wednesdays at a quarter past twelve in the OZW building. I work from home on Wednesdays, but always pop up and down for the standing yoga (the fact that I live a stone's throw from the VU helps with this, of course). Mickey, the instructor, does it incredibly well and I enjoy doing it. Last week, a colleague and I were the only two, so there may definitely be more enthusiasm for it!"
What do you recommend colleagues to do, see, read and/or listen to?
"I find that very difficult, there is so much I like. I watch a lot of documentaries about anything and everything, love going to museums and love music. If I had to choose something to recommend right now it would be the documentary Apolonia, Apolonia. This documentary is about Apolonia Sokol, a French artist and feminist. The filmmaker followed her for 13 years and I found it magical to watch, I was really impressed. I think I will watch it again soon."
Aan wie geef je het stokje over?
"Aan Andrea Baldi, van Natuurkunde. Ik ken hem van de faculteitsbrede ED&I bijeenkomsten, een onderwerp waar hij veel mee bezig is. Ik ben benieuwd naar zijn antwoorden!"
Dilemmas
Are you beta or alpha?
"Alpha. I studied history and was always very bad at science subjects in high school, alpha suits me much better (and I also like it better)."
Lift or stairs?
"Lift. I don't like climbing stairs and the lift is faster."
What is your favourite university snack?
"I still think a sausage roll from the Spar, or the university snack with oyster mushrooms. Usually, though, I have a very decent lunch with homemade soup and crackers with boiled eggs."
What do you think is the most beautiful VU building?
"The W&N building! It's weird and beautiful in its ugliness. I studied at the UvA and spent a lot of time in the P.C. Hoofthuis, on Spuistraat. That is also such a weird building, it took me three years to find the quickest route to the library. When I came here for my job interview, the W&N building really felt a bit like coming home, the buildings have a similar atmosphere. We are probably going to move to the main building at the end of this calendar year, due to demolition, and I am very sad about that. I'm going to miss the W&N building."