Career Prospects
Our UvA Earth Sciences alumnus work as:
- Advisor on Circular Economy at Systemiq
- Startup in circular nutrients and consultancy
- Water quality and ecohydrology advisor at TAUW bv
- Sustainability consultant at Mérieux NutriSciences | Blonk
- Data trainee at the Province of North Holland
- GIS consultant GEODAN
- Professor Geology University of New York
- Centraal Bureau Statistiek Advisor
- PhD researcher nitrogen at the University of Amsterdam
I focus on crisis management, preparing for scenarios such as heavy rainfall, water pollution, and potential electricity outages. My background in Earth Sciences is invaluable.Paulien Deken, Trainee at Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier Read more about Paulien's story
The highlight for me was getting to know my classmates. Even though the research was hard work, we had a blast exploring the island together.Itxaso Garay Morrissey, alumnus Read more about Itxaso's story
All former students of the Faculty of Science are alumni. Where do our alumnus end up after graduating? And how do they put their academic knowledge into practice? Marleen shares more about her career path.
Meet our students
Would you like to hear from one of our Master's students what it's really like to study at the UvA? Are you curious about the study programmes, student facilities, lecturers and research projects? You can either ask your questions by email, or make an appointment for a 'Meet the Master' day.
During my bachelor's in Future Planet Studies, I gained extensive knowledge in Earth Sciences. I especially enjoyed fieldwork and working with GIS and satellite data. I wanted to deepen my knowledge and skills in these areas and knew that IBED had a strong focus on GIS and remote sensing. Additionally, innovative research topics such as rewilding were also being explored there.
Compared to Earth Sciences programmes at other universities, the UvA offers more opportunities for applied research that connects directly to societal issues. At other universities, the focus is sometimes more theoretical, though theoretical research is certainly also possible at the UvA.
-
How much freedom did you have in choosing courses or projects? Are there opportunities to tailor the programme to your interests?
The programme offers a lot of freedom to follow your interests. This begins with the choice between two tracks: Environmental Management, which focuses on societal applications, and Earth System Sciences, which is more research-oriented.
Within these tracks, there is still plenty of room to customise your studies. My interests were in nature management and GIS/remote sensing, so I consistently chose options in these areas. Even within individual courses, you often have the opportunity to apply the theory to a case study of your choice. You can decide whether to explore different topics for each course to broaden your knowledge, or to focus on a single topic throughout your studies to develop deeper expertise. This allows everyone to build their own specialisation. -
How practical or theoretical is the programme?
In my experience, the Environmental Management track offers a good balance between theory and practice, with an emphasis on practical work. There were few courses that followed a traditional structure of lectures, tutorials, and exams. Instead, most courses started with a theoretical introduction, after which students conducted further research and applied their findings to a case study.
-
How would you describe the atmosphere within the programme? Did you have much contact with fellow students and lecturers? Are there many group assignments, or is the focus more on individual work?
The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. The group was relatively small, so everyone knew each other, and there were opportunities to establish personal contact with the lecturers. Although I studied during the COVID-19 pandemic, which sometimes made direct contact challenging, we still managed to connect well through Zoom. Assignments were roughly split 50/50 between group work and individual work, which I found to be a good balance.
-
What kind of dissertation or graduation projects are possible? Can you provide an example of your own project?
Because the programme is part of IBED, a wide range of topics is available for dissertations, ranging from studying the smallest components of soil life to investigating large-scale ecosystem dynamics.
For my dissertation, I developed a monitoring method for vegetation in nature reserves using satellite and drone imagery, reflecting my interest in remote sensing and nature management. This was a highly educational project where I gained expertise in remote sensing, object-based image analysis, and vegetation classification – and also learned that fieldwork plans rarely go as expected!
The Environmental Management track also offers the option to do an internship. I completed mine at The Ocean Cleanup, where I worked on a model to identify the rivers worldwide that transport the most plastic into the ocean. -
Was it easy for you to find a job after your master’s? How did you find your current position?
It was relatively easy to find a job. I applied to just one other position before being hired by the Province of Noord-Holland. Here, I am part of a two-year programme where I can try out three different roles within the organisation. So far, I have worked on the applicability of a nitrogen model for traffic on provincial roads, and I am currently conducting geographic analyses for policymakers on rural development.
There is a high demand for professionals with broad knowledge of nature and soil, especially those with technical skills. You can quickly find work with governments, engineering firms, and consultancy agencies. Another option is to pursue a PhD. -
What advice would you give to someone considering this master’s programme?
Follow your interests, choose the topics that excite you, and you’ll always find your way!