Rianne van den Meiracker
Researcher advisor Anthropogenic Substances
I work here because I want to contribute to a better future. Without water, we can’t exist. I feel that what I do matters.
I’m a consultant and researcher specialising in anthropogenic substances . My bachelor’s and master’s degrees gave me a broad background in biology and chemistry. I have a clear focus on environmental toxicology – the study of toxic substances focusing on the aqueous environment. I look at the effects of substances in water.
Everything exists because there is water. I’m extremely happy that we have such beautiful nature. Preserving that is very important to me. In my work, I contribute a very small part to that by working on healthier, better water quality. My work is mainly focused on the Netherlands, but some of it is also abroad. Ultimately, that in turn contributes to maintaining and hopefully even improving the environment – the natural system in which we live.
Work and private life
It's my job but I realise that it’s so much more than just a job. I’m very committed to what I do. That makes it difficult sometimes. I notice that the things I learn during my work affect my daily life quite a bit. Sometimes, I just want to be able to bury my head in the sand and pretend I don't know anything that’s going on.
I really try to minimise my own footprint. Taking the plane every now and then doesn't fit in with that. That regularly gets in my way. Sometimes, friends go on vacation without me or sometimes I manage to convince them to take the train instead. If we’re delayed 5 or 6 hours, I do feel a little bit guilty about that.
The common thread
I have always been very concerned about the environment. I grew up in a green bubble in Wageningen. My parents are both biologists. I was the little girl who, together with her sister, used to walk through the neighbourhood pushing a wheelbarrow so we could pick up all the snails and put them in that one patch of green to prevent them being stepped on. That’s still the common thread in everything I do.
Nowadays, of course, I do it in a completely different manner. But regardless, I am committed to the preservation of flora and fauna. I sometimes can't believe that I get paid for doing something that I enjoy so much and consider so important. I often realise how lucky that makes me.
We are allowed to be here. That is a privilege. That realisation has shaped how I now view my life and work.