Hi Emma, could you introduce yourself? Tell me where you are from, what your educational background is, if you had any prior work experience before your internship at HCSS?
Hi! My name is Emma and I’m at the end of my data internship as I am writing this. I’m 23 years old and Dutch, but grew up pretty internationally. I did my bachelor’s at TU Delft in Computer Science and Engineering, where I specialised in data science. Because I felt like I was missing knowledge on how to apply my skills to something I care about, I decided to study Engineering and Policy Analysis at TU Delft. This really brought out my passion for trying to improve the world through public policy. Before HCSS, my experience was mostly from projects, clubs, and volunteer work, inside and outside of my studies, so coming here was my first real 9 to 5 job.
So, what initially attracted you to the HCSS internship programme, and why did you apply specifically for the Datalab?
From my studies, I knew that I love leveraging data science for public policy. So, I started looking around for anything that combines the two. The datalab at HCSS seemed like a perfect fit for me as the vacancy specifically mentioned data science and an affinity for policy research. In addition, I’ve also always been interested in geopolitics, and seeing that HCSS is very involved in this field made me even more excited to apply. On top of that, the timing of this internship aligned perfectly with my academic schedule, making it an ideal opportunity.
What advice would you have for future interns that are thinking of applying?
If you believe this internship is the right fit for you, I highly recommend applying, I know I’m happy I did. I think this internship will be good fit if the following applies to you: you enjoy (Python) coding, are interested in policy/geopolitics, love all things data, like the idea of making dashboards, want to master the art of Excel figure creation, can work both independently and collaboratively, and enjoy working hard.
The application procedure is very thorough and requires a lot of preparation, but this allows you to show your determination and talents and is great experience overall. Don’t let it scare you!
What did you enjoy the most about your internship?
My favorite part of this internship was the chance to transition from academic life to the professional world in a supportive environment. The balance between independence and mentorship allowed me to take ownership of my work while being confident that I had guidance when needed. This internship is similar to a full-on job in terms of the hard work you are expected to put in, the value of the contributions you get to make, and how much you are trusted.
But then, because this is an internship there are some differences which I have appreciated. Although there are deadlines, it is not the intern’s job to ensure projects are finished on time. This alleviates stress and allows you to focus on the work itself. You also get a lot of guidance which allows you to learn super quick and be confident in the work you are doing.
How has this internship influenced your career goals or aspirations?
When I started my internship, I had some vague idea of what I wanted to do with my career, but now I have a better vision of what that would look like. I’ve been able to make my career goals and aspirations a lot more concrete. I found the topics that I learned about during my internship so interesting that I have signed up for more classes that cover them. Plus, for my thesis, I would love to do it on an HCSS-type topic, and once I graduate I plan on looking for a job in this same field.
Can you describe your time as a Datalab intern? What does your day-to-day look like?
Every week starts off by looking at the intern allocation sheet. This is a spreadsheet that shows which projects each intern will help contribute to in that week. Then, I have a short check-in meeting with my supervisor Jesse Kommandeur who is a strategic analyst at the datalab, where we discuss how everything is going, and what still needs to be done. Throughout the week, I’ll spend different days working on different projects, which keeps the work nice and varied. A lot of the time it’s coding up dashboards or creating figures in Excel to support the reports HCSS makes. Sometimes the tasks are straightforward, but sometimes it takes some thought or trying out different things.
Every day, I come into the office, get myself some tea, start up my computer, and get to work. In the middle of the day, I’ll go out with the other interns and any analysts who want to join to get some lunch which we then eat together at the office. Afterwards, is back to work on the projects, and then the work day is already over.
How would you describe your internship experience in three words? Please elaborate.
Exciting, Rewarding, Challenging!
Exciting because I found the work very interesting and was always looking forward to the results of my work. People are also super passionate about their work here, which is super contagious. Rewarding because I felt like the work I was doing was making a difference and I got to bring a lot of my own input. Plus, the people I work with were always appreciative of my work. Challenging because being focused on work for so many hours on so many different projects was new to me.
This interview was conducted by HCSS Communications & Events Officer, Stephanie Govaerts
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