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Track: Water, Climate & Ecosystems track

Current position: Junior Advisor for Nature-based Solutions at WWF-Netherlands

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

I started Global Sustainability Science in 2017 when the Bachelor's was still very new. What attracted me to the Bachelor’s programme was the interdisciplinary approach that is taken, yet with plenty of room to specialise by picking your preferred courses. I followed most courses from the Water, Climate & Ecosystems track, which I officially graduated in, and from the Governance & Societal Transformation track. After three years of studying and one board year at my study association, Storm, I graduated in 2021.

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

Global Sustainability Science sparked my interest in water-related subjects, more specifically in understanding coastal systems’ dynamics. Water is an extremely diverse topic in itself and hence forces you to think about it from various angles. I learned that I enjoyed these kinds of challenges, and therefore chose to enroll in the Master's in International Land and Water Management after the Bachelor, in which I specialised in adaptive water management.

Global Sustainability Science also showed me where my strengths lie. I discovered that I like to translate research results into potential actions, to be the connector between science, policy, and implementation. So naturally, this was something I was looking for in my professional career too. 

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?

The course Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) consisted of a series of (guest) lectures that elaborated on the contents and procedures of an EIA, followed by a crash course on carrying out an EIA ourselves. This was done through roleplay, including preparing the needed documents in very little time. The whole process was a bit stressful yet really exciting as it gave an idea of the breadth of an EIA. Roleplay or simulations are also being used in other courses, and in my opinion, this offers a good way to actively process the education materials and challenges you to position yourself in someone else’s shoes which is helpful in later life.

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

Currently, I work on co-developing Nature-based Solutions at an international NGO. With Nature-based Solutions, we try to address socio-economic challenges by working with nature which means that we intervene in natural and socio-economic systems. To be sure I am choosing the best options, I start with conducting a systems analysis to not miss out on aspects of the system that you were not directly aware of, yet that could affect your project’s success.

For this, I really need to understand what it means to conduct a systems analysis, and secondly how one can integrate the analysis results in a specific project or programme proposal. A systems analysis can for example entail a stakeholder mapping, to understand the playing field (who is involved?) including the stakeholders’ perspectives and key motivations for their actions. But it can also entail creating a coherent understanding of the climate change impacts and vulnerability of an area, in the form of a map or storylines.

This is a quite specific yet useful analytical exercise that you learn in Global Sustainability Science and that I now often use in my work. I was for example surprised to see how similar the proposal writing process for case studies used in Global Sustainability Science courses is compared to the type of proposals that I currently work on in my job.

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

I found a job at my internship provider, so I have not fully been able to experience rounds of job applications yet. Still, I noticed that being able to take a systems perspective in approaching complex problems is something that stands out and is being asked for. Thereby, Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� hosts the Copernicus Institute, which is known as an institution that specialises in holistic approaches to societal challenges and thus strengthens your profile.

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

I absolutely enjoyed designing our first own research set-up, which was accompanied by a week of fieldwork in Texel. Similarly, at the end of year three, you take a course called the Consultancy Project. Here you have the chance to interact with an actual client. I think it is really valuable to have this course as part of a Bachelor’s programme, as this is mostly what you would only find during a Master’s. 

Furthermore, I enjoyed most courses because of the diversity of inspiring teachers who are also very much willing to learn from their students. To illustrate, I contributed to nominating a teacher for the ‘Teacher of the Year Award’, and this was difficult as many well-substantiated suggestions were made by the students. This shows the good relationship between students and staff. 

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

Apart from having to deal with the impact of Covid on our education, I sometimes found the amount of group work quite challenging. For almost every course I followed in Global Sustainability Science, I had to work in a group to come to a result. In general, I do appreciate this kind of exercise as it requires a different skillset than your ‘regular’ academic skills. Yet, the moments that were challenging to me were when the ambition levels of the various group members did not align. This impacted the internal dynamics, the group atmosphere, and my personal enjoyment in following the course.

By starting an open conversation about expectation management at the start of group work we later prevented most of these negative feelings from occurring. Having such a conversation and sticking to the agreements does however require good communication skills and flexibility from all group members.

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

Being emerged in a rather international environment was already out of my comfort zone and thus stimulated personal growth. Moreover, I feel that Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� offers options to develop yourself, such as through Honours College or Descartes, but it also facilitates other university-linked organisations to connect to students, such as the Green Office, Move, or UtrechtInc. These all offer great, distinct ways to follow your interests and develop new talents.

I decided to invest my extra time in the Bachelor’s study association, Storm. I was on some committees of Storm, such as on the Career Committee and the Introduction Committee, and I spent one year of my time as Commissioner of Educational Affairs as part of the Board of Storm. During this year, I further developed my organisational talent and it felt good to be able to contribute to the association’s maturing. 

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

If you like to view and address challenges from a broader perspective, then yes! Global Sustainability Science offers to be a perfect study for that. Even if you already know what you want to work on, energy transition for example, Global Sustainability Science brings you the necessary toolkit to do so, by also offering insight into the physics aspect of it, as well as by researching the socio-economic drivers and discussing innovation adoption models.

What advice would you like to give to current students?

Follow your gut feeling and be open to changes along your way. For a long time, I had a hard time answering a question such as: “What do you really like?”. I liked many things to a certain extent, but I did know that I wanted to work on environmentally related topics. After the Bachelor’s programme, I still could not answer this question on a detailed level, yet I came to realise that being a specialist in making connections by thinking holistically and interdisciplinary is also an answer to that question. You can make this Bachelor’s as broad or in-depth as you like, and you will discover what fits you best once you have started.