Patricia: "I'm always working on a thousand and one things at once."
“I have spent my whole working career at the University of Antwerp. I studied Law here and also did my PhD here. I then received a fellowship as a postdoctoral researcher at the Research Foundation Flanders but was soon appointed assistant professor and subsequently associate professor. I'm now a full professor, which is the highest level that you can attain as a professor. But that doesn't mean I'm resting on my laurels now. On the contrary, more and more is being asked of researchers. The pressure and competition have increased significantly but the work has also become more interesting and challenging.”
“I'm always working on a thousand and one things at once. I am the spokesperson for the Government & Law research unit. I also teach several courses on the Law and Political and Social Sciences programmes. I am the Chair of the Board of the Antwerp Doctoral School and am also on the board of scientific organisations. In addition to this I'm also a member of the editorial board of various journals and publications. As a result, I don't have much time to conduct my own research. I tend to work on it in the evening or at the weekend. But I don't mind it because I really like doing research.”
“The nicest aspect of my job is providing guidance to PhD students. I find it very fulfilling to help young people develop their own careers. I try to read their work and give feedback immediately. It is my task to open doors for them in the academic world and to ensure that they can present their work at international congresses. We also collaborate on projects, such as a book for young people about Belgium's state structure. I find this very interesting and I also learn a lot from my PhD students.”
