Testimonials
I definitely feel like you can have a wider skill set to share with your employer after SiS, like thinking about everything from multiple perspectives.
- Previous education
- Bachelor's in Biotechnology
- Programme
- Science in Society
- Country of previous education
- India
Why did you choose a master specialisation in Science in Society?
I have always been a science student but I felt like I never really fit, or that I was the best. So I was always looking for an alternative where I could still use my interest in science but not in the traditional way. So I found this study on the Radboud website and I applied for it.
What makes this study different from a traditional research study?
The first thing that comes to my mind is the multi-disciplinary approach. The other Master's just make you very narrow minded whereas Science in Society (SiS) opens up your mind to look at the same topic from many different perspectives, and I think it gives you a more realistic idea of the world. Being a biologist, you would think of an experiment only in the lab, but with SiS you think about what would happen beyond that. How would this experiment fit in or impact the real world? I don’t think any other science programme has such a different way of looking at the science itself.
What were some of the challenges that you faced during this study?
SiS is a bit of science and a bit of social science. I had always been a science student and because of that, it was difficult to turn off the only scientific way of thinking for everything. I was not used to the social science part of thinking so it was a bit difficult to switch gears in my brain.
How do you think this Master's specialisation prepares you for a job in the future?
I definitely feel like you can have a wider skill set to share with your employer after SiS, like thinking about everything from multiple perspectives. After this Master's, you could work as a researcher, or work on policy making or advice, or in the ministry, or become a journalist, or something which mixes up all of those, and this is also something which we see in our teachers. They do a lot of different things. Before this, I have never met a scientist who is involved in so many different activities which they are passionate about and where all of their interests are part of their work life.
What advice would you give to prospective students?
When you read about SiS on the website it just shows about 1% of what the programme has to offer. For example, my internship right now is about public policy and gender studies, and maybe that’s not the first thing which comes to your mind when you look at the SiS website. So, remember that you can do so many different things with the programme, there is no limit.
Also the teachers are very open to your own ideas for an internship, even if you don’t really have a background in that. Like, I didn’t have a gender studies background, but it’s possible to do some extra courses to get the idea. So my advice would be SiS is much more than they advertise, and that everyone should do it.
We learn the role science has in society and where opportunities and problems lie.
- Previous education
- Bachelor's Physics and Astronomy
- Programme
- Science in Society
- Country of previous education
- Netherlands
What do you like about the programme and why?
What I like most about this programme is that it combines theoretical knowledge and socio-scientific problems that we as a society deal with. We learn the role science has in society and where opportunities and problems lie. During the projects we had to do, I was able to choose topics that relate to my background in physics and astronomy, which made this programme especially suitable.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
Although my year was mostly online, we still managed to create a fun, safe and pleasant environment for both teachers and students. The teachers are always eager to help and listen.
How has the programme challenged you?
For me, it has challenged me by coming up with my own ideas, opinions and projects. We are given a lot of freedom for this, which can be challenging, but refreshing.
How is the supervision within the study programme?
I feel like the teachers were always available and approachable to help you with your projects and classes. Besides, there are student advisors who are there for you if you are struggling with something.
What are your plans once you have received your degree?
I would love to work in the field of science communication and participation. This could be either in the field of entertainment and informal education (museums, festivals, television) or in governance and policy.
Why did you choose for the Radboud University?
The programme in Nijmegen is a little different from most science communication programmes, which I think is a very positive attribute. It is broader than just science communication, which was great for a person like me who did not yet know what their interests are.
What do you like about Nijmegen?
Nijmegen is such a nice city to live in as a student. It is small enough to feel like a town, yet big enough such that there is always something to do. Besides, it is surrounded by nature, which I am always keen on visiting.
Are you involved with a study association? If so, in what way?
I have been an active member of the physics and astronomy study association for 6 years. Here, I help organise events, and I capture them with my camera.
Which information activities do you find valuable and why?
What helped my most are open days and programmes where you join a current student for a day. Then you can ask all your questions and truly see what it is like to be a student in a certain place.
What would you advise students when choosing a study programme?
If you know which subject interest you, but you are choosing between places, try to read in on courses that are offered by the various programmes. Chances are that you find some more interesting than others.
The programme has challenged me to think about the ways in which astrophysics can impact society.
