Promeras

We advocate the rights of all PhD candidates on the institutional and national level

We aspire for high quality supervision and education

We organize social events to promote networking among fellow PhD candidates

We represent all the PhD candidates in Erasmus MC and our main goal is to stand up for their rights, may it be the rights to receive the highest quality supervision or the rights to have the best education. A PhD trajectory may often feel like an individual course, though many are faced with similar obstacles. Promeras functions as a platform for PhD candidates to connect with each other and offer aid to enquiries and issues that PhD candidates may face.

Promeras advises the Erasmus MC PhD Committee on the PhD Education Policy, and solicits attention for certain topics when needed. Within Promeras, several subcommittees exist to address specific matters such as mental health and issues international PhD candidates may encounter. We also organizes social events to promote networking within PhD candidates in Erasmus MC.

Promeras is a member of EPAR (Erasmus PhD Association Rotterdam) and PNN (PhD Network Netherlands). With regular meetings with the PhD representatives of other universities, we discuss and address matters on both the institutional and national level. We strive to learn from each other and together stand up to fight for the rights of all PhD candidates in the Netherlands.

Within Promeras:

Mental Health workgroup
International PhDs workgroup
Social and networking activities

Affiliations:

Erasmus MC PhD committee
Erasmus PhD Association Rotterdam (EPAR)
PhD Network Netherlands (PNN)
Young Medical Delta (YMD)
Diversity & Inclusion workgroup

Laurine Rijsbergen

Chair, Digital affairs & Communications, Internal affairs

Laurine is a PhD candidate at the department of Viroscience.
For Promeras, she is involved in digital communication (Instagram, Facebook and website), represents Promeras in the Erasmus MC PhD committee and is part of the International task force where she is setting up a program to connect and support international PhD students.

Mila Welling

External affairs and Task Force Mental Health

Mila is a PhD candidate at the department of Endocrinology, division of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. Her project focusses on treatment of genetic obesity. She represents Promeras at “Promovendi Netwerk Nederland” (PNN). Moreover, she will be involved in the project about mental health-related issues amongst PhD candidates and Erasmus Tour.

Lucia Giannini

Task force Mental Health & Task Force International Students

Lucia is a PhD candidate at the Department of Neurology. Her PhD project focuses on the role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of frontotemporal dementia, a young-onset form of dementia. Within Promeras, Lucia is involved in promoting mental health amongst PhD students and in organizing resources and activities for the international PhD community at the Erasmus MC.

Anouk Heuvelmans

Communication and Promotion

Anouk is a PhD candidate at the department of Clinical Genetics. Her project focusses on the electrophysiological deficits in mouse models and induced Pluripotent Stem Cells of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, a neurodevelopmental disorder. Within Promeras, she is involved in promoting the visibility via newsletters and events, such as Erasmus Tour.

Fleur Marijnissen

Acquisition & Communications, Secretary, PNN/LOUP

Fleur is a PhD candidate at the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and her project focusses on premalignant gastric lesions and colorectal cancer screening. Within Promeras she is responsible for the communication via email, she is the secretary and represents Promeras in PNN/LOUP.

Suzanne van Wijck

Task force International Students & Digital Communication, PNN/LOUP, EPAR

Suzanne is a PhD candidate at the department of Trauma surgery. Her work focuses on advancing the treatment of rib fractures. At Promeras she is involved in the international taskforce, digital communication, represents Promeras in PNN/LOUP and collaborates with the EUR.

Diana Tran

International task force and Career Development task force

Diana is a PhD candidate at the department of Viroscience. Her project focuses on optimizing human brain slice cultures to study viral encephalitis, primarily herpes simplex encephalitis. She is involved in the International taskforce and co-founded our career development taskforce.

Amy Kessler

Menthal Health task force and Digital affairs and Communication

Amy is a PhD candidate at the Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, where she focusses on antigen presentation in gastrointestinal diseases. Within Promeras, she is active in the Mental Health taskforce and visibility on social media.

Circe van der Heide

Mental Health taskforce and Career Development taskforce

Circe is a PhD candidate at the department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine. She works on radiotracer interactions and her research focuses on targeting the tumor micro-environments with novel radionuclide therapies. Within Promeras, she is involved with the Mental Health taskforce and she co-founded the career development task force.

Joshua Bonsel

Treasurer & Acquisition, Career Development taskforce

Joshua is a PhD candidate at the department of Orthopaedic surgery. He studies the large-scale application of patient-reported outcome measures, to enhance their use and to improve orthopaedic care. At Promeras he is co-treasurer, he is responsible for acquisition and co-founded our career development taskforce.

Laurèlle van Tilburg

Mental Health task force, AAV

Joining us from the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology is Laurèlle. Her PhD-project focusses on the diagnosis and endoscopic treatment of early esophageal cancer and associated second primary tumors in the upper aerodigestive tract. She is involved in the Mental Health taskforce and together with the AAV she organized our general members meeting.

Lauren Westenberg

Treasurer & Acquisition and International taskforce

Lauren is a PhD candidate at the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology. Her project focuses on neonatal jaundice and hyperbilirubinaemia. Within Promeras, she is co-treasurer and responsible for acquisition. Moreover, she is involved in the international taskforce.

Upcoming events

What is Promeras?