Buddy Programme: being part of an inspiring community

Hi, my name is Linda Chen-Zijlstra from TU Eindhoven, where I work as a Research IT Consultant in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. I’ve had the pleasure of participating in the buddy programme both last year with Carlos Martinez Ortiz from the Netherlands eScience Centre. What I enjoy most is not just what I’ve learned, but the feeling of being part of an inspiring community. It gives me a lot of energy, both from the experience itself and from the people around me.

Having moved from being a researcher into a research support role, I’ve come to value the fact that I can still actively contribute to a research support community. The sense of connection motivates me. At the same time, we’re witnessing how developments such as AI and open science are changing the way we work. For me, this makes it even more important to be part of a supportive and welcoming community, one where we learn from each other, make new friends, and to create impact for researchers, and beyond.

The buddy programme is a space where I can learn, share experiences, have fun and grow alongside others. If we want to support researchers in becoming part of the open science community, I believe it’s essential that we also have a place where we can strengthen that mindset ourselves.