Student testimonial
Lena Zangerl - Biomass Production and Carbon Capture
I’m originally from Austria, where I earned my bachelor in agricultural sciences. I then worked for two years in bioenergy and sustainable agriculture in Switzerland, Austria, and Tanzania. These jobs piqued my interest in circular production systems as well as integrating waste streams of agricultural production. When looking for a master program, I considered various sustainable programs at different universities. The master Biobased Sciences was the only of its kind that I could find, I think it’s really unique and at one of the best agricultural universities. I have a lot of interests and difficulties choosing one focus. This program gives me the opportunity to use my background in agriculture but also expand my focus to other areas and look at different aspects of a biobased economy such as the social and economic implications as well as biomass production and refinery.
Coming to Wageningen, I was worried that it’d be hard to meet new people, but it was actually really easy with many nice people here.
Could you tell us about your study?
“The master Biobased sciences really allowed me to choose courses according to my own interests and therefore let me decide my own focus within the program. I also like putting theoretical knowledge into practical applications, which was great to practice in the course “Academic Consultancy Training”. It’s also very nice that the education is very structured here. With six periods and only two courses per period, I can really focus on those two. The staff is also very approachable, and I feel very supported.”
What do you like about Wageningen?
“Coming to Wageningen, I was worried that it’d be hard to meet new people, but it was actually really easy with many nice people here. I like taking my bike and going around in the area and see the small towns there. I think it’s nice because now I get to see a bit more of the “Dutch reality” than if I would only be going to major cities.”
What are your long-term plans?
“I’m not really sure what I would want to do in the future, maybe go into policymaking but I really don’t know yet. The master Biobased Sciences is a very new program and there are not so many graduates working in the field yet. I think with the interdisciplinarity we learn here and the input from people with many different backgrounds, it is very open where I will end up and it’s exciting to see what will happen in the future.”