- Previous education
- Bachelor's Physics and Astronomy
- Programme
- Science in Society
- Country of previous education
- Netherlands
What do you like about the programme and why?
The Science in Society programme allows me to learn about society and societal issues, while I can still follow courses in my own discipline, astrophysics. This means that I can use the knowledge and skills from my Bachelor’s degree, but at the same time I get a broader view of how astrophysics (and science in general) can contribute to society.
How has the programme challenged you?
The programme has challenged me to think about the ways in which astrophysics can impact society. At first sight, astrophysics seems to be rather disconnected from societal issues, but through my research internship I have discovered that it can have an impact on society, both in positive and negative ways.
How is the supervision within the study programme?
The teachers are very approachable and willing to help. They encourage it when students come up with their own ideas and research questions, both during the internship and during the courses. The activities and colloquia organised at the ISiS department help students to interact with staff also outside the lectures, and it helps the students find out what types of research people are working on within the department.
What are your plans once you have received your degree?
I did my internship as part of the Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT) project, which aims to build a radio telescope in Namibia. During my internship, I studied how the AMT could impact Namibian society, specifically through developing educational programmes for children and students in the country. After receiving my degree, I will continue working for the project, with the possibility of extending the work into a PhD position.
What do you like about Nijmegen?
Nijmegen is a lively city with all kinds of activities, but it is not too big or crowded. Also, there are lots of opportunities for going out in nature, which is wonderful to take a break in between studying.
What would you advise students when choosing a study programme?
When choosing a study programme, visit the university that you are considering and talk to current students of the programme. This will help you get an impression of the atmosphere on campus, and talking with students can help you find out whether the programme matches what you expect.
I realised that to fully address the major issues facing society today, one must understand the social dynamics involved in defining, creating, and solving these challenges.
- Programme
- Science in Society
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Serge Horbach. I hold both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Mathematics from Radboud University. During my PhD project, I transitioned into the social studies of science, a field I am currently still working in. After positions at Leiden University and Aarhus University in Denmark, I returned to Radboud University’s Institute for Science in Society (ISiS). Here, I serve as a lecturer and the coordinator for the Science in Society (SiS) Master’s specialisation. Beyond teaching, I supervise thesis students and organise various events for our SiS students.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
During my studies in mathematics, I always appreciated the clear structure, precise problem definitions, and elegant solutions. However, I realised that to fully address the major issues facing society today, one must understand the social dynamics involved in defining, creating, and solving these challenges. This is precisely what my current field and the SiS master’s specialisation aim to achieve. They bridge the understanding of the natural world with understanding of social interactions and processes necessary to address societal challenges. They are both interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary, which I find very interesting, sometimes challenging, and always inspiring.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
My research primarily focuses on two areas: the social dynamics within research communities and the interactions between science and society. In the former, I have studied scholarly communication, such as journal publications and peer review processes. Other topics of interest include research ethics and integrity, open science, and research evaluation. Regarding science-society interactions, my research examines societal perceptions of science and trust in science. Additionally, I am interested in how researchers anticipate or understand their public and how they design their research and communication practices accordingly, especially in cases where their research might be sensitive or controversial.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
Choosing a field of study is an important and sometimes difficult decision. My advice would be to seek a discipline that not only sparks your curiosity but also challenges you to think critically and creatively. Interdisciplinary fields might allow you to combine various perspectives, as these are often where new understanding emerges and where societal demands increasingly tend to be directed. When making such choices, it’s always helpful to engage with current students and lecturers in your prospective fields to gain insights into the everyday realities, challenges, and opportunities of those disciplines. Hence, feel free to reach out to me, my colleagues, or our current Science in Society students. We are all happy to tell you about what it is we do and help you with choosing a study.
What is the best part of being a lecturer?
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a lecturer in the Science in Society master’s specialisation is the opportunity to engage with students from various backgrounds. Apart from it being very rewarding to facilitate their learning process when they explore new territories, I really enjoy the continuous interactions with and between these students. It provides me with an opportunity to stay connected to various fields of research. In our programme, students have many opportunities to work on case studies or examples of their own interests, usually related to their own academic background. Apart from providing an interdisciplinary environment to our students, I also enjoy this diversity, which keeps challenging me to relate to other disciplines too. Being a lecturer in this Master’s is a very dynamic and fulfilling role.
My academic background is indispensable in translating content for different audiences.
