Student testimonial
Jorn - BSc Animal Sciences
Jorn hadn’t thought he would be interested in aquaculture, but he did. After getting acquainted with this sector during the study and study association, he knows he wants to dive into the subjects of fish physiology and fish feed (production), and the correlation between them, in his master's.
I signed up for a walk-along day, and during this day, I concluded that I liked the study atmosphere in Wageningen. The cosiness of the campus made it feel like home.
"I have always been interested in biology and nature documentaries. Since I did not have a particular interest in the pathology of animal diseases as you study in Veterinary Medicine, I came across the study BSc Animal Sciences at Wageningen University. I signed up for a walk-along day, and during this day, I concluded that I liked the study atmosphere in Wageningen. The cosiness of the campus made it feel like home."
What specialisation?
"During your first year at WUR, you primarily focus on mathematics, chemistry, and biology courses. The aim is to establish a solid foundation so you can build on more advanced courses in subsequent years. In my second year, I chose the specialisation ‘Biological Functioning of Animals’, which focuses on the biological and physiological processes within animals and how they contribute to how animals react and interact with their environment. I liked the courses, however, I concluded that I wanted to have a broader perspective than the micro-level."
Appreciate the fish
"When I joined the sub-association Aquarius from my study association, I came into contact with aquaculture for the first time. The aquatic sector is already of significant importance in Asian countries. However, in the Netherlands, the sector is still relatively small, leaving room for growth. Fish physiology is something in which I am interested. Fish can interact with their changing environment, since they depend on the water pH, temperature, nutrients, etc. The promising prospects for the future and my interest in fish physiology, attract me to this sector. Besides that, I enjoy learning about animal nutrition, especially fish feed, and the product marketing of freshly derived animal-sourced products."
Practical explained
"What I like about the study programme is that you get the opportunity to learn from animals quite often. Lectures and self-study are frequently complemented with practical exercises where you can apply theoretical knowledge from books into practice. For example, during the BSc course Principles of Animal Nutrition, we had to study the activity of chickens at Research Faculty Carus. The chickens were divided into treatment groups and were offered different diets. As students, we had to find the relationship between the diet given to the animal and its activity. After five weeks, we got the opportunity to dissect a chicken. We investigated the effect of a certain diet on the development of the digestive system."
What’s after?
"By exploring topics such as animal feed and physiology in greater depth during the MSc Animal Sciences, I can apply the obtained knowledge to aquaculture. It is most likely that I will focus on writing a thesis at the Aquaculture and Fisheries research group."
Student life
"Besides studying, I am a board member of study association “De Veetelers”. I enjoy the activities and meeting new people. Besides “De Veetelers”, I am also a member of student association ‘t Noaberschop, the association for students from ‘Twente’ and ‘de Achterhoek’."
Take home message
"I would like to recommend future students to build a social network when living in Wageningen. Besides studying, it is also very important to focus on your social life."