The PhD representatives act as a low-threshold contact for PhD students, spreading relevant information, organising meetings (such as the Spring and Fall PhD student meetings), and acting as a sounding board for potential improvements of CAPHRI regarding the PhD students.

PhD students at CAPHRI are supported by two PhD representatives, Marla Woolderink and Katarina Putnik. They are there to provide help with questions regarding various aspects of the PhD trajectory, ranging from courses needed, practicalities related to the PhD track and any other queries.

If they do not know the answers, directly, they can guide the PhD student to find the answers needed. Amongst other things, as PhD representatives, they are engaged in the following matters:

• Representing the PhD students of the school CAPHRI in the quarterly meetings with the scientific director Onno van Schayck, PhD student co-ordinator Hannerieke van der Boom, confidential advisor Trudy van der Weijden and PhD student representative in the Interfaculty PhD student Commission (IPC) Gonnie Klabbers;
• Signalling and responding to developments within and outside CAPHRI concerning PhD students;
• Being contact persons for CAPHRI’s management and PhD students;
• Informing PhD students by means of the PRO-CMail. This is a monthly email that keeps PhD students informed about relevant matters and (social) activities of the school CAPHRI, ProvUM and the PhD Academy;
• Organising various workshops with topics relevant for PhD students (e.g. a workshop ‘layout of the PhD thesis’ and ‘Debating Skills’);
• Organising discussion meetings with the CAPHRI PhD students on topics relevant for PhD students and their trajectory; (e.g Caphri Fall meeting and Spring meeting). They organise these meetings twice a year to inform about developments within and outside CAPHRI, and to provide space for interaction among fellow PhDs and facilitate exchange of opinions on various topics. Topics covered during the meetings vary. Input and ideas from fellow PhD students for upcoming ones are always welcome. For example, this Fall Meeting 2010, they will focus on ‘Fundraising for PhD students’ and the Spring Meeting in 2010 concerned ‘The supervision and coaching of PhD students, trough the TRACK monitor system’.
• From September 2010 onwards, they will organise an annual meeting for first year PhD students. The aim of this meeting is to introduce PhD students to CAPHRI, its management, provide information about important resources, and provide opportunity to meet other fellow first year PhDs.

All information that they receive from PhD students is treated with discretion and confidentiality. In short: for any further questions and/or remarks please feel free to contact them Marla Woolderink or Katarina Putnik.