Student testimonial
After a positive impression during the Open Day and good talks with students of Wageningen University the choice was quickly made
Student Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management
Prior Education: Aquatic Ecotechnology, HZ University of Applied Sciences
Prior Education
My name is Babette. From 2008 up un till 2012 I did the Bachelor’s Aquatic Ecotechnology at the HZ University of Applied Sciences. During these four years one is educated to become a true water manager. From water purification to shore protection, everything is discussed. Like for a true girl from the Dutch province of Zeeland the sea and the beach have always attracted my attention. It is probably thanks to that that I have focussed my two internships on marine ecological topics. At Imares I studied what the effects of oyster reefs used to combat the sand hunger in the Oosterschelde were. And at the NIOZ I looked at the effects of water temperature on the vertical distribution of sea grapes. Both internships convinced me that marine ecology is my passion. Rain or shine, a day out in the field is always a good idea.
Experiences
After completing my Bachelor’s I wanted to develop myself further before starting a job. After some orientation I found out that Wageningen University offers the program Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management. After a positive impression during the Open Day and the good talks with students of Wageningen University the choice was quickly made.
Finishing my Master’s
So, the next academic year I was studying at the WUR. As University of Applied Sciences graduate I was quite nervous for the transition to a research university but that deemed unnecessary. My prior education connected perfectly and I could easily keep up with the level and the pace. As specialisation I chose for Marine Resource Management and Ecology (the other 2 specialisations are: Aquaculture and Marine Governance). For the length of a year I increased my knowledge during the lectures and practicals. The days were long, but so interesting and instructional that they flew by.
During one of my lectures I met a professor who worked at Imares. Subsequently, after I had passed all of my courses, I started my thesis at Imares. Here I focussed on the effects of fishing at the bottom of the sea on the condition of flatfish in the north-western North Sea. My thesis consisted mainly out of data analyses and writing work. It was an instructional period. Next, I was ready for work of more a practical nature. Therefore I am living in Wales at the moment, where I am doing an internship at the School of Ocean Sciences, a part of the Bangor University. Here I study the habitat preferences of young crabs and lobsters. I organised the field design and momentarily I go out to sea once or twice a week to conduct research on the young crabs and lobsters. In a couple of months I hope to graduate and thereafter start the search for a job in the Netherlands, Belgium of maybe even the UK. Whether or not to continue onto a PhD is a difficult choice. As of now I don’t think so. Firstly, I want to do up some working experience and who knows what the future will bring?