Successful Careers for Energy Researchers
1 March 2010
In 2009 the Energy Research Stimulation programme of NWO/SenterNovem was completed. It is currently being evaluated and there will be more information about this in the next newsletter. Prior to the full evaluation, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) held a short e-mail questionnaire among several former PhD students of this programme. Many PhD students are still working in the field of their doctorate research – either within the university or elsewhere. So far, the programme has rendered 15 Doctors. Four PhD students are still working on their dissertation.
Multidisciplinary interaction good for future career
In 2005 Mark Prins received his PhD from Eindhoven University of Technology for a biomass gasification method. He is one of the PhD students with a science background who, in hindsight, really appreciates the multidisciplinary cooperation between beta and gamma scientists of this programme. ‘I am currently working for Shell, a commercial company quoted on the stock exchange. Just like its competitors it will only participate in energy transition when it becomes more profitable. This is why I increasingly feel the need for gamma scientists and/or policy makers in government positions to focus on energy transition and sustainable energy. They are able to create a different economic framework allowing for certain technological solutions to be introduced faster.’ Other former PhD students also really value the way in which they worked together with PhD students from other disciplines. For example, the Chemical and Petroleum engineer Saikat Mazumder, who studied at Delft University of Technology (and also works for Shell), mentioned that he particularly valued the cooperation with psychologists from Leiden during his doctorate research. He said this in January 2009 at the Kenniskracht / Power of Knowledge conference. His PhD was about carbondioxide storage in coal seems, whereas the psychologists investigated the attitude of the Dutch general public towards carbondioxide storage in the ground.
Shell acquires great deal of knowledge
Two other former PhD students of the Energy Research programme were recruited by Shell. After he completed his PhD, Mark Prins first worked as a researcher at the same university, but in 2007 he moved to Shell Global Solutions. He works for the department of Gasification and Hydrogen Manufacturing in Amsterdam. ‘My work is closely related to my doctorate research. Shell has projects about co-gasification of biomass in its portfolio. From time to time I am consulted by colleagues which is great,’ explains Prins.
After receiving his doctorate in 2007, Saikat Mazumder started working for Shell in Rijswijk at the Shell Exploration & Production International Centre – where he continues to study carbondioxide storage in the ground. The third former PhD student at Shell is Veronika Dornburg, who received her doctorate for biomass from the University of Utrecht in 2004. She also worked at the university first before taking up a position at Shell. ‘I am still deepening and transferring knowledge, but the issues have widened,’ she says.
Joining energy firms
Several energy firms have also employed PhD students and are making use of their knowledge and skills. In 2003, Han Slootweg was the first to receive his doctorate within the Energy Research programme and he went to Essent, later Enexis. He works in the energy industry for four days a week and he is employed as full professor at Eindhoven University of Technology for one day a week. ‘My work is very closely related to my PhD research. I am still working on deepening and transferring knowledge both at Enexis, at Eindhoven University of Technology and at commercial and scientific conferences and meetings,’ explains Slootweg.
Kay Damen is another scientist who is now working for an energy firm. In 2007 he received his doctorate on carbondioxide storage at the University of Utrecht and began to work at Nuon Technical and Engineering Services.
Various consultancy firms
Obviously, several former PhD students were employed by consultancy firms. Ineke Meijer wrote her dissertation on ‘Dealing with uncertainties in the transition to sustainable energy’ at the University of Utrecht and received her doctorate in 2008. She is now working for AT Osborne. Roald Suurs also investigated a transition issue and received his PhD from the University of Utrecht in 2009. He works for TNO. ‘I apply the theoretical and methodical frameworks to practical situations. This does require some adjustment. The doctorate research process has been very useful for me and the socially relevant perspective of it allows me to conduct knowledge work outside the academic world.’
Simona Negro and Saikat Mazumder
Academically and socially relevant research and education
Most of the 15 PhD students continued to work in the world of science. Simona Negro, who received her doctorate for transition issues surrounding biomass at the University of Utrecht in 2007 is now employed there as University Lecturer. Another University Lecturer at the University of Utrecht is Martin Junginger. He received his PhD on learning curves in sustainable energy in Utrecht in 2005. ‘I spend approximately one third of my time on projects related to technological learning, the rest on biomass related projects. Both these types of projects are closely related to my dissertation, particularly the first topic. Over the last few years, I have continued to work on deepening and transferring knowledge funded by two Dutch Ministries (Economic Affairs and Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment) particularly in the field of energy saving technologies. While doing so, I have transferred my knowledge to another PhD student. I am currently working on compiling a book which will give a clear overview of nine years of research results,’ explains Junginger. Two scientists who did a PhD on the adoption of energy efficient technologies in business also remain active at university. Mark Koetse (PhD in 2006 at the Free University of Amsterdam) combines his position at the Free University with a job at the Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving. Andrea Ramírez (PhD in 2005 at the University of Utrecht) has now become Senior Researcher/University Lecturer. Her work is not closely related to her dissertation, but she does still use several tools from her doctorate research.
Various international projects
After receiving her PhD on energy from biomass at Wageningen University in 2006, Ada Ignaciuk first worked at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in Germany. For a while, she combined this job with a position at the then Milieu- en Natuur Planbureau in the Netherlands. She is now living in Paris, where she did a consultancy project for the OECD and starts a new job in March 2010 at ESSP, Earth System Science Partnership. She doesn’t so much try to deepen her knowledge, but find wider applications for it and create links. ‘While conducting my doctorate research I learnt to look at topics from different angles.’