André, who or what inspired you to choose the UvA? 

‘I was born and raised in Amsterdam. I come from a working-class family in Amsterdam Oost (East) and was not raised religiously. The VU was for Protestants, so the UvA was the logical choice. I was interested in science fiction and space travel but found aerospace engineering too difficult. 

I was more into biology and chemistry. I always wanted to understand how the body functions as a system. Also, I had a classmate whose father was an internist at the Wilhelmina Gasthuis hospital. I wanted to learn how the body works as a system and the medical field began to attract me. 

I also had a biology teacher, Mr Huininga, who was very enthusiastic about DNA. He pointed to the UvA buildings at Oosterpark and said, “Look, that is the University of Amsterdam where research is done on viruses and DNA.” I found that fascinating. 

The UvA had introduction days, so you could get a taste of biochemistry or chemistry. Medicine attracted me the most. It offered not only societal value but also a sense of adventure; it brought to mind first aid and ambulance lights. But it was also about beauty: looking at a cell through a microscope. The visual aspect was fantastic. That is why I decided to study medicine. 

At school on the Mauritskade, we played football on a field next to the UvA's anatomical lab. There were horror stories about it, about bodies in there, so it was exciting when the ball flew over the fence. But the funny thing was: there were indeed bodies kept there! And I would later often visit that lab during my studies. 

So the UvA was already intertwined with my life in various ways. Initially, I was not admitted to medicine; I was rejected in the lottery. But after a while, they called me. I was apparently at the top of the reserve list and was allowed to come. I missed the introductory weeks but was able to study medicine. With all the locations in the city, my studies were a great time.’ 

What was a pivotal moment for you? 

‘Alongside medicine, my interest in space travel remained. I read in the newspaper Het Parool about Professor Oosterveld, an ENT specialist who specialised in balance. I approached him at the Amsterdam Medical Centre (AMC) and he played a very important role for me. He said, “I can’t get you into space right away, but you can do research at my department between your clinical rotations.” This eventually led me to aerospace medicine. 

I was also a patient at the UvA. In my second year, I suddenly found a lump in my neck. After a scan, it turned out to be a thyroid tumor and I was operated on at the Binnengasthuis hospital. I was suddenly right in the middle of my own field. 

It was a very unpleasant experience but also very educational. For example, recovering from anesthesia was awful. I heard a lot of noise because sound wasn't dampened anymore. If one scissor fell, it sounded like an enormous racket. Or waking up at night, I found the loss of control was scary. 

I thought: it’s good that I’m experiencing this and am aware of it. This is a valuable lesson. Every doctor should also be a patient once to better understand what a patient goes through. 

I requested to be operated on in a specific operating room because it had a window so my classmates could watch. And they did come. Fortunately, it turned out not to be malignant.’ 

Do you still connect with people from your network back then? 

‘Definitely. We call it ‘old friends’. Everyone has followed their own path in life. They are anesthesiologists, radiologists, gynaecologists, virologists, pediatricians, etc. We still have a close bond, see each other regularly and do many things together. Fun things in private life: I go skiing with them and we attend performances. But we also organise meetings for each other. I still have warm feelings for the UvA.’ 

What is the most important thing you have learned, and what advice would you give to the current generation of students? 

‘I'm a first-generation student. My mother’s side of the family (my grandfather, my great-uncles) worked in the Amsterdam port. My father attended vocational school and had various jobs. Later, he started selling insurance and worked at the ABN bank. He worked his way up with various courses. 

He told his 3 sons, of whom I'm the oldest: ‘You need to have papers. With a degree, you can go anywhere and choose what you want to do.’ All 3 of us studied at the UvA. My brothers studied biology and psychology. 

As a working-class son, I eventually ended up in various arenas and at various levels through the UvA. Workers, doctors, military personnel and eventually also ministers and the Dutch royal family. At first, you look up to a professor or a general. But Professor Oosterveld said, “You should never have a fear of heights.” 

He meant not a literal fear of heights but a fear of people in high positions. Professor, general, minister - they are all people who were once children, got an education, chased their dreams and made mistakes. 

That is the message to students: have no “fear of heights”. Never tell yourself that you can’t do something. Find out where your passion lies. You needn't necessarily stay in the field in which you graduate. The UvA provided, and still provides, all kinds of opportunities. It's hard work but make use of the chances that the UvA offers.’  

When will your mission be accomplished in terms of impact? 

‘In the end, I want to lie on my deathbed with a feeling that I have done something useful. You don't become an astronaut to become a celebrity. You do it because of your passion. It is beautiful, exciting and useful. As an astronaut, I contributed a small part to science. I was just a small cog in a larger system where various useful experiments and research were conducted. 

I want to inspire young people to be enthusiastic about science and technology and to understand how vulnerable the Earth is. That the oceans are not endlessly full of fish. That the forests are depleting. But without pointing fingers. Show, don’t tell. I do this in the film Beyond, which I made with the producer of De Nieuwe Wildernis. It is a tribute to the Earth, with beautiful music, and gives the feeling of traveling as an astronaut. 

As a viewer, you see through the eyes of an astronaut how beautiful Earth is, and you can then conclude for yourself that you need to take great care of it. I’m not going to say what shouldn't be done because people will dig in their heels. I want to persuade with data and science. 

Am I optimistic? I worry about distrust of science. Data is not an opinion. Also, looking at the numbers, things are moving quickly: a lot is being lost in terms of biodiversity and ecosystems. And I also fear that we will exceed the 2-degree temperature rise. But if we do nothing, it'll go even faster. Fortunately, I see many young people with brilliant ideas that could bring the Earth back into balance. That gives me hope.’