Meet The Team – Vicky De Groof
Hello All, welcome to the first of Holiferm's Meet the Team series. This will be the first of several interviews as we work through the Holiferm team, so you all can get a peek into the weird wonderful world of Holiferm. We start with our latest hire Vicky, who comes to us after completing a PhD at Bath University.
What is your current role at Holiferm?
Senior fermentation and downstream processing engineer.
Favourite quote?
What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly. – Morticia Addams
What are your favourite things to do to relax?
- Exercise: hiking, running (if my knee would allow it – so mostly walking now), strength training, …
- Good company to share a nice meal or play boardgames.
- Looking after my houseplants.
- Curling up in the sofa with a nice cup of tea and a good book to read or something nice to watch.
what is something you picked up during lockdown?
I learned how to juggle and got a bit obsessed with houseplants.
Favourite trip/holiday?
I went to Japan for a conference and managed to get a couple of extra days to explore Hiroshima, Kyoto and Osaka. The autumnal leaves were beautiful and since I was travelling alone, I had as much time to explore wherever I wanted.
Any pets?
No… ☹
Why did you want to work for Holiferm?
During my time as an undergraduate Bioscience Engineer. I decided that I wanted to directly contribute to a more sustainable, bio-based industry to replace our current petrochemical based industry. Therefore, I decided to do a PhD focused on food waste fermentation as a resource for bio-based, renewable chemicals. The next logical step for me was to take what I learned in academia and lab-scale research to industry. I especially wanted to learn more about how research transferred into industry and how it can make an impactful change. Therefore, Holiferm was the perfect fit! It aligns with my dream of a more sustainable chemical industry and allows me to see first-hand how a new technology can be developed, upscaled and bring a change.
How would you described your character in 3 words?
Determined, curious, genuine.
If you have any questions or would like to know more please feel free to contact us directly at Info@holiferm.com.
