Winners Supervisor of the Year Award 2023
Winners PhD Supervisor of the Year Awards 2023 announced during festive event.
On October 12th, the PhD Council of the Graduate School of Life Sciences announced the winners of the PhD Supervisor of the Year Award 2023. The festive event with drinks and live music by BombaNaranja started off with an interesting discussion about good supervision with a panel of experienced supervisors. They all agreed that part of good supervision is team science. A well-coordinated team with different layers will result in enough time and good guidance for PhD candidates. Seeing PhD candidates grow over the years is the most rewarding. Advice for PhD candidates is to be honest and open, and to be proactive in approaching the supervisors.
After the discussion, the GSLS PhD Council committee presented the shortlist of nominees that were all welcomed on stage with loud applause. It was explained why their PhD candidates are very satisfied with their way of supervision, with several overlapping characteristics like being involved, approachable, enthusiastic and a motivator. Also very important is to create room for personal development and to adapt to the person. Although they are all great supervisors, the committee had to select winners. Congratulations to Renske de Kleijn, PhD Co-Supervisor of 2023, and Bas Weusten, PhD Supervisor of 2023!
The shortlist of nominees included great supervisor that were praised by their PhD candidates.
PhD co-supervisors: Emma van Bodegraven (UMC Utrecht), Aniek Janssen (UMC Utrecht), Renske de Kleijn (UMC Utrecht), Michiel van der Vlist (UMC Utrecht), Esther Zaal (UU Veterinary Medicine).
PhD supervisors: Rick Dijkhuizen (UMC Utrecht), Geert Kops (Hubrecht Institute), Linde Meyaard (UMC Utrecht), Bas Weusten (UMC Utrecht).
Read more about their supervision skills here. The complete list of all nominated (co-)supervisors can be found here.
We asked the winners to give some insight into their supervision style.
PhD Co-Supervisor of 2023
Renske de Kleijn, Department of Biomedical Sciences, UMC Utrecht
What is your personal supervision style?
I try to be curious and adaptive. Trying to get to know the PhD candidates and their drivers and way of working, so I can tap into that with my supervision approach and the direction of the research.
What do you like most about supervising PhD candidates?
I also learn a lot myself, in terms of papers that they come up with, how they approach things, and interpreting research findings together. For me, that is where the magic happens and new knowledge is born.
What is the most important lesson you learned throughout your career as a supervisor?
I am trying to be ok with the fact that no one can be the best fitting supervisor for every PhD candidate. Even when two people have the best intentions and efforts, sometimes it just does not lead to a successful working relationship. These situations I struggle the most with.
What would be your advice for colleagues that recently started supervising?
Ask questions to your PhD candidate. Do not feel like you need to have all the answers right away, but make sure you invest in trying to get know what a PhD candidate already knows, tried, thought about or read, so that you can adapt your guidance and advice to that. Asking relevant questions is an underrated quality in my view.
PhD Supervisor of 2023
Bas Weusten, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UMC Utrecht
What is your personal supervision style?
Difficult question! I think my style is open, relaxed, trustful, and personal (at least I try).
What do you like most about supervising PhD candidates?
The wonderful thing about supervising PhD candidates is that you are surrounded by enthusiastic, bright young people and witness their personal growth. Working with my PhD candidates for me is like an energizer.
What is the most important lesson you learned throughout your career as a supervisor?
Starting a PhD project is a commitment from both sides. It will take time and effort from you as a supervisor. It only works (at least for me) if you are enjoying your role as supervisor, and if you are really interested in the person behind the candidate.
What would be your advice for colleagues that recently started supervising?
Realize that you have made a commitment. Invest time and effort, and, most importantly, enjoy! Please keep in mind that a PhD pathway is more than doing research and publishing papers. It should be a period of personal growth during which the candidate should be able to develop many different competencies.
