Upon
completing my Bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Bristol
University, I was eager to improve my skills in coding and
modelling to compliment my ecological knowledge and skills. The MSc
Biology programme at Groningen stood out to me as a comprehensive
mix of theoretical and empirical work, which I believe lays a solid
foundation for any aspiring biologist's future academic
pursuits.
I found a similar
Masters’ programme in the UK, however there the programme is
only one year. As I wanted to focus on both theory and research
skills, I found that the University of Groningen was a better fit
for me.
The Master in
Biology is very broad. In my track, we needed to take courses in
Mathematics, Biological Model Analysis, and C++. Next to these
courses, I chose to expand my research projects.
My first project
focused on theoretical modelling. In the research group of
Charlotte Hemelrijk on dominance hierarchies in primates.
We wanted to
investigate whether ecological factors could have influenced the
differences we see between chimpanzees and bonobos. To do this, we
built an agent-based model and analyzed the emergence of female
dominance.
Currently, I
am
working on
publishing the results of my second Master's research
project'
Together with the research
group of Hannah Dugdale,
we investigated the effect
of rainfall on partnership stability in the Seychelles
warbler
. In
short, climate change is becoming more radical, which has an effect
on the stability of relationships,
which may lead to more
divorces
My next step would
be to do a PhD programme. Preferably, this would be a double PhD.
Here, I can combine
theoretical and empirical
research in different institutions.
Luckily, the University of
Groningen has a lot of collaborations. After this, I would like to
focus more on conservation.
The added value of
my programme here is the freedom that I got in my research. We had
a small, tight-knit community in the Life Sciences department. This
meant that we had a lot of time and interaction to discuss a wide
range of topics. This opened up doors to subjects that I normally
would not choose to do. Furthermore, I could work independently on
my research, which reflects a PhD research programme. As for the
courses, the coding level is very high.
I really enjoy my
time here in Groningen. Next to having a small class where I met my
new best friends, I followed my love for music. I found a lot of
creative people to jam with. The vibe here in Groningen is similar
to Bristol: there are a lot of students, it feels almost like a big
village and there is always something to do.
In my future work, I
would like to focus more on the effect of climate change on animal
behaviour. When I was a child I always wanted to work with
reptiles, but now I am more open to other species.
