Student Testimonial: Bruining
Personal Information
- Name: Bruining van Dongen
- Age: 24 years old
- Originally from: Voorne Aan Zee
- Lives in: Delft
- Hobbies: sports, old movies, the outdoors and enjoy life to the fullest
Hey there! My name is Bruining van Dongen, I am 24 years old and I am currently a 7th year student in Delft! Originally, I come from the municipality of Voorne Aan Zee, close to the province of Zeeland.
7 years ago, when I came to Delft to study, I tried (and failed) a year of the bachelor studies Applied Physics at the Hague University. I then decided to give Mechanical Engineering a try, which was a perfect fit for me! The more tangible and larger realization projects incorporated in the bachelor programme really worked for me, and I was able to finish the degree in the scheduled 4 years, writing my bachelor thesis on techno-economic feasibility of incorporating a certain hydrogen technology to decrease CO2-emissions. Mechanical Engineering gave me a good grasp of how technology works, and also a more instinctive feel of what could and could not work.
This is also why I decided to study MOT. While writing my bachelor thesis, my ambition to participate and actively help the energy transition grew fast. I felt like I had the necessary basic engineering skills to grasp the technology I was looking at, and now wanted to delve further into the skills needed for realization and implementation of emission-reducing technology. Before delving into honing these skills, I had to complete a bridging programme from HBO-level to university level, which took me half a year. The MOT programme gives me the opportunity to study in a complementary, interdisciplinary learning environment where, with a good engineering basis, the more financial, organizational, and strategic side of the picture is being studied. I especially like the courses on finance and economics, but also business strategy piques my interest. These courses complement my engineering basis and future the most.
Because the master’s programme is focused on managerial topics, I had foreseen the change of calculating less, and reading and discussing more. This was even more the case than I had first thought, but other than having to change my study methods, I was gaining a lot of new knowledge which, I’m sure, will help me throughout my future career. I was also aware of the multiple possibilities to study abroad or conduct short projects abroad. I was very excited to learn in new environments which initially helped make the choice for MOT.
Right now, I appreciate sports a lot in my life. I like going to the gym, running and bicycling and always try to do one of these three things once a day. Besides that, I love going to the movies, especially old movies that are replayed in cinemas. 6 years ago, when I came to Delft, I also joined the student rowing club Proteus Eretes, where I now only come in and have some drinks with “old” friends once in a while. I also frequent the bar the faculty has. It’s fun to meet up with my colleagues and chill. On Saturdays I work in construction; it’s a good income for a student, and it’s nice being outside an entire day, even if it’s for work.
Because of the found ambition for helping the energy transition, I hope to achieve the necessary skills to develop business cases of projects, whilst having an engineering feel for the technological solutions. I would also like to work abroad on project basis and, in preparing for this, I have been given the opportunity to study abroad in Milan for the 2024 spring semester. I have a large amount of freedom regarding which courses I choose, and will be orienting myself towards further expanding my knowledge I feel is necessary for my working life. Whilst I have no concise plan for this working life yet, business development in off-shore wind sounds like an amazing chance to help the energy transition and improve the world.
Because of the interdisciplinary nature and relatively flexibility of the MOT master’s programme, I would advise any prospective students to think about their ambitions for their future and see if the given courses complement these ambitions. Because the background of the students varies massively, the topics in lectures vary massively as well. Having a clear idea of what you want to get out of this master’s programme will provide you with an excellent starting point filled with motivation and the right material for you.
I know I made the right decision starting this programme, and I am sure that for the students that want to improve the managerial, business side of their skill set will feel the same! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me through “chat with a student”.