PhD Council
The Graduate School of the Natural Sciences (GSNS) PhD Council, formed by voluntary PhD candidates, aims to represent all PhD candidates in the natural sciences.
The council functions as a source of information for PhD candidates and offers help in case questions or complications arise. To keep up to date with relevant development for PhD candidates, the council is in frequent contact with the policy advisors of the GSNS. Additionally, we are in contact with the Board of Studies of the GSNS Utrecht, the University Council of the university, the PhD network (PrOUt) and the national PhD network (PNN).
The primary goal of the council is to advocate for the interests of PhD candidates within the natural sciences. We do this by staying informed on issues that affect daily PhD life—such as teaching responsibilities, communication with supervisors, colleagues and HR, and performance pressure. Equally important is listening to fellow PhD candidates and ensuring their voices are heard in the various university bodies we engage with. If there is anything you would like to share or bring to our attention, please do not hesitate to contact us via the email below.
In addition to our representative role, the council sets yearly focus areas to guide our activities.This year, we are concentrating on the following three themes:
- PhD Well-being
We aim to enhance the well-being of GSNS PhD candidates by better understanding their needs and experiences. To achieve this, we are developing a comprehensive survey that will be distributed later this year. The results will help us advocate for conditions that support both the mental well-being and research effectiveness of PhD candidates.
- Professionalisation of the Council
To increase our impact, we are working to boost the council’s visibility and integrate it more effectively into GSNS policy-making processes. We aim to ensure representation from all research institutes and to map existing representation structures to improve coordination and effectiveness.
- Community Building
Strengthening the sense of community among PhD candidates is a priority. We organize events such as the annual pub quiz and a GSNS-specific career event, creating opportunities for PhD candidates from different institutes to connect and share experiences.
Members
To be representative, the council aims to have at least one PhD candidate from every institute within the natural sciences. When a council member resigns, it is preferred that the member in question looks for a substitute member of his or her institute. Current members are:
Luca Forgiarini, Freudenthal Institute
Tess J. van Leeuwen, Mathematical Institute
Franka Jesse, Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (IMAU) - co-chair PhD Council
Arno Hoefnagels, Institute for Theoretical Physics (ITP)
Olaf Massen, Institute for Gravitational and Subatomic Physics (GRASP) - co-chair PhD Council
Nicolette Maaskant, Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Debye Institute (DINS) & Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry (ISCC)
Heleen S. Kerstholt, Information and computing sciences (ICS)
Rinkse Alkemade, Soft Condensed Matter, Debye Institute (DINS)
Ioannis Georgoulis, Nanophotonics, Debye Institute (DINS)
Peitong Li, Information and computing sciences (ICS)
We are always looking for new people. If you are interested, contact us!
Contact
The council can be reached via email at phdcouncil.gsns@uu.nl.