Meet Mats Heitzmann - master's student in marine sciences
Mats Heitzmann first wanted to become a biology teacher in Germany. But after discovering an interest in aquaculture, he came to Sweden for the Master's programme in Marine science. He's now writing his master’s thesis on biodiversity in marine allotments.
What are you doing right now?
"I’m doing my master’s thesis in a collaboration project called COOL BLUE, where we are assessing biodiversity in regenerative community aquaculture. We are placing artificial reef monitoring structures, so called “ARMS”, with benthic growth. These ARMS stay in the water for several months, and then we take eDNA samples to check the community composition, compare this to a control group, and can see if, for example, community mussel farms have an impact – positive or negative – on local biodiversity."
"I got into this project as part of my master's studies through an internship at the Centre for Sea and Society at the University of Gothenburg. The Centre for Sea and Society is involved in the COOL BLUE project, a collaborative project to develop the concept of marine allotments in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland."
Why did you want to work with this project?
"During my bachelor’s degree I developed an interest in blue mussel aquaculture, as well as seaweed farming. In the current project I get to combine those two interests and it's very exciting to be part of an industry that, at least in Europe, is still in its infancy. Since everything is still in somewhat early stages, it feels like you can make a difference, and that's a pretty cool feeling."
Why did you choose to study in Sweden?
"I chose the University of Gothenburg because of its involvement in seaweed research, something I had already been working with during my bachelor’s studies. The University of Gothenburg is one of the leading universities in Marine sciences in Sweden and Europe, that's why I applied."
"I always had a special connection to the sea. For me, studying marine sciences and marine biology felt like a great fit. I’ve been diving all my life, I like surfing and freediving, and feel comfortable when I’m in water."
How do you like Gothenburg?
"I really like the vibe here, there's so many activities, indoors and outdoors. You can visit the islands, go swimming in the summer, or winter, play beach volleyball indoors or outdoors, or have a drink in one of the many bars here."
What are your thoughts on the programme?
"I really enjoyed the first course “Marine project - From idea to action”, because it gave us a good overview of Python and R, two programmes I had not really worked with before."
"During this course we also did a cruise, which us students had to plan by ourselves. The course was very diverse: from programming to planning the cruise, analysing the data, and writing the report. The students in the course had many different backgrounds, with some people being great at, for example, statistical methods, and other people in programming. By coming together as a group, we could all help each other and complement each other's areas of expertise. I definitely learned a lot and it was so much fun."
What you would like to do after graduating?
"I can see myself working within the field of regenerative aquaculture, perhaps as a consultant or in conservation, focusing on restoring ocean habitat, possibly by building artificial reefs."
What are the differences between studying in Sweden and Germany?
"I think the quality of education is really high here, and supervisors take the time to help you with work. The programme is very adaptable to your needs and interests. For example, you can do an internship, go on an exchange semester, or enrol in courses that suit your interests. I particularly appreciate the one-course-at-a-time study approach, as it allows for deeper focus on a single topic and significantly reduces stress during exam periods compared to managing multiple courses simultaneously. I also really like the new building, Natrium."
Do you have any tips for students considering studying marine sciences?
"Yes, many. 1) It's totally ok if you don't have a clear idea about what you want to work with when you start the programme. 2) Don't stress yourself, no one is expecting you to be an expert when you start. 3)Ask for help when you need it. There’s so much knowledge in this building, and if you’re stuck, there's always someone who's happy to help. 4) Put yourself out there and contact people that work with something that interests you. That's how I went about with my internship, which then led to my master's project."
