Board of 2018-2019

Chair

Dear all,
My name is Sander Engelberts, 20 years old, and a second year AI Bachelor student. This year, I have the honour of representing CognAC as the Chair. Originally I am from Bussum, a village between Amsterdam and Utrecht, but I am happily living in Nijmegen since last year.

Directly during the orientation week I felt very welcomed in CognAC and decided to become more active. I started with the First Years- and Study Committee, and later joined the Almanac-, Discussion-, and Monopoly Committee as well. CognAC feels like a loving family to me and within it I found many of my friends, learned a lot, and enjoyed the great activities. As a board member I want to give all I can offer so others can also have such a positive experience.

Besides studying and CognAC, I am also a mentor in the first year's mentor program, help organising the Pink Week of Dito!, and enjoy yoga, walking the Four Days Marches Nijmegen, and racket sports. I also love having a relaxed evening with friends, dancing and going to the movies.

If you have any questions or remarks, or just want to have a nice talk, feel free to contact me. You can find me in the Board Room (on Thursdays during the break), at activities, or walking around university. Of course, you can also always send an email to chair@svcognac.nl.

Secretary

Hey everyone!
My name is Pleun Scholten, 22 years old, and I will be CognAC's secretary next year. I was born in Amstelveen, near Amsterdam, but I always just tell people I'm from Amsterdam, because it sounds cooler. After high school I went to study chemistry at the University of Amsterdam, which was a bad idea. Luckily I realized that I made a mistake and chose to study the best study ever: AI, in the best city ever: Nijmegen.

I joined CognAC at the beginning of the first year, but I didn't become active until the end of the first year, when I joined the TraC (<3 u TraCies). In my second year, I joined the DAtA, WkC, InC and the OrC. And now, I'm taking the next step in my CognAC journey, by doing a board year as the secretary.

I'm super excited to start this year, and will love sending you a mail every week and processing your registrations (spoiler: most of them are done already)! If you have any questions, you can always email me at secretary@svcognac.nl, or just tap me on the shoulder whenever you see me in the board room, walking around university or sitting in TK.

Treasurer

Hi all!
My name is Francesca Drummer and I am currently the Treasurer of CognAC. I was born in Dresden where I lived until I graduated high school. Before I moved to Nijmegen to study Artificial Intelligence, I completed a volunteering year in Italy. Now I am 21 years old and in my 3rd year of AI.

When I started studying I did not know the concept of a study association, because we do not have that in Germany in such a form. However, that made me even more curious and excited about all the opportunities CognAC has to offer. So after my initial skepticism I quickly became active in multiple committees of CognAC. I always appreciated the help CognAC provides for its members of the AI program and how many diverse events you can attend. I cannot imagine studying without a study association anymore. Now that I am a member of the board, I want to offer the same great experience and welcoming atmosphere that I received during the last two years.

Next to my board work I enjoy working as Teaching Assistant for different courses and in my remaining free time I love to just relax together with friends or be active, as for instance doing sports such as volleyball or squash.

If you ever have any questions about board stuff, the AI program or just want to share some great ideas or stories, always feel free to walk up to me at university. There is a high chance you will find me in the TK or the board room. Otherwise please send me a message on treasurer@svcognac.nl.

Chief of External Affairs

Hey everyone,
My name is Fien Ockers and I am the Chief of External Affairs of CognAC. At time of writing, I'm 20 years old (my birthday is the 17th of January, feel free to congratulate me ☺) and I am in my first year of the Neural Computation master track of AI.

I joined CognAC immediately when it was possible in the orientation, but it took me half a year before I became an active member by joining the Monopoly Committee. After this I saw what a big welcoming family CognAC is and in my second and third year I joined several committees such as the Symposium Committee, the Orientation Committee and (best of all) the Paparazzi Committee.

I really enjoy doing other things besides my study, so I can learn new things and develop myself. I am a member of a theater student association and will hopefully join the dance student association as well. In my free time I also like to hang out with friends, watch series or cook healthy food.

My tasks as Chief of External Affairs include maintaining contact with companies, searching for new ones and giving all of our members the opportunity to orient themselves career wise, so they know where they want to end up after they graduate.

So, if you have anything to ask or share with me regarding companies, or you would like to chat, feel free to contact me via extern@svcognac.nl, address me in the hallways or swing by the Board Room on Mondays!

Chief of Internal Affairs

Hey you,
My name is Jorrit Geels and I am currently 19 years old. I was born in the one and only capital of Brabant, Den Bosch, and moved to Nijmegen at the start of my first year. This year, you can refer to me as Chief of Internal Affairs of CognAC.

During the first day of the orientation week, I was already enchanted by the great atmosphere here in Nijmegen, and CognAC specifically. I decided to devote a big part of my free time towards organising activities such as the yearly Cantus and Weekend, designing posters and overall making sure we all have a great time here. This year I will not be doing all of that, but I will be serving as a hotline for all of CognAC’s committees at all times. This allows me to help everyone develop new skills or enhance current ones, which I thoroughly enjoy.

When I’m not doing any of this, I’m either studying or chilling somewhere in Nijmegen; exploring and making new music, videos and other types of media is what I love most.

Besides being on the board, I am a mentor in the first year's mentor programme. If you would like to know more about me, how committees work, which committee would be suited for you, whether you’ll have enough time to be in a committee or anything else, contact me! You can send me an e-mail on intern@svcognac.nl or you can find me walking around the university, in the Board Room or in the TK!

Chief of Education

Dear all,
My name is Nick Stracke, I am 22 years old and a third year Bachelor student. I am originally from Germany but after finishing high school and traveling around Canada for a year, I moved to Nijmegen right after my introduction week in 2016.

This year, I am honored to not only represent CognAC as the Chief of Education but also being part of the first international board. In fact, when I started studying, the programme had just switched to English and also CognAC was in the process of becoming an English study association. Thus, I am very pleased to be in the first international board of CognAC - only two years after the initial transition to English!

I started off by joining the external and study committee in my first year. Followed by becoming chair of the study committee and additionally joining the WebC in my second year. I am looking forward to applying the knowledge that I gained through my committee work and further improve CognAC as a study association. Furthermore, I stay in close contact with the programme and manage the tutoring network, the online book exchange, the reviews of elective courses and more. In short, everything education related.

Besides studying and CognAC, I like to work out and game if I can find the time.

If you have any questions about the programme or need additional help with studying, feel free to contact me at education@svcognac.nl. I am also always open to feedback about courses and possible improvements. So, if you would like to have chat, send me a message or drop by at the board room!