Models facilitate anticipatory governance. A prominent example is the use of climate models to support the Paris Agreement. But models are not neutral - they conceal value-laden choices, such as in how model approaches are selected or model applications are framed. This implies that certain perspectives are favoured by the model. Since decisions based on such value-laden models have real-world consequences, it is essential to understand how these models obtained the legitimacy to serve as policy advisors. The model code itself reveals only the tip of the iceberg, because it does not show the negotiations before the model was established. Therefore, the LEGIT project aims to uncover the factors and processes through which especially water-management models acquire legitimacy to support decisions and to develop theory on establishing legitimacy. To achieve this goal, my team and I scrutinize three case studies and explore the social-political-institutional, the socio-technical, and the simulation perspective through respectively policy document analysis and interviews with decision-makers; model documentation analysis, interviews with modellers and ethnographic observations of modellers; and extensive uncertainty analysis of model applications. This rich collection of data allows to formulate a preliminary theory of legitimacy of water-management models as decision support tools. This theory will be further refined based on a serious game that mimics relevant actors and decision processes. LEGIT starts from a strong empirical stance with the aim to understand modelling in anticipatory governance. LEGIT’s theory will enhance insights on concealed values in such models and allows for in-depth discussion of their policy application. But more importantly, LEGIT explains how a model got authority, despite its concealed values. This paves the way to more transparency in the process of using models as decision support tools, thereby contributing to a stronger democracy.

EQUIANFUN is a strategic research and training alliance I have assembled to catalyse the development of my new career path in comparative herbivore gut microbiology, and addresses a major nutritional challenge facing the equine community. The hindgut microbiota of equines enables forage utilisation; however, the limited efficiency of this process currently requires that the diets of many equines are supplemented with energy-dense concentrates in order to meet their dietary energy requirements. This practice can disturb the equine hindgut microbiota, resulting in the development of gut-mediated diseases which are a major health and welfare issue and economic cost to the equine community. Despite the fact that anaerobic fungi (AF) are the most effective of the fibre-degrading gut microbes, they have been largely overlooked in equine gut microbiology studies to date. Therefore research into this under-explored area will significantly advance the ability to increase the efficiency of forage utilisation in equines, minimising the need for concentrate supplements. Drawing on my core skills base, and utilising internationally leading expertise and facilities in gut microbiomics and animal nutrition at Wageningen University, EQUIANFUN establishes new baseline knowledge of the phylogeny, community structure, physiology and nutritional impact of equine hindgut AF. In addition to generating top quality research findings of applied impact, EQUIANFUN deepens my skills and competencies whilst broadening my research expertise and network beyond its current rumen focus. Furthermore the integrated role of the two partner organisations, Utrecht University and the Donkey Sanctuary, widens the scope of EQUIANFUN to also include the health and welfare of all domesticated equids. In summary, EQUIANFUN is pivotal to the development of my new career path and ability to attain professional maturity as an internationally leading researcher in comparative herbivore gut microbiology.

Wageningen University is pleased to state that the number of exchange students going abroad continued to increase during introduction of the Erasmus+ programme. Our goal is to increase the number of outgoing exchange students in order to achieve a balanced student exchange. The majority of our exchange students go on exchange during the final year of their BSc study. The incoming exchange students can make use of our minors or combine a number of our courses. More and more WUR students have been able to improve their international skills and competences during their stay at one of our (strategic) partners. Our (strategic) partners have challenged our students to become global citizens and experts in our domain. The close collaboration with our strategic partners within Europe strengthened the quality of our education and research. The student exchange played a pivotal role in expanding the collaborations. On the other hand the incoming exchange students have enriched our international classroom by bringing different insights and background. Creating a divers learning environment on the social- as well as on the educational level. They have actively contributed to internationalising our campus and the city of Wageningen.

The growing world population, combined with over-exploited fisheries, indicates that by the year 2030 aquaculture should provide 70% of the fish protein required for human consumption. The potential of early life programming of fish health, by diet-induced changes, could be an important step towards better health management in aquaculture and to promote the need for intensification. The aim of Reprogram is to epigenetically program fish health during the critical early life window to maintain broad immune competence. Evidence suggests that the effect of certain nutrients on the intestinal microbiota can induce epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells with long-term positive effects on health. Early epigenetic nutritional programming by butyrate, will be evaluated in first-feeding stages of Nile tilapia, exploring the potential of this dietary additive to enhance gut mucosal health in a fish species important to aquaculture. The project will integrate research methodology relevant to several disciplines including fish immunology, nutrition and microbiology and employ advanced biological approaches such as a germ-free system, to assess dietary effects on the gut microbiome. Reprogram will familiarise the candidate with state-of-the-art genomic approaches, for transcriptome and epigenome by next-generation sequencing nanopore and chromatin immunoprecipitation technology, and with effects on the fish immune system. Hosting, by both a world-class university and at one of the world’s first certified sequencing providers of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (secondment), will increase the potential of the researcher to reach professional maturity during the fellowship. Dissemination of the project results to a wide audience, including a non-profit organisation relevant to worldwide aquaculture, will complement the already excellent career path of the candidate and facilitate her acquisition of a stable research position in Europe.