EWM-NL

PhD event 2022

A PhD, is that for me?

Updates

  • A new edition of the event is planned for February 3rd, 2023, in Utrecht. More information will follow later.
  • A resource has been created by the organisers listing ways to find PhD positions in the Netherlands: PhD positions and subscription lists
  • Read the press release from Leiden University on this event.

Aims

The event A PhD, is that for me? took place on 4 February 2022 at the Minneartgebouw of Utrecht University and was live streamed. With this one-day event for students in both theoretical and applied mathematics. In total, 148 students registered for the day.

The event was organised by:

  • Mia Jukić, MSc – Leiden University (initiator)
  • Mar Curcó-Iranzo, MSc – Utrecht University
  • Dr. Sanne Willems – Leiden University

With this event, we aimed to:

  • Showcase the benefits of doing a PhD and different career possibilities after obtaining a PhD degree in Mathematics.
  • Help students to make their choice whether they want to apply for a PhD or not.
  • Present role models to female students by highlighting the stories and experiences of women in mathematics in the Netherlands.

Programme

Plenary speakers
  • Nelly Litvak, University of Twente
  • Fieke Dekkers, RIVM
PhD speakers
  • S.J. (Anna) Fokma, Utrecht University
  • Anastasiia Hraivoronska, Eindhoven University of Technology
  • Margherita Pagano, Leiden University
  • Teodora Pandeva, University of Amsterdam
Workshop speakers

Further information about the programme can be found here.

Quotes

Some quotes from the comments on the survey after the event:

  • […] it was great and I really appreciate the effort you put into this 🙂 (ID = 122)
  • thank you very much for organising it, it was so helpful!! (ID = 117)
  • Thank you so much for organizing it, it was wonderful! 🙂 (ID = 115)
  • Thank you so much for organising this! I didn’t realise the impact that it would have on me (female Bachelor of mathematics student), and how much I needed that impact to change the way I see my future. I always thought that having male professors didn’t influence my feelings of doing a PhD or anything like that, because they have never expressed any sexist behaviour or remarks, or made me feel like I couldn’t do it. But answering the questionnaire before the event made me realise that I did feel isolated and I didn’t think that I could do a PhD. And this event really changed my whole view and made me realise that seeing women actively enter the field, be a part of it, not have to “become men” or whatever, was so joyous. I think that in simple terms, *seeing representation in this field* and hearing stories of women in the field and their feelings, meant a lot more to me than I thought it would. So thank you!!! (ID = 198)
  • Thank you for the event! I really liked it (ID = 170)

Sponsors