Background

I grew up in rural Netherlands fascinated by the natural world around me. Wondering how it all worked and how it came to be led me to seek answers by studying astronomy. I specialised in radio astronomy, in part because radio telescopes do not require clear blue skies (pretty rare in the Netherlands), but primarily because radio astronomy is an exciting interface between different domains, i.e. engineering, mathematics and astrophysics.

Space

I studied Astronomy & Physics at the University of Groningen, Uppsala University, and Leiden University between 2009 and 2015, obtained my PhD at Curtin University in Australia in 2020, and was awarded a McGill Space Institute Fellowship at McGill University in Canada in 2021. As an astrophysicist I focussed on the design, deployment, and performance of radio telescopes searching for the very first stars in the Universe, and finding the cause of incredibly powerful phenomena called Fast Radio Bursts.

Strategy

However, my interests are broader than fundamental science alone. Between the various stages of my research career, I aimed to make a positive impact on challenges much closer to home. I have worked in student counselling & education management at Leiden University, informed policy making on national public health and social welfare challenges at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), and leading the construction of the CHIME space observatory network across North America.

Storytelling

I love realising a good story—but just as important to me is communicating it clearly. Nothing beats the feeling of bringing your audience along with your story, whether they are stakeholders, team members or non-experts. My experience in theatre shaped how I think about communication and has stayed with me throughout my work—as a science communicator visiting disadvantaged schools in the Netherlands and rural Western Australia, an educator for high school and university students, and an organiser of public events like Astronomy on Tap.

Project Highlights