University and my PhD put the foundation under my professional career. I studied medical biology which provided a good knowledge foundation for research in the Life Sciences. A lot of the undergraduate work was done in a real research environment and we were trained to make coherent and logical research reports. Philosophy of science was also taught, and although all universities have a secular and governmentally-approved curriculum, the university of Nijmegen had a christian origin and (rightly) believed a good philosophical basis is important. I choose a broad education in Cell Biology, uman Genetics and Physiology & Biophysics which enabled me to get a good overview of the field of Biology.

During my PhD research, I was not only trained further in applying rigourous scientific method, but also in the art of writing up inovative results in a logically coherent piece of research that can withstand peer review. Writing has been an important aspect of my porfessional life, be it in writing grant proposal, IT business projects, or my new theories about evolution. Giving oral presentations at national and international meetings was also a very important aspect of the formal PhD education. Having spoken for audiences of more than 200 people, is good experience for the rest of your career. Also, the many discussions with collegues will train you in debating, orally and in writing. Another important aspect about obtaining a PhD is that you get the time to really dive into a specific subject and make a long-term (4 years) commitment to analyse a particular problem.  

It is not only professional education that will form the basis of one’s further career, it’s also the general education (6-18 year). Because my parents moved a lot, I have been to a lot of schools. My first school memories are from the age of 4 or 5 (kleuterschool). For us in that time, real school started at the age of six and that was when I was in Zevenaar. After we moved to Leeuwarden I first stayed at a neighbourhood school for two years, but didn’t really fit in. The semi-private school I went to suited better my inquisitive mind and got the best out of me, I suppose. I find this school (Leeuwarden Schoolvereniging or LSV) the first school that put direction in my educational career. At least it really prepared me for secondary school and made my first years at secondary school quite easy. The secondary school or high school (Gymnasium B with Latin and Greek) I went to was a small school (600 pupils) and was social, liberal and cultural. Another excellent preparation for a free-thinking scientis-to- be! Seriously, adolescence is an important time in life where big decision are often unconsciously being made.