Q and A

Research for Impact is one of the core strategic themes in SU`s Vision 2020. How does your research relate to that?

I try to define my research projects in such a way that they all have some real-world application in mind. Sometimes very directly as in doing research on a system with a direct application (reversible male contraceptive, drug delivery system, antimicrobial material, etc), but in other cases it will be to advance scientific knowledge in support of research that is aimed to have an impact on industry or on society as a whole.

Please give us your impression of the role that research and innovation can play in the betterment of society?

Over the past decades, nearly all major innovations had a basis in science. The death toll of the Covid-19 pandemic relative to that of the Spanish flu is a great example of how scientific research and innovation have improved our ability to deal with health issues. With the current high-tech developments there is no doubt that research and innovation will be crucial for the betterment of society.

What would you regard as the most important aspects to consider to effectively support researchers?

Without exception what you hear from researchers is the continuous struggle for research funding. Apart from infrastructure that is necessary to perform research, some security in terms of research funding would be most effective in supporting researchers. This can of course also be in the form of actively supporting researchers in their attempts to tap into international funding (e.g. EU programs, Wellcome Trust, etc).

What do you enjoy most about your job and what are the aspects that you find challenging?

The freedom to do research that pushes the boundaries of current knowledge and that helps to solve societal problems is by far the most exciting and enjoyable. Most challenging is properly managing my time. There are too many things that I want or need to spend time on.

What is the biggest piece of advice that you would give early-career researchers?

Find a good mentor with whom you can casually chat about decisions that you need to make in your career. There are many decisions, ranging from broad research or narrow research focus, which journal to aim for with your publications, where to best apply for funding, who to collaborate with, spending time at an overseas institute, etc. It helps to bounce ideas off someone who has already gone through that process and knows what works and what doesn’t.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the way we work. What, from your point of view, is the most pertinent change and how will this affect your work in the future?

For me personally, the pandemic has probably had less impact than for many other people. I already worked frequently from home or over longer distances, and was therefore used to communication via online platforms. What I miss most as a consequence of the pandemic are scientific conferences. The online version doesn’t have the same benefit of socialising with international colleagues. I therefore hope that online conferences will not be the new normal.

What do you do for fun (apart from research!)

Ever since I was 10 years old I have played musical instruments. I started playing clarinet and saxophone in wind orchestras, big band and several other bands/orchestras. After some 25 years of clarinet, I switched to oboe, which is what I had wanted for a long time. I played that in a symphony orchestra in total for about 20 years. Most recently, about 2 years ago, I switched again, but now for the first time in my life to a brass instrument, the French horn.