You will aim for great scientific breakthroughs, but will also face setbacks, for example due to uncooperative equipment, reactions that yield unexpected products and/or irreproducible measurements. These experiences, together with the enormous amount of knowledge and skills you will acquire, make your PhD project a steep learning curve that challenges you to bring the best out of yourself. Please be aware that the life of a PhD student is not only about science. Don’t forget to make new friends, build a (international) network, and enjoy the city of Amsterdam and share time with the ones you love.

I hope you will find your way within our institute as quickly as possible. This website will explain to you what entails doing a PhD at HIMS. Together with our PhD council we describe our view on the PhD track and supply you with practical information in order to find your way. More general topics about working at the University of Amsterdam are well described at the UvA website. For many other questions I encourage you to ask your peers; they are everywhere around you and eager to get to know you.

I conclude wishing you a great time at HIMS. Enjoy your once-in-a-lifetime experience as a PhD student in Amsterdam and looking forward to get to know you soon.

Prof. dr. Wybren Jan Buma, director of HIMS