If you really listen to someone, which you can do on multiple levels, they will be more likely to share with you.
Esmee Bally
Postdoctoral researcher in Public Health, Erasmus MC
Esmee Bally is a postdoctoral researcher in Public Health at Erasmus MC. She attended the MicroLab 'How to supervise students' in September 2024.
Esmee: "I started this job in February 2024 and noticed that there was actually very little written down about what exactly it entails and what tasks you have. I knew about research, but teaching and supervising students were new to me. So, I looked for ways to improve my skills in these areas.
I talked with my supervisor, who gave me some good advice. But their experience with this stage of the career was from a long time ago. Also, I am the only postdoc in my team, so I cannot relate to anyone in that respect either. In my search for practical help with teaching and supervision, I found EUR and the MicroLabs from CLI/Risbo.
One important thing I learned from the MicroLab was the importance of good listening. If you really listen to someone, which you can do on multiple levels, they will be more likely to share with you. Also, you never know exactly what a student is going through. So, it's good to start with open questions and then ask more detailed ones.
I just happened to have finished supervising a student, but I definitely use these insights in the projects I work on, like guiding more junior colleagues."
Would you recommend other teachers to follow this MicroLab and why?
"Yes, I highly recommend it! The MicroLab ‘How to Supervise Students’ is interactive. During the session, you learn about the different roles you can take as a supervisor and when to use them. It's very useful."