Below, you can find 2 profiles and contact details of current doctoral candidates at the UT. Please feel free to contact Leoni and/or Mario and ask any question you like. If you have questions that they can not answer, they can possibly introduce you to other persons. You can also sign up for the P-NUT Buddy System if you are already at the UT or starting your PhD shortly.
Leoni Winschermann, doctoral candidate since September 2021
Short biography
I moved from Germany to the Netherlands to study Mathematics in Nijmegen. During my master's I spend two semesters studying in South Korea and took a specialization that allowed me to dive into both math and the science behind energy and climate. Now, at UT, I do research into the robust integration of electric vehicle charging into existing systems (e.g. how can we efficiently charge electric vehicle with solar energy, and how do we prevent overload in the electricity grid). Next to my research, I am involved in EQUITY, an initiative within P-NUT focused on connecting and supporting female doctoral candidates at the University of Twente and creating a safe space to express the challenges related to growing professionally in STEM fields. Off campus, you frequently find me on basketball courts or in my kitchen trying out new recipes.
Why did I choose for the UT?
Throughout my studies, I knew that I'd go into industry after my Master's. At my old uni, depending on the courses you took, you would get notified about open PhD positions in the respective fields, but none of them interested me. However, towards the end of my studies one position did speak to me, a position I did not think existed: combining the math I loved with topics related to the energy transition. It was the perfect combination for me. There was some programming skills required that I didn't feel particularly confident about, so I ended up giving the professor a call and we had a chat about the topic, team and how programming is something that can be learned. I ended up applying and it quickly became clear that there was a click. From my side, the biggest doubts remained whether or not to do a PhD. I wanted to work on the topic, but I had heard stories about doctoral candidates being islanded for four years, and depression and burn-out pretty much coming with the job. So I talked to a lot of study mates that did a PhD or quit their PhD, and even called one of my prospective colleages at UT to get an impression of the work environment. Now, I am happy I decided to go for it. But it was not an active decision for the PhD, or the uni, but for that one position and team I clicked with.
How can I help?
Ask! And as I said, ask around. While I cannot help with application processes, I would be happy to share my personal experiences. I can talk with you about for example my short-term 180 degree switch from wanting to work in industry to academia, confidence in one's own skills (do I hear imposter?), and what a typical workday looks like (not that those exist). I am also always happy to discuss inclusion on campus, in particular related to female gender in STEM fields and the LGBTQAI+ community. I strongly believe that you need to make an informed decision to feel at home at your work place and that that is essential to conduct good research. Talk to you soon.
Contact details
l.winschermann@utwente.nl
https://www.linkedin.com/in/winschermann/
Mario Boot, doctoral candidate since March 2021
Short biography
I am born and raised in the provice of Zeeland in The Netherlands. My studies in Amsterdam, Turkey and Australia were about innovative forms of human-computer interaction - think about the combination of internet of things, robotics, and wearable devices. I worked for 4 years in 2 different commercial companies, which was great for learning about things like business, finance, and negotation. Besides that, I was often socially clumsy and awkward. I spent quite some time on personal development to learn about empathy, intercultural communication, team atmosphere, etc. This helped me a lot. When moving to the Enschede area, I hardly knew anybody. Luckily, via the very active P-Nut community it was easy to make new friends. Privately I love our 2 cats, mountainbiking, and DIY projects in my house and garden.
Why did I choose for the UT?
I was living and working in Amsterdam but I found my job a bit boring and the city became too hectic for me. I started looking for more fulfilling work in a more peaceful and green area of NL. I noticed that I like deep thinking about things that I am interested in, and that I love working with talented people who genuinely care about the content of their work. Next to that, I know that already from childhood on I loved 2 things: riding my bicycle, and playing with digital electronics. At the UT I found a position about engineering of digital technology for bicycles, to make cycling safer and more attractive. Then I thought: great! .
How can I help?
I would encourage you to talk before and/or during your application process with current doctoral candidates at the UT. They can give you a different view than the hiring committee and your supervisors, for example about things like atmosphere, supervision, housing, and resources. I can explain you my personal experience, with honesty and without hiding the less attractive parts of a doctoral trajectory e.g. harsh feedback and the feeling of not being good enough. Also I can help you to with dealing with differences between cultures from around the world, with differences between academia and industry. Together, this can support you to choose what's best for you.
Contact details
m.r.boot@utwente.nl
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrboot/