Mini-profiles of STEM Role Models 19

Today’s mini-profile is of Natasha Maurits, who is both a neuroengineer and a highly talented artist!

Job title:

Professor of Clinical Neuroengineering & Chief Scientific Information Officer UMCG

Subject area:

Clinical Neuroengineering: I translate a clinical neurological problem to a physico-mathematical problem, find a solution using state-of-the-art mathematical techniques and translate this solution back to neurology for application by neurologists, technicians and researchers from other fields

How did you get into science?:

After I finished my master I didn’t want to get into a routine job (yet) and opted for pursuing a PhD first, mostly because I wanted to be able to go into depth on a certain topic and learn more. After that I actually didn’t want to go into academia, but I did want to stay in research; I managed to do this by starting as a biomedical informatician, supporting and initiating new research projects in clinical neurophysiology. Due to some opportunities that came onto my path (too long story for here) I then got the chance to start on a tenure track position at UMCG, which lead to my appointment as a full professor in 2007. I have always felt that research/science provides you with a continually challenging and interesting job, in which you can always develop yourself and help others develop; that is why I first got into and then stayed in science.

Where else have you worked/studied?

Master in Applied mathematics and Technical mechanics and PhD in Biophysical chemistry from University of Groningen (UoG); CEO of InterScale, a small start-up while being a part-time postdoc at Biophysical Chemistry (UoG) at the same time; biomedical informatician at Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG); clinical physicist a.i. at Clinical Neurophysiology, Martini Hospital Groningen; associate/adjoint/full professor in Clinical Neuroengineering at Neurology, UMCG; Chief Scientific Information Officer at UMCG

What are your hobbies/what do you do for fun?

Urban sketching, painting, drawing, reading, classical and contemporary ballet