- Previous education
- BSc (Medical) Biology (Radboud University)
- Programme
- Science in Society
- Study end date
Could you say a little about the job you do now ?
I work at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology, as Education Communication Officer. My main focus is study information. I organise information activities and study check days for our faculty, and deal for example with written communication via the website and brochures. This also includes making videos, developing information material, managing social media, visiting fairs and ‘hosting’ universities or groups visiting us. Finally, I am the first point of contact for questions from study-goers via the study information mailbox.
What do you like about your profession and what makes working in your field so interesting and/or relevant?`
I chose to work in this field because during my Medical Biology studies, and my time at Radboud University, I noticed that I got a lot of energy from conveying information and providing education. I myself served on the Student Educators Team as a student, and through that I helped study students and shared information about my experience in (Medical) Biology. I found my studies extremely interesting, but found out partly through internships that I did not want to do biomedical research myself. In the Master's, I then chose the Science in Society specialisation and started looking into science communication. Partly because of this and because I enjoyed providing information so much, I started looking for a job that would combine my biomedical background with communication and/or information work in practice. And I succeeded!
What knowledge and skills did you learn during your Master’s that are really useful to you now?
During my studies (and also side job), I gave a lot of presentations and discovered that I really enjoyed doing this. Now, presenting is also part of my work. I still love being at open days myself! In addition, I learned more general skills such as planning, working together and keeping an overview in projects you are only responsible for. Although I am not directly involved in biomedical content myself, my study background does help enormously in making the translation to a different audience. In addition, I think I was able to master the topics in the faculty, broadly speaking, faster.
How did you experience this programme at Radboud University? What did you think made this programme special?
I experienced the Biology programme as very instructive and interesting. What I think makes the programme special, and what I also really liked, is the funnel structure. You start in the full breadth of biology. Halfway through the second year, I chose the Medical Biology direction, which focuses on the human body. The other direction, Biology, focuses on plants, ecology and microbiology. I found it fascinating to learn more about how the human body works, and after that broad base, to increasingly choose your own subjects. I particularly liked the electives in neurobiology, but also embryology, for example.
Do you have any tips/suggestions for prospective students?
Choose from your interests and think about which subjects you want to learn more about (for both Bachelor's and Master's studies). In my opinion, what you will do with it follows later, because you will also gain practical experience through internships, for example. Here you can find out what you like to do, inside or outside scientific research, besides the content and/or theory a study is about.
How stable are our insights about the world? Which basic assumptions do we always have to make?
- Nationality
- German
- Programme
- Science in Society
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Simon Lohse and I am a philosopher of science. I have an academic background in philosophy, social and educational science and obtained my PhD in philosophy of science from Leibniz University Hannover (Germany). In 2013, I was a visiting PhD researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK). After my PhD, I held postdoc positions at the Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences in Hannover where I worked on epistemic barriers for replacement methods to animal experimentation and at the Institute for History of Medicine and Science Studies at the University of Lübeck where I was involved in a cluster of excellence on precision medicine.
In 2022, I started my position as Assistant Professor at the Institute for Science in Society at Radboud University. My research and teaching at RU are primarily concerned with ethical and epistemological issues of the sciences and challenges to (interdisciplinary) knowledge integration in different contexts. I also offer some of the core courses in the Master's specialisation in Science in Society.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
During my studies, I was interested in ethical issues and questions of societal change from the very beginning. In addition, I have always been drawn to fundamental questions of knowledge production. How stable are our insights about the world? Which basic assumptions do we always have to make? This eventually led me to the philosophy of science and later to research on “ethical, legal and societal aspects” (ELSA) of the sciences. I think that the combination of aspects from the humanities, social and natural sciences and the question of the societal integration of science in particular make the field of Science & Society a fascinating one.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
My current work addresses theoretical and ethical problems of the life and the social sciences. For instance, what uncertainties arise from the synthesis of different types of evidence in precision medicine? How can we best navigate these in research and clinical settings?
Another interest revolves around animal-based research and the so-called replication crisis. Here, I try to better understand how methodological and ethical issues are interwoven and to what extent this should have implications for science reform. I recently completed a project that investigated how science informed public health policy during the COVID-19 pandemic and assessed normative implications for science-informed policy. Key results of this project were a deeper understanding of sociological and epistemological inhibitors for interdisciplinary knowledge integration in this context and starting points for improvement of the status quo.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
I always recommend that students expand their horizons a little, so take a look at a few study programmes that you may not yet have considered. Sometimes this can lead to surprising revisions of initial preferences.
