Key Questions:
- How did you hear about ZEF and the project you worked on?
Honestly, I don’t remember how I came to hear about it.. Maybe by googling around or otherwise a presentation in the master maybe.
- Do you feel that your time at ZEF has contributed to your studies and to your work experience? In what ways?
Yes I think I learned a lot, partly by the atmosphere of a start-up which I had never experienced before, partly because of the content on the master thesis that was quite new and challenging. To give the complete picture I’d also like to add that it was also a struggle to me to find my way and an efficient way of learning, because there was not really easily someone close by who was an expert in the field.
- What was the social atmosphere at ZEF like? Do any social activities take place during the project?
It was nice during the coffee breaks to talk a bit informally with each other. We organized also (I think the first?) team building day which was very fun!
- Do you feel that you got to express your ideas, experience, skills, and creativity during your time at ZEF?
Honestly, not so much but that’s also part of my personality; I didn’t feel enough confident about myself to propose a lot of ideas.
- Do you feel that you were trusted to work independently on your tasks and that you were given enough responsibilities?
Yes I did, I had the feeling I was trusted in handling the gas tanks on my own for example and also in the theoretical part of the master thesis.
- Was your time at ZEF what you imagined and hoped it would be?
I did not have so many expectations beforehand, but I would say mostly; it was nice to do the master thesis in a place where you could also still have some interaction with people and feel like you are part of some kind of ‘community’, that is what I also hoped for.
- What did you think about ZEF, and the overall idea/venture of the company?
I really like the concept of the small-scale methanol producing plant. I think the production of synthetic fuels from aircaptured CO2 is something that can have a big impact in limiting the warming of the earth, and maybe for some applications even the only feasible option.
- What are you up to nowadays?
I work at PBL (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving), a governmental institution for policy analysis in The Hague. Specifically in the mobility sector, I am working on topics concerning energy and emissions.
