From biology student to plant professor at Utrecht University
Saskia van Wees stands up for plants
Saskia van Wees studied biology at Utrecht University and eventually became a professor at the same university, even though she started her studies with no concrete plans in mind. How did Van Wees experience her time as a student in Utrecht and what path did she take after graduating? What ultimately drew her back to Utrecht University?
“When I was in high school, I was doing top-level sports as a competitive swimmer. School was more of a side activity, and I never had to study much. So, when I started my studies in Utrecht, it was quite an adjustment. That is why I can relate well to the insecurities and struggles I now see in the students I teach. I am always open to share my own experiences with them.

Studying and partying
When I first started as a student, my main focus was on my fellow biology students, who made me feel at home right away. It was an enjoyable time in which I suddenly gained a lot more freedom, but I also had to tackle a significant amount of coursework. However, studying was not really my priority—partying was.
I am quite competitive, so despite this I still wanted to get good grades. If I thought I would only score a six on an exam, I would just skip it and tell myself I would do it later. That did not work, of course.

I was not the only one in our year who did not gain enough study points. Almost everyone received a warning letter saying we were at risk of failing our propaedeutic year. After that warning, I started passing all my exams on time. It turned out that studying and partying could actually go hand in hand after all.
Not art history, but plants
I did not have clear plans for my studies at the beginning. Coming from a working-class family, I was not really sure what I would be able to do after finishing my studies. I enjoyed biology in high school, but the only biologist I knew back then was my biology teacher. I was not really thinking about my future either, because I assumed I would probably end up being a housewife, just like my mother. Not that I wanted that, but it was just the norm at the time.
I have always just done what I enjoyed.
Almost, I switched to art history after a few months. But then I took a course on plant biology, and I really enjoyed it because it was virtually the only one where we were actually allowed to experiment. Often, something unexpected would happen that we had not planned for, and I found that fascinating.
I was one of the few who actually enjoyed the course. Many of my fellow students were not fond of plants from the start and decided to pursue a career in the medical field instead. That is when I thought: I have to stand up for the plants! I also believed I could make a bigger impact by focusing on plants and food security. Through my internships after that, I became completely convinced that I had made the right choice.
Do what feels right
It was never my dream to become a professor. I have always just done what I enjoyed. That is why I always give this advice to the first-year students I tutor: you should follow what feels right at that moment. Whatever that is might change again in six months’ time, and that is perfectly fine. You cannot plan everything in advance.
I always tell my PhD students: go talk to people, you never know what will come out of it.
That mindset is also what got me to where I am today. Although sometimes, you just have to accept things as they come. When I finished my studies, I actually wanted to become a lab technician so I could spend all my time in the lab. But that was not an option at the time, as I was overqualified. I then volunteered to work with Corné Pieterse, who had just started as a postdoc. I deliberately chose to learn something new by helping him set up the molecular lab. When the professor of the group, Kees van Loon, secured a research grant, Corné said: we should hire Saskia.
Talk to people
After completing my doctoral research, I wanted to go abroad to work at a company so I could be closer to the practical application of research. I had once spoken with Jane Glazebrook, a researcher I really wanted to work with. However, she was based at a university on the East Coast of the United States, while I was hoping to work at a company on the West Coast. A while later, she called me. She said: ‘Guess what? I will move to San Diego (on the West Coast) to work for a company. Would you like to be my postdoc?’
That is why I always tell my PhD students: go talk to people, you never know what will come out of it. None of this has to be premeditated, but just make the connection. Of course, for some people, this is easier than for others, but it has brought me a lot.
I am glad that, as a professor, I can serve as an example.
Returning to Utrecht
After my time in San Diego, I went to the University of Amsterdam. However, when Corné raised funds so that I could come back to his group in Utrecht for a two-year period, I gladly accepted. During those two years, I wrote an application for a Vidi grant, which I received, which allowed me to stay in Utrecht.
The group I have been working in for 17 years now, Plant-Microbe Interactions, has always been a very pleasant one. We communicate well with each other and truly function as a team.
Utrecht University, to me, is more progressive than other universities. There is less hierarchy here, and people are more supportive of one another. Utrecht also often leads the way, for example, in recognition and rewards and in educational innovation. That suits me well.
Role model
I am glad that, as a professor, I can serve as an example, especially for young women. I can show that you do not have to be some boring person, and that it is possible to have a life outside of being a professor. I do not always manage to balance it myself, but it is definitely possible, and you become a nicer person because of it."
The Faculty of Science celebrates its 20th anniversary!
This article is created as part of the 20th anniversary of the Faculty of Science of Utrecht University. It is part of a series of (visual) stories highlighting this jubilee.