Roland Assies
Over the past year, my master's programme has stretched across different countries, disciplines and practice-based research environments-experiences that have shaped not only my academic development, but also my views on the role of research in society.
During my final semester, I had the opportunity to study at the ETH Zurich Department of Management, Technology, and Economics. In this ambitious and interdisciplinary environment, I completed the final courses for both my MSc and the Honours Programme at Delft University of Technology.
The academic intensity went hand in hand with the unique experience of living in Switzerland-where, except for one weekend, I spent almost every weekend in the mountains. It was a period where challenge, inspiration and balance between work and leisure came together.
International exchange and completion of studies
After returning to the Netherlands, I started as a student researcher at Digicampus. Here I dealt with issues around scaling up synthetic data-a rapidly developing domain with great potential for secure and effective data sharing.
This experience enabled me to work on concrete issues at the intersection of technology, policy and innovation, and to contribute to broader discussions on the future of data-driven systems.
Graduate research and fieldwork in Ghana
Shortly afterwards, I started the final phase of my MSc: my graduation research at Delft University of Technology, conducted in collaboration with the University of Ghana. As part of this research, I travelled to Accra, where I am currently carrying out fieldwork.
My research focuses on urban mobility and, in particular, how travellers make trade-offs between travel time, travel costs, delays and the choice between electric and conventional vehicles.
The first phase of my fieldwork was all about testing and refining the survey. Together with local experts, I conducted pilot studies in neighbourhoods with diverse socio-economic backgrounds. These experiences re-emphasised how important context is in research: no matter how thorough the preparation, it is only by being present, engaging with people and understanding their daily reality that real insight emerges.
With these initial insights, I have now started the main phase of data collection, in which I will approach a broad and diverse group of respondents in the coming weeks. Revisiting the same neighbourhoods, building trust and continuously honing my approach play an important role in this.
Looking back, this trip is characterised by a combination of international experience, academic deepening and practice-based research. From Zurich, to the Netherlands, to Ghana-each step has deepened my understanding of how research can contribute to solving social issues.
Finally, I am grateful for the support I have received during this journey. In particular, I would like to thank KIVI - Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for contributing to my travel expenses and the FAST University Fund TU Delft for supporting my stay in Ghana.
