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Before I started my PhD at IMAU, I already liked the Wadden Sea. So I was happy when I found out it was possible to spend a few years applying math/physics to understand how tides work and how channels and tidal bars form (thank you Huib — have a great retirement!). I enjoyed it, but when my PhD was done, given the fact that the world seemed (/seems) to be on fire, I wanted to contribute on slightly shorter timescales. I ended up at the Dutch Railways (NS), which aims to provide sustainable mobility for everyone.

I started as a business analyst (zitplaatskans / chance of getting a seat), which — while not the most exhilarating role from a technical standpoint — gave me a good way to get to know (part of) NS and its challenges. But the lack of a technical challenge made me quickly switch to a data science role (o.a. druktepoppetjes / crowding indicator), which luckily became available. This I enjoyed. I learned about new data-driven methods, about working in a team, and about writing decent software. Sometimes I miss working on something that simply isn’t known yet, and going deep into theory. But working on something that everybody knows, interacts with, and has an opinion about, is also nice.

Another difference is that during my PhD, it was my own responsibility to make progress. In my team now, we share the responsibility to keep the product working and to build the required features. When I go on holiday, someone else continues what I was working on, and when I come back, others have made a lot of progress. Also, when stuff breaks, it’s a nice feeling that everybody in the team is involved and helps to fix it. So, working in such a team I can definitely recommend.

Lastly, recently — besides my work at NS — I now also do this guy’s job, but then for free.

Tjebbe Hepkema