Ton graduated from our undergraduate degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering (MEng) in 2009. During his time with us, he won several prestigious prizes including the Unwin Medal and Prize (2009), Institution of Civil Engineers Prize (2009), Sir Bruce White Prize (2009), Letitia Chitty Prize (2008) and the Civil Engineering Student Centenary Prize (2008). After graduation, Ton went on to continue his studies at the University of Oxford and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is currently an Associate Professor at TU Delft. His final year research was on Universal solutions for Boussinesq and non-Boussinesq plumes, under the supevision of Professor Gary Hunt.
Why did you choose to study at Imperial?
I chose Imperial because it was and is one of the most competitive Civil Engineering degree programmes in the world, because of the international perspective it would offer and because of the attractive prospect living in London would offer.
What have you done since leaving Imperial?
I completed an MPhil in Economics at the University of Oxford, then a DPhil in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford working on ocean waves, then a PhD in Economics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam working on climate economics. I then became a Chancellor’s Fellow (Assistant Professor) at the University of Edinburgh, an Associate Professor at the University of Oxford, and an Associate Professor at TU Delft, where I am now.
What has been your most rewarding project and you have worked on and why?
Supervising PhD students is the most rewarding part of my job. Training early-career research professionals to undertake research, leading the team they are in, and being part of the discoveries they make and the professional development they go through is immensely rewarding.
How has your degree helped?
A strong foundation in the fundamental as well a broad range of applications that I use in my research and teaching to this day.
What would be your advice to a student starting out on a career in Civil and Environmental Engineering?
Make the most of the fantastic educators and world-leading scientists at Imperial who are in front of your classroom on a day-to-day basis. They are more often than not pioneers in the field and you will use the methods they develop and the fundamental they teach you for the rest of your careers!
Image credit: Thanks to Frank Auperle.