Accie - Connecting WIAS!

Do you ever feel like you see the same faces during lunch and that it would be nice to meet other PhD students from different wings in Zodiac? Or are you one of those PhD students who are in Radix far far away from the rest of the animal scientists? Then joining Accie events is just the right thing for you to meet fellow PhD students who are also in the same exciting yet sometimes challenging part of their lives.

If you are a new PhD student or just joined during Corona times, then you might not know what Accie is. Accie is part of WAPS and is responsible for organizing social events for animal science PhDs. They currently have two members: Inês and Pedro, who are both passionate about building a community among the animal scientists at WUR. Inês joined Accie because she enjoys this social aspect of academia. For Pedro it was similar: he felt like the PhD courses were too short for social interactions. Both of them are looking forward to organizing fun activities that are inclusive and welcoming to anyone in WIAS. These two enthusiastic people are here to shake up the WIAS community!

In the coming period Accie has some interesting events coming up. Something new will be the monthly “What´s Up Wednesdays” where PhD students can gather to have some snacks, talk or play some games. The idea is that this event becomes a regular one, so it is a good opportunity to get to know students from different departments. And who knows, maybe talking to someone from a slightly different discipline is just the push you need to find the solution for your own research question.

Apart from the regular “What´s Up Wednesdays” Accie is also looking forward to some of the traditional activities. Among these are Pub quizzes, a barbecue, and sports events in the summer. Some day trips with workshops or lectures at museums are also planned. The goal is to have a wide variety of activities so that there is something for everyone. For events with catering, they will pay attention to different dietary needs. The information about these events will also be made more accessible using social media like the Instagram account of WAPS.

If you would like to join Inês and Pedro in organizing these fun activities, or if you just feel like more diversity is necessary in the committee than two Portuguese students, then do not hesitate to reach out to them! Something also worth mentioning is that even though personal interest is key in these roles, the efforts are compensated with credits for the TSP.

All in all, we hope to see many of you at either the next Accie event or in the committee!