Esther Boudewijns

YEP period 2020 - 2021, batch 19

Young Expert at Maastricht University - India

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First position after YEP

Coordinator Dutch SPARK for Clean Cooking Solutions at Hivos and PhD Candidate Family Medicine at Maastricht University, Netherlands

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YEP Role

As a Young Expert, I work for Maastricht University on the dissemination of improved cookstoves in Indian slums. The project was designed to counter the adverse health effects of indoor air pollution caused by solid-fuel based cooking practices in slum areas. A low-tech improved cookstove was developed in a co-creation process with local community members. My main task is to develop and execute a business plan, awareness campaigns and training for local entrepreneurs together with local partners and slum communities. Furthermore, I will aid in the monitoring and evaluation of the project.

 

Skills

• Ability to link different sectors (health, environment, international development) to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals 
• Thematic expertise in the field of epidemiology, and cookstove development and implementation
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural context
• Organised, pro-active, analytically strong, connecting the dots, committed

Background

Nationality: Dutch
Education:

• 2017 – 2018: Master Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Distinction: Cum Laude
• 2013 – 2016: Bachelor Health Sciences, Maastricht University, Distinction: Cum Laude. Minor: Globalisation and Development

Experience before YEP

• August 2018 – current: PhD-Candidate Family Medicine, Maastricht University.
• September 2017 – current: Member of the working group ‘Maastricht Platform for Community-Engaged Research’. Mission: create a multidisciplinary platform for employees at Maastricht University who do, or are interesting in doing, community-engaged research.
• June 2017 – June 2018: Research assistant writing grant applications. Maastricht University.
• Jan 2017 – May 2017: Researcher Public Health. Bangalore, India. Maastricht University. Fieldwork to test the impact of improved cookstoves on indoor air pollution and respiratory health of women and children in slums in Bangalore, India.