Alumnus testimonial
Alumna Francy Vennemann – MSc Nutrition and Health
During her study, Francy Vennemann chose the specialisation Nutritional Physiology and Health Status and combined this with Public Health courses. After graduation she became a trainee at the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) in Parma, Italy.
After finishing this master, I can say that I have the essential background and that I am able to link science with practice.
“After my bachelor in Nutrition and Dietetics I had the feeling that I knew a bit of everything, but not enough to give a good judgment. I wanted to learn more about nutrition and science and therefore decided to continue with the MSc Nutrition and Health.”
Wageningen
“Even though outsiders think Wageningen is too small, I like it because it is a small city. The people are very open and it is easy to make new friends. Wageningen has a strong focus on sustainability and sports. This is something I like a lot!”
“Now, after finishing this MSc, I can say that I do have the essential background and that I am able to link science with practice. For my thesis I focused on consumers and whether elderly based their food choices on conscious or unconscious behaviour. For my internship I worked in the public health sector because I like to transfer my knowledge to the public. I researched the nutritional and overall status of elderly people in the eastern part of the Netherlands, asking them questions about their lifestyle and the things they appreciate in life. The answers to these questions will be used in a project about protein enriched meal for elderly.”
Traineeship
“After graduating I started working as a trainee in the Evidence Management (DATA) unit of the EFSA, which is located in Parma, Italy. In one of my projects we analyse how much of a certain nutrient people consume and what the differences are between European countries. We determine whether people are below or above the recommended daily allowances. Based on this we advise the Nutrition unit of the EFSA, which is responsible for writing a scientific advisory report.”
“As a trainee in EFSA you have your own individual projects and once in a while you meet with your supervisor to discuss the progress of your work. Every day I meet new people and I learn new things,. I gain experience in a professional environment and can finally apply my knowledge in practice. Furthermore this traineeship allows me to develop on a personal level. Being abroad is a great experience. You improve your personal skills a lot when you are in a country where you do not speak the language but where you need to arrange things such as a house. The trainees in EFSA about 20 a year, come from all over Europe: Spain, Italy, France, Slovenia, Croatia, England and many other countries. The diversity in nationalities is very interesting and I can recommend it to everyone!”
Future
“The duration of a traineeship at EFSA is between 6 and 12 months, after which there is almost no possibility to stay. But, being a family person, I also like to go back to The Netherlands where I will be close to my family and friends again. After my traineeship I would like to have a job in which I can create awareness among people about the impact of nutrition and why it is important to live healthy.”