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Track: Governance & Societal Transformation

Current Occupation: Junior Assistant Professor

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

In 2016, I started studying Global Sustainability Science and chose the track Governance & Societal Transformation. Furthermore, I took  a minor in ‘Globalisering and Mondiale Ongelijkheid’ (Globalisation and Global Inequality). After my graduation in July 2019, I went on a gap year to do some travelling and volunteering work. From 2020-2022, I studied for a Master's in Sustainable Development with a focus on Earth System Governance. After completing my Master's, I started working as a Junior Assistant Professor for the Environmental Governance group at the Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development. As a Junior Assistant Professor, I am teaching in both the Bachelor's programme Global Sustainability Science and the Master's programme in Sustainable Development while also doing a PhD.

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

For me, Global Sustainability Science laid the basis for my current career path. While studying Global Sustainability Science, I found out where my interests in sustainability lie. The Bachelor’s programme offers enough flexibility and space to follow your own interests and try out different things. The possibility to follow a specific track within the Bachelor’s has been important for my career path as it provided enough expertise and specific knowledge to further build my professional development upon. At the same time, it is valuable that Global Sustainability Science does focus on interdisciplinarity but at the same time you do remain in contact with students from the other tracks. There is a strong community and even up until today I still benefit from the network that I have built during my time at the Bachelor’s. This is also due to the strong involvement of the staff members of the Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development. After graduating from the Bachelor’s, it was clear to me that I wanted to continue working in the academic world by doing a PhD. Thanks to my network in the Copernicus Institute, I was able to start working in the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ after finishing my Master's.

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?

A key event for success in my current career was the process of writing my Bachelor's thesis. After studying for three years, it was clear to me that I had academic ambitions and thus the Bachelor's thesis was important to experience independent research. The process and outcome of my Bachelor's thesis is what paved the way for my current career as it led to my first publication of a scientific article. The involvement of my supervisor has been very important as well. Not only during the process of writing my Bachelor's thesis but especially afterwards, my supervisor guided me through what it takes to do research independently and to publish a scientific article. This contact has continued while writing my Master's thesis and several other professional opportunities. This experience thus shows how active and passionate the staff members of the Copernicus Institute are to create opportunities for (Global Sustainability Science) students, while also showing how much you can gain from your studies when you actively follow your passions.

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

The key skills that I apply in my work now are mainly academic skills such as writing, presenting, and doing research. Global Sustainability Science is a great first step to acquire the needed skills for doing a PhD. For example, it introduces you to different research strategies and related software. In terms of knowledge, Global Sustainability Science adequately introduces students to the topic of sustainability linked to your chosen expertise (track choice). I still use this knowledge in my teaching and research activities every day.

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

What differentiated my profile in the job market was the social and professional network created through contact with members of the Copernicus Institute and others in the academic field. During my studies at Global Sustainability Science, I was already able to develop my academic curriculum vitae which has been valuable in finding a job.

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

When I think about my time studying at Global Sustainability Science, there is not really a particular moment or experience that pops into my mind. However, what I do remember is the strong community we had created amongst the students. This started in the first year where we went to Texel for a week as part of fieldwork for the Regional Integration Project course. This week was very valuable for getting to know each other and for bonding, and there have been many more memorable moments along the way! Overall, I remember my time at Global Sustainability Science as a time where I was able to develop myself professionally but also personally.

Can you share a moment when you encountered challenges during your studies and how you dealt with them?

Our Global Sustainability Science cohort was the first cohort to ever enroll in the Bachelor’sprogramme and there were challenges related to being the first group. What I have learned from this, is that it is very important to share experiences so that changes or improvements can be made. Luckily, the teaching staff of Global Sustainability Science was very open to and appreciated our feedback. In my current position, I still recognize the same openness to student evaluations which I think is a strength of the Bachelor’s programme.

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

In terms of personal growth, I think Global Sustainability Science has been important for creating new social contacts while also for developing (new) perspectives and worldviews. As Global Sustainability Science is a very international community, there is much to learn from each other and this has broadened my view. You will meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds, and yet we were always able to connect with and relate to each other. I think this is very valuable especially in the world that we live in today.

Would you recommend other prospective students to pursue the same programme? If yes, why? If not, why not?

I think choosing the right study programme is always a very personal choice, but based on my experiences I would advise students to choose Global Sustainability Science if they are interested in sustainability, want to be part of an international community and are also interested in a more interdisciplinary approach. I believe that Global Sustainability Science leaves plenty of room to do other activities or follow other courses as well, which I would also highly advise to do. In my case, I took a minor to dive deeper into a topic that the Bachelor’s programme did not cover. When you have the ambition to do a PhD, Global Sustainability Science is also a good first step in acquiring the appropriate skills while also for building your network.  

What advice would you like to give to current students?

To current students, I would advise them to try and get the most out of doing a Bachelor's programme, both in terms of courses and content, but also in terms of social events and network building. It really is a time to explore your passions, skills, and interests. Try to really enjoy it and do not be afraid to try out different things, even when it is outside of your comfort zone or outside of the ‘normal’ study programme!