As a theoretical / computational chemist, I adore studying properties of molecules and trying to understand the way they interact. That is why my PhD project (started in February 2023) is about designing novel, self-reparable polymers for which I collaborate with colleagues from TU Eindhoven. Together, we aim to synthesize materials that can contribute to less plastic waste. Alongside my project, I find science communication truly fascinating and the societal aspect of (doing) research. I dove deeper into science communication during my masters and I developed a great interest in the relation between science and society, and between scientific communities themselves. Conducting research envelops much more than solely science and I realized that collaborating with scientists from other disciplines made me a much richer person in an enjoyable way! Thus, I am very excited to join the FYS community and organize interactive and playful workshops such as dialogues and hands-on participation to broaden the views of scientists from both a mental wellbeing and a soft skills point of view.

In my PhD I aim to understand how collaboration between interdisciplinary researchers affects solving complex innovative problems. Lots of academic courses nowadays include group assignments: we are encouraged to work in teams everywhere. Once you enter a job market, you are likely to end up in a place where you will have to collaborate with your colleagues. Did you always have a positive experience of collaborating with others? I doubt! As a young researcher, I have to accept uncertainty about my future career, learn how to cope with ups and downs in research. In my opinion, to become a happy individual satisfied with your career, you need two core ingredients: hard work and networking. True, collaboration really is a thing! I have no doubt that FYS has grown into a stimulating platform where young scholars can engage in a conversation about career-related issues with the invited speakers and find the solutions collaboratively.

As a PhD Candidate, I work on drug-discovery-focused projects in the Medicinal Chemistry / Molecular Pharmacology research group at the VU Amsterdam. My projects are laboratory-based in which I focus on the design and synthesis of new compounds and understanding the relationships between structure and biological activity to tackle various immune diseases and cancers. Before I moved to Amsterdam, I lived in Berlin and London for 4 years, where I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacology. Working as an early researcher can sometimes be challenging regarding time management, emotional well-being, and further career orientation. Therefore, by joining FYS, I aspire to contribute by organizing workshops and social events to facilitate PhD Candidates and Postdoctoral Researchers at the VU getting the most of their time with my particular interest in embracing work-life balance.

I am a 2nd year PhD candidate at the VU, in conjunction with the ODISSEI project. My project concerns privacy-concerned data, and how to make Social Science Research on restricted data more FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable). I am originally Italian, but I have lived for 8 years in London before moving to The Netherlands in July 2020. I have received a Bachelor of Science from the The Royal Veterinary College and a Master of Science from the Birkbeck University of London. I am very excited about joining the FYS and make the academic experience more enjoyable and successful for PhDs and PostDocs, through the organisation of workshops and training programs. Also, I am looking forward creating a community of Young Scientists where we can share experiences and tips, and support each other in our academic journey.

I am an experimental physicist, currently in the last year of PhD, with a passion for finding creative experimental solutions to shed light on the mechanoresponse of complex biological systems, as well as the microscopic structures contributing to it. During the past four years, the focus of my work has been to employ micromanipulation/single-molecule techniques to develop new experimental assays aimed at quantifying the mechanical properties of biological systems at different length scales. Alongside the PhD, I have a strong passion for art and graphic design, especially when these can be employed to improve science communication; I strongly believe that a good visualisation of ideas and research results is key for a more insightful understanding. I’m therefore extremely happy to be helping FYS with designing logos, core-topics illustrations and monthly newsletters.

My PhD project focuses on children’s caregiving for older parents in both the Netherlands and China. Born during China’s one-child policy period, I grew up with many friends who were the only child in their respective families. Their caregiving burden is very heavy, because of the underdeveloped public care system and strong filial piety tradition. Meanwhile, the Netherlands adapts to the transition from a demographically young welfare state to an aging society with more individual, family, and community responsibilities. I am deeply interested in the similarities and differences in children’s caregiving for older parents between these two countries. Starting my PhD during a pandemic limited my chances to know my peers and feel connected. By attending one workshop that was organized by the FYS, I learned a lot and met peers with similar interests. I also saw myself being happier when I was able to help and interact with others. I truly believe that how we are connected to others, our communities, and the society determine the quality and meaning of our lives. I am looking forward to working in the FYS community and contributing to a better development of my PhD and Postdoc peers.  

I’m a dentist&periodontist, and currently working as a PhD candidate at the Department of Periodontology, Academic Center for Dentistry, ACTA. My project focuses on investigating the effects of fibrin in periodontal inflammation that ultimately aims for contributing to uncovering the pathophysiological pathways of periodontitis. Even though developing project-related skills are quite important for conducting the PhD, those cannot completely cover the abilities that an academic should have during this journey. Therefore, helping individuals to discover their uniqueness in their profession and to gain additional skills and knowledge turns into a feeling of necessity for me that also has a reciprocal effect on me in terms of creating the unity within academia. In this context, FYS offers a great platform full of broad-visioned people to provide these opportunities to the PhDs.