Experiences of alumni Minor Energy

Isabella Lozano, 3rd year LLB International and European Law student, 6th year participant:

Joining the Energy Minor was a great experience that surpassed my expectations. The multidisciplinary approach of the minor, covering natural sciences, spatial sciences, economics, law, and psychology, gave a comprehensive view of the energy transition, which was beyond my initial background of law, which focused on regulation and policy-making.

Throughout the minor, we learned the theories of each discipline. Then, we applied them through case studies in two group projects. These group projects were a chance to learn more about a specific discipline we liked— I chose natural sciences. I eventually wrote two papers: one about biofuels for sustainable aviation and another on hydrogen storage. Engaging with my supervisors and our teachers, who were invested in seeing their students succeed, made each a rewarding experience.

The minor was also a chance to engage and network with key external parties within the energy transition. We even went to a power plant in Eemshaven. This way, we applied what we learned in the classroom to the real world. 

Overall, taking this minor was not only a fun and engaging experience, and it affirmed that this is career path I’d like to take. It was a door opener for career opportunities and networking in the very relevant fields of sustainability and energy. I’d recommend it!

Arjen Veenstra, student BSc Econometrics and Operations Research, 3rd year participant:

"After my Bachelor EOR, I decided to follow the Energy minor due to its multidisciplinary character. Though I really enjoyed my Bachelor, I am broadly interested and therefore I thought it would be interesting to explore other disciplines. The Energy minor offered me this opportunity through providing interesting insights into other disciplines and how all disciplines are interconnected. In the minor, we considered problems regarding energy, which are (often) too complex to be solved by looking solely from one aspect. Therefore, you have to apply knowledge from the different disciplines and combine them.

What I really enjoyed about the Energy minor were the projects, which formed a substantial part of the minor. In these projects, which were focused on solving energy problems, we were given the opportunity to immediately apply what we learned. This made the theory more tangible and gave me the feeling that I actually could contribute to some energy-related problems. Moreover, as these were group projects, I learned what it is like to work with people who have different academic backgrounds. Through this process, I learned a lot of valuable skills, which will also be beneficial to me in my future career.

After all, I am really happy that I followed the Energy minor. I learned a lot about energy and the different disciplines. The interactive lectures and group projects made me feel comfortable, even though the entire minor was online. I think the minor was a nice start for an eventual future energy-related career, which I will definitely take into consideration."

Roisin Campbell, student BSc International Relations and International Organizations, 3rd year participant:

"My favourite aspect of the minor was the multidisciplinary approach. Coming for a social science background, I was rather nervous about having to study topics from spatial and natural sciences. However, this was one of the best aspects of the minor as it really highlighted the complexity of energy issues, and the need for cross disciplinary collaboration in order to solve energy challenges.

The minor has a great balance between learning about energy issues from different perspectives (through lectures etc.) and also doing your own research. It was a very new experience to work on my own discipline in research projects, whilst also collaborating with students from completely different backgrounds. For me personally, this was a really refreshing and rewarding experience.

Overall I am really thankful that I took this minor, as it showed me that I am interested in energy and wish to pursue this in my career. This is by no small part due to the passion from the lecturers, who even through the limitations of online education, created a stimulating and interesting learning environment. The lecturers of this minor have not only made me more aware and educated about the salience of energy challenges in the face of climate change but they have also taught me that we are capable of being agents of change.

In short, this minor went far beyond my expectations, I could not recommend it more!"

Eva Top, student BSc Bedrijfskunde, 2nd year participant:

"What I liked the most was the variety of disciplines and therefore the variety of perspectives that were taken within the minor. It was very interesting to start seeing the same things in different ways, and gaining more knowledge about energy.

I also liked the fact that it is quite a small minor, which makes it more ‘intimate’ and which gives you the feeling that you are working on it as a group. This also showed in the assignments, it was really interesting to experience so many different kinds of group dynamics and it taught me a lot. The supervisors also really helped to make this a great experience.

The minor was even better than expected. I knew that I had interest in the energy transition, but before I began the minor, this was still very abstract. Now that the minor has finished, I am very enthusiastic about this sector! "

Thomas Nielsen, student BSc Psychology, 2nd year participant:

"The energy minor is a great opportunity to gain knowledge about climate change, energy alternatives, and solutions to the energy transition. It convinced me that I would like to work in the field of sustainability.

The minor, and its multidisciplinary approach, allows you to gain a basic understanding of all disciplines involved to an extent where you feel comfortable in applying them to real life situations. You learn to think beyond the theoretical framework of the theories that are taught, and experience how the tools of each discipline is applied on its own and in combination with the other disciplines.

It was an eye-opener to experience how complex the energy transition is. Coming from a Behavioral and Social Sciences background, a broader understanding of the technical, economical, legal, and spatial aspects were not only expanding my knowledge in these fields, but also helping me better understand the human element of the energy challenge.

I can recommend the energy minor to students who are motivated and eager to expand their horizon and to take the first step to solve the paramount problem that is the climate crisis."

Stan Engbers, student BSc Economics & Business Economics, 1st year participant:

"The minor Energy provides a great opportunity to explore highly relevant energy problems from different perspectives. Together with other students from multiple backgrounds, you learn to tackle these problems. Tackling these problems includes negotiation and making concessions, because these issues are highly complex.

The minor starts with the basics of energy in different disciplines. All facets of energy markets are discussed, from learning what energy is to regulation. Step by step you gain more knowledge, including the current difficulties regarding the energy transition. The final outcome is that current energy problems cannot be handled with a uniform solution, but require a flexible approach.  

The energy minor gives you a lot of freedom to address real-life energy problems from within your own discipline, in collaboration with other students from other disciplines. Together with these students, you reach an outcome that helps multiple stakeholders in dealing with the energy transition. The current relevance of this field of study makes this minor extremely interesting and valuable for your career."

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