"Working with real organisations is very valuable for my future network."

Natalia starts her academic career as a scientist at HZ

When Natalia was seven years old, she already knew: she wanted to become a scientist. Now, years later, the Polish student has a clear goal in mind: through chemistry, she wants to contribute to a better world. Her adventure begins at the HZ in Middelburg. She had never been to the Netherlands before, but the warm welcome, the personal atmosphere and the modern labs made her feel good right away.

A seven-year-old's dream

Her love for science arose at an early age. As a seven-year-old girl, Natalia entered a school science competition and won a prize! A book about the best inventions in history. It was Maria Skłodowska-Curie who never let her go from then on. ‘One of the chapters was about her. As a young Polish woman, she lived at a time when it was not common for women to study. War also prevailed. This did not stop her from travelling all the way to France. She studied physics, chemistry and mathematics there. She was in the same year as Einstein and was the only woman in the entire university. In her lifetime, she won two Nobel prizes. Maria inspired me to study chemistry abroad and make a difference as a woman,’ says Natalia. Her search for the right college took off.

A valuable choice

It was the HZ that caught her attention. Here she could work in state-of-the-art, well-equipped laboratories and also received a warm welcome. ‘At HZ, they made me feel really interested in me. I received emails from student ambassadors with all kinds of tutorials on how to make the move to HZ and if I had a question, I got a very quick response from HZ's International Office,’ Natalia explains. Being able to arrange housing and the hands-on learning also played a big role. ‘The HZ offers me a lot of practical experience working with real companies and organisations, this surprised me and is very valuable for my future network. This is what I came to the Netherlands for!’, Natalia adds.

Sustainability as a shared interest

There was more for which Natalia came to HZ: the theme of sustainability. HZ is working towards a better world through innovative education and research. Something Natalia also dreams of and works hard on. ‘In Chemistry, there is plenty of innovative research and inventions that contribute to a more sustainable future. Something I think is important for the future generations. That they will soon see a different world is a fact, but to limit that change you can do plenty yourself,’ says Natalia. No sooner said than done. Natalia is currently doing an internship at Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences in Amsterdam, where she is developing analytical methods to support the approval and implementation of new medicines for hard-to-treat diseases.

An unforgettable project in Indonesia

Natalia was also part of the Honours Programme, a project devised by the HZ in which students work on a social issue alongside their study programme. In Natalia's case, that was an important project with a clear mission: Revive the Corals, aimed at restoring fragile coral reefs. In this, the HZ made it possible for her to travel to Indonesia. ‘I will never forget this, what a cool experience! We did a lot of diving to check the state of corals. To then raise awareness among the population about the health of corals. Because if we carry on with unsustainable habits, UNESCO claims that the coral reefs in all 29 World Heritage Sites that contain reefs will vanish by the end of this century. Everyone around the world needs to realise that,’ Natalia says.

Building a strong network

The various national and international projects Natalia has worked on help her build a network. This is important for creating opportunities in the future. ‘Without a network, you risk getting stuck in one place. Because of HZ's large network, the lines of communication with people in the field are short. In my profession, the positions are often very popular and so you have a lot of competition, which can be difficult at the beginning of your career. A network within which you can show how good you are helps with this.’ This is also how Natalia hopes to get a great workplace soon. But not before she has finished studying!

Future plans

Natalia totally envisions a future as a scientific specialist. ‘Partly because of Maria Skłodowska-Curie, I have always wanted to study. Doing a PhD is also one of my ambitions. I don't have to become a professor, but I definitely want to be a doctor. This means being truly unique, because subjects of PhDs are never the same. This is how I hope to make a difference,’ Natalia dreams on. Her interest is currently in separation science. Whether this will remain so in the future, you might read it again in a history book.

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