What are the causes of various large-scale global environmental issues such as climate change? Can we identify options to solve these problems? Are options different for different countries?
While the global challenges with respect to the environment and sustainability are huge and can only be addressed in an interdisciplinary approach, they also call for specialization. The Energy and Environmental Sciences (EES) programme provides a series of introductory courses that give a general overview of the problem-field, and then allows for specialization towards any of a broad range of subjects within energy or sustainability, treating it from a natural science perspective. However, it trains the students that the natural sciences/technical approach to, and solution for problems is only a part of the story and collaboration with other scientific disciplines is vital.
As the programme has a strong focus on the natural sciences; a bachelor’s degree in one of the natural sciences or related engineering studies is an entry requirement. The exact background, however, can be very different, both in discipline (e.g. Marine Biology, Engineering, Nuclear Physics, Astronomy, etc.) and in nationality and culture (about 50% of the students come from abroad and it is not unusual to have over 10 nationalities). This educational and cultural setting makes for a most interesting and challenging learning environment. Here you can benefit and learn from each other’s knowledge and backgrounds and become accustomed to working in interdisciplinary and intercultural teams.
Lecturers of the programme are staff members of the Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG). Research groups within this institute are: Centre for Isotope research (CIO), Geo Energy, Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society (IREES), Energy Conversion (EC), Biomimetics and Nuclear Energy. Research within this institute covers a wide range of topics, from e.g. isotopes research to social acceptance of windmills, and staff members have a background in various natural science disciplines. You can conduct your master’s research project in one of the research groups of ESRIG as well as in an internship in a company. This means that an enormous variety of subjects is available and it is very likely that one of them suits you.
Around their graduation our students find jobs that suit their education and fit their interests. Universities (PhDs), energy companies, environmental consultancies, environmental NGO’s, industry and government are typical employers. These employers mention that the combination of a strong natural science foundation and the ability of working in an international/interdisciplinary context provides our students with extreme value.
Interested to hear what our students have to say? Listen to the first and second episode on this podcast to find out more about this Master's programme!
Read moreThe opportunity to take many different courses has helped me to narrow down my interests
I started this programme after graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Biology, having majored in Molecular Life Sciences. I was interested in pursuing this Master's degree once I became more aware of the climate crisis, which sparked my interest in renewable energy. It's a great fit for me since I can apply my background in natural sciences to the context of environmental sciences. The programme also offers a multitude of courses – it's even broader than I expected. This offers great advantages since the climate crisis can only be solved using a multidisciplinary perspective. The opportunity to take many different courses has helped me to narrow down my interests.
I am currently working on my first thesis project, in which I am building an AI model to predict soil thermal conductivity of high voltage cables, which can be utilized to implement various renewable energy projects. This subject really suits me because I really enjoy modelling and coding. However, I'm already looking forward to my second thesis project. This will be an internship at an environmental engineering & consultancy company. I believe that that internship will give me a valuable opportunity to discover which part of this field I like best and to learn more about the industry. Eventually, I see myself working in a consultancy firm because it allows me to pursue my interest in the energy sector while connecting with people and working on a range of renewable energy projects.
Read moreFirst jobs EES Students
To great satisfaction of the EES staff nearly all graduates find a job soon after (or even before) graduation within the environment/energy sector.
Graduates find employment in a wide variety of organisations and positions. Universities, energy companies, environmental consultancies, environmental NGO's, industry and government are typical first employers as can be seen from the Figure.
This Figure is based on information on the first jobs of the graduates of the last three completed academic years.
Full image: https://www.rug.nl/fse/beta-studie/testimonials/first-job-ees-students.png
To great satisfaction of the EES staff nearly all graduates find a job soon after (or even before) graduation within the environment/energy sector.
Graduates find employment in a wide variety of organisations and positions. Universities, energy companies, environmental consultancies, environmental NGO's, industry and government are typical first employers as can be seen from the Figure.
This Figure is based on information on the first jobs of the graduates of the last three completed academic years.
