On the Faces of Science website, PhD candidates use blogs, vlogs and presentations to talk about their research, their lives as scientists and about science in general. Charlie Loopuijt and Jessica den Oudsten have been selected from the Faculty of Arts as Face of Science. Soon, their findings will appear on the website as well.
Besides writing blogs and explaining the work they do, they will also contribute to other forms of science communication. Den Oudsten argues that science communication is one of the most important tasks of an academic and tries to act accordingly. "An example is the popular science book De grootste slavenhandelaren van Amsterdam. Over Jochem Matthijs en Coenraad Smitt (English: The greatest slave traders of Amsterdam. About Jochem Matthijs and Coenraad Smitt) (coauthor Ramona Negrón). I have received many enthusiastic responses on it, which also motivates me to continue telling about my research to a wide audience." In addition, as a first-generation student, she was largely unaware of academic opportunities or what it was like to be a scientist for a long time. "Now I would like to share my knowledge and experiences with middle school pupils and students."
Loopuijt's research, located at the intersection of linguistics, public health and sociology, integrates previously separated disciplines. This creates a holistic understanding of issues affecting marginalised groups such as trans and non-binary individuals. As a trans non-binary researcher, Loopuijt's involvement brings out essential perspectives, especially when communicating complex subjects such as the relationship between language, identity formation and mental health to diverse audiences. Loopuijt: "By sharing my experiences as both a researcher and part of the researched community, I enrich discussions and promote inclusivity, inviting diverse backgrounds to participate in the research process." Both PhD candidates' research is briefly outlined below.
Charlie Loopuijt
Non-binary and trans people often experience that regular speech does not adequately reflect their lives and identities. Charlie investigates how trans and non-binary people use language to achieve more appropriate speech. This is important because the lack of appropriate words for their identity contributes to exclusion and discrimination. The lack of suitable words creates daily challenges for this group.
Jessica den Oudsten
Many Dutch people descend from immigrants. Some through fairly recent kinship, but others already further back in the family tree. Jessica researches the lives of descendants of immigrants in Amsterdam during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. What was life like as a Dutch person from an immigrant background at that time?
Faces of Science is a network of PhD candidates from different disciplines who provide a young face to science through blogs, videos, articles, lectures and media appearances. It is a project of the KNAW, De Jonge Akademie and NEMO Kennislink, funded by Stichting Lira.