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Track: Energy & Resources

Current occupation: PhD candidate

Can you briefly tell us what you studied (including your specialisation) and when you graduated?

I studied the Bachelor’s programme Global Sustainability Science from 2017-2020 and specialized in the Energy & Resources track.

How has your study influenced your career path, and what role has it played in your professional development?

I valued the broad perspectives and multi-disciplinary aspects of Global Sustainability Science. Sustainability challenges can neither be dealt with in the short term, nor do they have a once-size-fits all solution. As a current PhD candidate working on Value and Circularity in the residential built environment, the experiences I learned in Global Sustainability Science taught me to look at the bigger picture and consider multiple perspectives of a problem – the environmental, technical, social and economic perspectives. Even though we may have some solutions to our problems, its application in society comes with many social but also geo-political repercussions. 

Could you provide an example of a specific project or experience during your studies that significantly contributed to your growth and success in your current career?

One of the courses I took was Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). I developed a keen interest in the insights which can be generated from these methods, which I carried onto my MSc studies in Energy Science at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ and now during my PhD studies at Leiden ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ. It was a simple project that was about comparing a disposable vs reusable cup. However, it led to a continued interest which I wanted to build upon. I did a consultancy project with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) where we delved into the environmental impacts of the colon cancer screening package during my MSc studies and later, an internship with Café Inc where I analysed the environmental impacts of their spent coffee ground processing system. Throughout the programme, I developed the interest to use LCA to aid decision making and now, I want to link it with other methods such as Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Costing to see how combined insights from the methods can help aid decision making and collaboration between stakeholders.

What were the key skills or knowledge you gained during your studies, and how do you apply them in your work now?

In my PhD, I’m now studying how methods such as LCA and, Material Flow Analysis (MFA) can help to expand the concept of value and help stakeholders working on circular built environment in decision making and collaboration. Additionally, I also use the skills I gained from the course on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in my PhD.

How were you able to differentiate yourself in the job market thanks to your education at our university?

It was the multi-disciplinary background where we worked with students from various tracks (business and innovation, environmental sciences and environmental governance) and the added multi-disciplinary background I gained from the Geoscience Honours Programme which helped me differentiate myself in the job market.

Do you have any specific memories of teachers, courses, or extracurricular activities that left a lasting impression on you?

My time at the Green Office Circularity team and the Groentetas has left quite an impression on me, and is quite visible in my work and values as well. Personally, I like to use whatever I have until I cannot anymore, before buying anything new. My work involves studying circularity in the built environment (at the moment on the potential of using discarded but perfectly functional solar panels in the residential sector) but later, this will expand to reusing building materials and components for energy renovations. In a society where consumerism is rampant and where we are so dependent on rare materials from other nations, it is great to see that Municipalities, housing associations and even waste management associations are working on using what we have.

How has your study at our university contributed to your personal growth and development, alongside your professional success?

I would say Global Sustainability Science has helped me become more open-minded, curious and, keen to understand different perspectives before making decisions or judgement. That’s what happens when you’re confronted with a rather international study where there are different approaches to sustainability issues. The Bachelor’s programme pushed me to look into opportunities, to be involved in sustainability initiatives within UU such as the Green Office Utrecht and the Groentetas, both of which I was a volunteer and committee member during my time in UU. I’ve been sharing some sustainability stories on my podcast Sipping Sustainabilitea as a hobby as well.

Would you recommend other prospective students to pursue the same programme?

If you’re interested in sustainability challenges and climate action and you’re feeling overwhelmed on where to start, I believe Global Sustainability Science will give provide you a foundation in finding your specific interest. That’s what Global Sustainability Science was to me.

You will meet people from various backgrounds and nations. That in of itself can be a learning experience. It can confrontational at times to see how things are done halfway across the world. But how else are we going to be the changemakers if we can’t learn from each other?

What advice would you like to give to current students?

When I started the Bachelor’s programme in 2017, it was 2 years after the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals came into action. There was a lot of optimism about radical change. Right now, it’s 2024 and we have only 6 years to reach the Sustainable Development Goals and achieve the accords of the Paris Agreement. I think it is easy to point out the things that aren’t going right. In reality, things are progressing slowly. For example, when I first came to the Netherlands, the sentiment about plant-based lifestyle isn’t what it is today. Now there’s so many vegan options in restaurants and even supermarkets compared to 2017. So yes, the public opinion has changed a bit. Sometimes, even I feel small in-light of the issues. You might not be able to solve everything. But you can always use your agency to do your part and change will gradually come! There are people fighting the system so you are not alone!