What is the best part of working with students?
In my teaching, I often have to engage with new scientific developments in order to consider their philosophical implications. This is challenging but also very enriching, especially since I can often learn new things from the students in my courses.
If you are not sure which direction you want to take, there is plenty of room to explore it.
- Previous education
- BSc Life Sciences (HAN)
- Programme
- Science in Society
- Study start date
- Study end date
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why?
Within the Master's programme itself, there is plenty of room for deepening and/or broadening in a wide range of subjects. If you are not sure which direction you want to take, there is plenty of room to explore it. And when you already know, you can focus on that subject and choose the subjects that will help you most in your career.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
Contact between students is of course always a matter of waiting and seeing, but for myself I ended up in a group of students who were all new to the Radboud and therefore did not yet have any friends in Nijmegen, which ensured that we soon formed a close group together. I noticed that lecturers are accessible and you can always turn to them when you take that step yourself. But because you follow many different ‘subjects’ for a short time, you don't get to know teachers and researchers very well.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
Everyone first follows the same compulsory courses, here you really form a group together. But then everyone goes their own way and you have to find your own way again and make your own choices about what you want to do and what you find interesting.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
As I write this, I have yet to start my first internship, which I will do at Utrecht University. Looking for an internship is a process in which you get some guidance, but you really have to find out for yourself. Within the Radboud(umc) there are many different options, if you want an external internship outside of that, it is more difficult to get in between (but with a bit of perseverance you will succeed).
Why do you think it is important that there are people with this degree? What are your plans once you have received your Master's degree?
I want to do the Science in Society specialisation next year. We all noticed the importance of good science communication during the pandemic; I myself am very interested in how this can be improved and in the importance of scientists in society and their responsibility in this. Furthermore, I think that the regular Master's in medical biology also offers a lot of extra knowledge and experience that gives students just a bit more tools besides the Bachelor's. This can be in-depth knowledge of a subject but also extra knowledge in, for example, data processing, leadership or other specific skills.
I learned that my studies taught me much more than just facts and knowledge, but shaped my entire thinking.
- Previous education
- Bachelor Computing Science (Radboud University)
- Nationality
- German
- Programme
- Science in Society
- Study start date
- Study end date
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
Combining Science in Society with Data Science really broadened my horizon on what it means to be a computing scientist. I learned that my studies taught me much more than just facts and knowledge, but shaped my entire thinking.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
The teachers really appreciate student's own motivation and interests. If you approach them with any questions or ideas, they are happy to support you in any way they can.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
Learning about some of the developments that are on the edge of our knowledge is such a cool but challenging experience, with learning materials still being limited to just a few sources.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
My thesis is about misinformation, interventions against it and how technology affects our democracy. It brings together my technical understanding and thinking with the societal impact and values of Science in Society.
Why do you think it is important that there are people with this degree? What are your plans once you have received your Master's degree?
Computing scientists with this degree can better reflect on their perspective and role in society. As technology becomes more ubiquitous, this is an important skill to have.
The atmosphere during the SiS specialisation is very special, the teachers are approachable, and the small groups allow for pleasant and open discussions.
- Previous education
- BSc Applied Biology HAS Hogeschool
- Nationality
- Dutch
- Programme
- Science in Society
- Country of previous education
- The Netherlands
- Study start date
- Study end date
What appeals to you about the master's program and why?
The small group of students, the opportunity to tailor your studies and thesis to your own preferences, and the new knowledge you gain that allows you to look at topics in your field in a different way.
How do you experience the atmosphere within the program?
The atmosphere during the SiS specialisation is very special. The lecturers are very approachable, and the small groups allow for pleasant and open discussions. Especially during the thesis, there is the opportunity to work a lot at the Institute for Science and Society, where you are welcomed as if you were part of the team.
Can you tell us something about your internship and/or your thesis?
My thesis focused on the use of "Iktest", a digital self-test for people between the ages of 50 and 75. I did a combination of interviews and script analysis, which allowed me to talk to people and apply the knowledge I had gained at SiS. The opportunity to conduct research in this way confirmed to me that I had made the right choice in choosing SiS.