Figen on living in Nijmegen

How did you come to pursuing your research topic in Nijmegen? 

I completed my BA degree in English Language Teaching at Middle East Technical University, Turkey, and my M.Sc. degree in Linguistics at University of Alberta, Canada. Then I worked as a research assistant in a project focusing on language development of Turkish-Dutch bilingual children with and without developmental language disorder at Utrecht University. 

I discovered that the Netherlands was an excellent place to work on bilingualism, and Nijmegen in particular to conduct interdisciplinary language research. Naturally, I decided to apply for a PhD position at the Radboud University.

What are some of the highlights of your doctoral life so far?

Besides the excellent training and supervision that I have received, living in Nijmegen would be one of the main highlights of my PhD. Nijmegen is a small city but offers a lot to its residents. If you feel like doing nothing on your day-off, you can just stroll through the Farmer’s market and the riverside. If you are looking to be more active, you can always go for a bike-ride to beautiful Ooijpolder just outside the city, or even to Germany. For a more extended itinerary, how about a day-trip to the other Dutch cities –the west-coast cities are just a 2-hour train ride away!

What advice do you have for peers or those considering doctoral studies? 

One of my dear mentors forwarded an open call for PhD students in Centre for Language Studies, so never hesitate to ask your direct colleagues for help in your search. The position on offer was the perfect fit for me with the faculty members sharing similar research interests and the research facilities that it offers. I contacted two researchers explaining my intended PhD project, and received immediate positive replies. They helped me through the application and interview process, which ultimately landed me with my current position.