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

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.

Anouk Heuvelmans

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 & Communication, 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.

Amy Kessler

Menthal Health task force, Digital affairs & Communications, International taskforce

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. Additionally, Amy is involved in the international taskforce to strengthen the focus on international PhD candidates.

Circe van der Heide

Chair, Mental Health taskforce, Career Development taskforce, PhD Committee

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.

Lauren Westenberg

Treasurer & Acquisition and International taskforce, Supervision taskforce, Workwise, PNN/LOUP

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.

Hongchen Li

International taskforce, EPAR/EUR, Career Development

Hongchen is joining us from the department of Biomedical Engineering where he works on bacterial biofilm infection elimination. Hongchen wants to advocate a healthy PhD climate on all levels, and has a focus on the international student community.

Maurits Unkel

Communication & Promotion, Mental health taskforce, EPAR/EUR, Erasmus Tour

Maurits is a PhD candidate at the department of Psychiatry, where he works as a neuroinformatician. He joined Promeras as a very enthousiastic team player who is actively looking to improve mental health and well being of PhD candidates in general. Maurits also works on the newsletter that you receive at the end of each month.

Miliaan Zeelenberg

Secretary, PNN/LOUP, EPAR/EUR

Joining us from the Department of Trauma Surgery is Miliaan Zeelenberg. He fulfils the role of secretary within the board, as well as join the meetings from PNN and LOUP to maintain a helicopter view of PhD organizations in the Netherlands.

Niek van der Maas

Communication & Promotion, PNN/LOUP, AAV, Workwise

Niek works as a PhD candidate at the department of Hematology and is especially driven to strengthen the PhD community within the Erasmus MC. For Promeras, Niek will send out our monthly newsletter together with Maurits. He is also involved in PNN/LOUP, the AAV and he attends the Workwise meetings.

Simran Sharma

Career Development, Digital affairs & Communications

Simran works at the Department of Cardiology and Radiology. Next to her work as a PhD candidate, she is ready to take on the challenge of representing the PhD candidates in the Erasmus MC. She is involved in organization of Career Development events, as well as achieving visibility of the events on social media.

Upcoming events

What is Promeras?