Permalink Submitted by Roeland Hemsteede on 14 September 2025
What can I say? The ResMA in all its interdisciplinary richness has profoundly shaped my life, both personally and professionally. The ResMA allowed – and forced – me to explore Africa from so many different angles, and it challenged me to push the boundaries of what I thought good research meant, both methodologically and conceptually. The staff at the ASC(L), from the library to the professors, were often critical, never dismissive, and always supportive. It is thanks to them that I discovered how exciting research, especially when it involves fieldwork, can be. And it is thanks to my fellow students that I learned how important it can be to share the trials, tribulations, and triumphs that come with it with peers. Completing the ResMA also proved the ideal stepping stone to continue with an Africa-focused PhD and postdoc elsewhere. Here, I noticed how the rigorous training during the ResMA prepared me, and how the experience gave me an edge over other PhD students. I think back of the ResMA with incredible pride and pleasure, and I wish everyone will be able to (continue to) enjoy that same pleasure.
What can I say? The ResMA in all its interdisciplinary richness has profoundly shaped my life, both personally and professionally. The ResMA allowed – and forced – me to explore Africa from so many different angles, and it challenged me to push the boundaries of what I thought good research meant, both methodologically and conceptually. The staff at the ASC(L), from the library to the professors, were often critical, never dismissive, and always supportive. It is thanks to them that I discovered how exciting research, especially when it involves fieldwork, can be. And it is thanks to my fellow students that I learned how important it can be to share the trials, tribulations, and triumphs that come with it with peers. Completing the ResMA also proved the ideal stepping stone to continue with an Africa-focused PhD and postdoc elsewhere. Here, I noticed how the rigorous training during the ResMA prepared me, and how the experience gave me an edge over other PhD students. I think back of the ResMA with incredible pride and pleasure, and I wish everyone will be able to (continue to) enjoy that same pleasure.
Dr. Roeland Hemsteede, ResMA, 2011-13.