Meet Stefana Vida!

Stefana is 22 years old and from Romania

BSc Psychology (Cum Laude), Tilburg University

Major: Methods and Statistics
Minor: Medical Psychology

Her main interests are:  

Network analysis, Psychometrics, Outlier assessment, Chronic diseases, Caregiver burden, Post-traumatic growth, Medical Imaging

You can reach her out on LinkedIn

What inspired you to pursue the IDA Master program?

This program offers a lot of flexibility to pursue your research interests and helps you gain valuable research experience via the five traineeships. I was also impressed by the nice community of people that gathered around the program.

What motivates you to pursue this field of study, and what personal significance or purpose do you find in it?

My research interest is related to Psychological Assessment, and concepts within Medical Psychology. I am excited to apply advanced statistical techniques to fill research gaps within these fields.

Which field do you see yourself pursuing after completing the program? 

After finishing IDA, I would like to start a PhD.

Looking at the program schedule, which course(s) are you most excited about and why?

I really like statistics, so it’s not surprising that my favorite courses so far were Psychometrics and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). I am looking forward to the traineeships as they provide valuable opportunity to enhance my skills and explore my interests in a tailored manner.

Do you ever feel stressed or under pressure in your studies? How do you manage those challenges? Would you like to share some tips?

Being under stress is completely normal when you challenge yourself. Discipline and efficient time-management are usually the key to move forward, but other times it helps to romanticize studying (e.g., bring your laptop to a nice café, enjoy a drink and a desert).

What motivates you to keep going when things get tough?

Studying is a privilege I don’t take for granted. I remember that I am following my dreams in a very supportive environment, full of opportunities.

How do you see the skills and knowledge from the IDA Master being applied in the real world?

Besides the hard statistical and research skills we gain in IDA, we also have a lot of assignments which require personal reflection that stimulates the growth of soft skills.

What do you enjoy most about collaborating with your peers, supervisors, or being part of the IDA community?

I am lucky to be a in a very friendly cohort which often meets outside class. We support each other in our studies and we collaborate well in group projects. The IDA community is very welcoming and there are annual scheduled events such as the Summer BBQ and the Christmas Dinner for the alumni to meet the new cohort of students in an informal way. Supervisors are also very helpful and encouraging, but they also push you to achieve our full potential. It is overall a really good social environment.

How would you describe your relationship with the faculty in the IDA program? How does this influence your overall learning experience?

Professors try to give us the best learning experience and often go above and beyond in class. They provide personalized feedback on assignments, a lot of room for questions and discussions. They take into account our feedback and are ready to adapt to meet the class needs. Your learning experience is accelerated in such a constructive environment and you are motivated to give your best.

How would you describe an “IDA Student”? What common qualities do they share, and who do you think is best suited for this program?

I think we are a group of ambitious students that are motivated to do good research in the future. We take our studies seriously and always aim to deliver high quality assignments. People that are generally curious about individual differences and are not afraid of challenges will do well in this program.

Is there anything you wish you had known before starting that would have made your journey smoother, and what advice (or tip) would you give to someone just beginning the program?

If anything disruptive happens in your personal life, inform your teachers and the education coordinator as soon as possible. They might be able to help.