Alumnus testimonial
Bastiaan – Policy adviser
With his master’s Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management Bastiaan can also guide colleagues without a background in marine biology. This is very useful since he not only works with experts like himself, but also with economists and lawyers.
Thanks to my study Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management, it is possible for me to guide my colleagues without a background in marine biology in their work.
Could you describe what a policy advisor’s daily job is?
“I work as a policy adviser at the consultancy firm ‘Milieu’. Here my main activities are assisting a project which investigates to what extent the different members of the European Union have executed the first articles of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
Besides the more scientific aspects of my work, I’m also busy coordinating experts which deliver products for this project. In doing this, I’m also getting some experience about management in a rather safe environment. To get more insight into the management of projects of the European Union, I’m also included in meetings with the client, in this case the European Commission.
What do you like about your job?
“The fun part of the project I am working on is that many aspects of marine management are addressed. There are the more traditional ones like fisheries, eutrophication and toxins. But also subjects which have only gotten our attention recently, like underwater sounds, pollution by plastics, ecosystem interactions and more. This makes it possible for me to learn a lot about different things.
I also like that within the firm there are lawyers, economists and experts like myself which cause interesting discussions about a great range of subjects. Besides that, many of them are young which contributes to the nice ambience. There is a very international atmosphere in my office. I work together with people from France, Serbia and Lithuania.
And how did your master’s prepare you for this career?
“Thanks to my study Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management, it is possible for me to guide my colleagues without a background in marine biology in their work on the MSFD assessment. I can communicate with experts about technical questions or attend expert meetings within the EU.”