Meet Hidde Warners, Erasmus Student in Bioinformatics from The Netherlands
Fascinated by both biological and computer sciences, Hidde found the perfect way to combine his two areas of interest in the Master’s Programme in Bioinformatics. Curious and keen to work with real data, he has really enjoyed the courses he has taken so far.
We were given the opportunity to sequence a bacterial genome on our own, analyze the data and present it. That was exactly what I was looking for!
What are you currently studying?
– I am in my last year of the Bachelor’s Programme in Molecular Life Sciences at Radboud University. At the moment, I am spending a semester as an Erasmus student at the University of Gothenburg, where I am taking two courses from the first semester of the Master’s Programme in Bioinformatics.
How did your interest in molecular life sciences and bioinformatics develop?
– I became passionate about computer science through my father, who works in software development. Initially, I was mostly into gaming, but in secondary school, I realised that I had become particularly interested in biology and chemistry. This led me to choose an education in molecular life sciences. A MATLAB programming course and a course in structural bioinformatics at my home university sparked my curiosity for bioinformatics.
What do you enjoy most about your two courses in bioinformatics?
– I enjoy the combination of laboratory work and data analysis. In the first course, we worked hands-on and sequenced a bacterial genome ourselves. It was fun to analyze our own data in a biological context and present it to experts in the field. In the second course, which I am taking now, we work with data generated by others. That is also interesting, but a slightly less motivating than working with self-generated data.
Why did you choose the University of Gothenburg?
– At my home university, there were no further bioinformatics courses beyond the ones I had already taken, so I had to look abroad. Ending up here was a bit of a coincidence. I was too late to apply for an Erasmus Programme outside Europe. Scandinavia has always appealed to me - the culture, the beautiful nature, and its reputation for high-quality university education. The courses on offer were also an important factor.
How is studying in Sweden compared to studying in your own country?
In Sweden, you study one course at a time. In The Netherlands, you study several courses in parallel. This means that the workload feels lower here than it does at home. Instead of five to eight hours of lectures a day, I only have three here. I really appreciate this, as it gives me the chance to explore the country.
What did you know about Sweden before your studies, and has your perception changed?
– The nature is more beautiful than I expected - the islands are magnificent, and even the city is very green. Public transport can take you into nature in just 30 minutes. Gothenburg is a cosy city with beautiful old buildings. The Swedes are a bit more reserved than I imagined. They are friendly, but they rarely take the first step to start a conversation. And of course, it is much darker in winter compared to back home, but the fairy-tale-like lighting makes up for it.
What advice would you give to prospective students?
– Buy some vitamin D when you are visiting Sweden during the winter! When it comes to the programme, try not to rely too much on AI. You will learn far more by troubleshooting, searching for solutions online, and exploring new tools to help you tackle the challenges you encounter.
