Societal subjects combined with data, that’s the main theme in the career and studies of Marije Jochemsen. That’s why everything fell into place during the Societal Resilience research master programme. Here, she got the opportunity to pick from a variety of different subjects within the social sciences through which she ended up at her current job as a data analyst and data translator with 510, a department of the Red Cross.
Marije Jochemsen’s career trajectory is defined by broad interests with a quantitative touch. During her bachelor's programme, she explored the quantitative side of social sciences with a focus on surveys and experimental data. Here, she noticed that different forms of data did not entirely represent how people behaved. Because of this, she wanted to focus more on “real-life data,” such as how people behave on the internet, to combine her interests with more socially relevant subjects.
As a result, she bumped into the research master programme Societal Resilience [now Social Sciences for a Digital Society]. According to Marije, this programme is defined by a variety of different research perspectives. “That is what is great about this master: that you can analyse societal issues from different disciplines and personal angles. The possibilities are endless, a motivated student feels right at home here.”
Though the broadness of the programme appealed to her, this also posed a challenge. “I touched upon a variety of different subjects. Because the opportunities are endless, it can also be difficult to pick a focus. The programme also creates the right environment to deeply dissect a subject from different disciplinary lenses.”
The small scale of the programme also drew her to VU Amsterdam. Especially through close contact, students motivated each other. During group learning activities, students followed guest lectures from societal partners or took the opportunity to discuss possible challenges of the programme. In this way, the study combines individual work with cooperation between students.
The close contact between students and teachers also contributed to this. Through their networks, the teachers helped students with finding jobs or internships. "When you interact with teachers in such a way, there is no hierarchy and you have much more one-on-one communication."
Because of this small-scale appeal, Marije ended up at her current job at 510, a branch of the Red Cross where she is bettering humanitarian aid using data. This organization hosted a guest lecture that further awoke her interest in societal data. She now works at 510 as a data analyst and data translator. Currently, she is working on a model which simulates the accessibility of Red Cross emergency response teams. Here, her societal resilience knowledge still plays a central role. “The combination of societal impact and data has been a central theme during my career. This current job combined these two interests so perfectly that I feel fortunate to have ended in such a place.”
