PhD Student Council

The BCN PhD student council is a student organization which represents all PhD students and promotes their broad interests within the BCN research school, in terms of education, opportunities, connectivity, and networking, among others.

We as a council have an eye on the quality of the educational program, and we are a bridge between the BCN students and the BCN Educational Committee. We have participation in the meetings concerning educational matters of the BCN research school and we try our best to represent the PhD students interests to the best. In this manner, they can get some ideas concerning “life within BCN” and try to improve in order to become a better institution.

We are always gathering information from the students through surveys, mails and face-to-face in order to get information and opinions on a range of work related issues (teaching, supervision, courses, etc.) and other topics. If you have any suggestions for the improvement of specific courses or the program in general, don't hesitate to contact us! Please note that for individual difficulties with (e.g.) your supervisor, it is best to contact the confidential counselor of our Graduate School:

GSMS: Stella Noach  e.j.k.noach umcg.nl  050 361 9976, confidential counselor
GSSE: Yvonne Folkers  y.folkers rug.nl  06 28257733, confidential counselor
GBSS: Marieke Timmerman,  m.e.timmerman rug.nl  050 363 6255, director GS
GSH: Merel Lobo, m.s.lobo@rug.nl   050 363 5858, coordinator CLCG or Rachael Fletcher, r.l.fletcher@rug.nl, 0631982400, coordinator GS
GSPh: Janine Weeting,  j.c.weeting rug.nl  0505 363 6157, coordinator GS.

Additionally, we organize events for education and skills acquirement, as also social ones. We always sent emails to advise you about interesting BCN lectures and workshops. Also, be prepared for the social events in which you can join with your fellow BCN students to meet and greet! Of course, we are also open to hear about your ideas for places, events, lectures, or workshops that you would like to have.

Please do not hesitate to contact us ( phdcouncilbcn rug.nl ) or any of our members (see the list below) if you have suggestions, ideas or questions of any subject (if we don’t know the answer, we could contact you with someone who knows), we are here for you!

Current PhD council members

Naďa Majerníková (chair) (photo)
Pathology and Medical Biology (UMCG) & Molecular Pharmacoloy (GRIP)
Since: November 2020
n.majernikova rug.nl

Ronja Eike (photo)
BSCS - section Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC)
Since: February 2022
r.m.eike rug.nl

Lan Zhou (photo)
BSCS - section Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC)
Since: July 2022
l.zhou01 umcg.nl

Kimberly Wickborn (photo)
Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (UMCG)
Since: December 2022
k.wickborn umcg.nl

Janine Rook (photo)
Center for Language & Cognition (CLCG)
Since: January 2023
j.rook rug.nl

Maria João Caiado (photo)
Pathology and Medical Biology (UMCG) & Molecular Pharmacoloy (GRIP)
Since: February 2024
m.j.da.costa.caiado rug.nl

Caitlin Grieve (Photo)
Child & Youth Psychiatry (UMCG) & Accare Child Study Centre
Since: February 2024
c.m.grieve umcg.nl

Fleur Visser (Photo)
Department of Geriatric Medicine and Alzheimer Center Groningen (UMCG)
Since: February 2024
f.c.w.visser umcg.nl

Katharina Polsterer (Photo)
Center for Language & Cognition (CLCG) - Computational Linguistics (CL)
Since: February 2024
k.m.polsterer rug.nl