Hello dear fans of Archaeopteryx,

My name is Louise and I am honoured to be this year’s chairwoman of our lovely association. I am currently embarking on my first year of my master’s studies right now and will be specialising in companion animals. I have a big passion for all things rabbit. This has been ignited by my grandmother and my mom so I had my first rabbit when I was 7 years old and since then a lot have already hopped into my life. Right now, we have 4 bunnies roaming around our garden. It will come as no surprise that I will also be the chair of the small mammal working group.

Another hobby of mine is hiking in the mountains and especially the French Alps. Every year we take our tent and try to find the best spots to hike around. The hike is even better when we can spot some wildlife like marmot and chamois. So I do not only have an interest in rabbits but also in another wide variety of animals. For this reason I will also be responsible for the masters committee.

I am very excited to make this a wonderful year with loads of fun and interesting activities and I am also looking forward to the celebration of our seventh lustrum. Feel free to approach me if you have any question or just have a chat about rabbits when you spot me around. You can reach me at voorzitter@archaeopteryx-online.com.

Hey!

My name is Howard Kil and I am now in the second year of my bachelor's degree. This year I have the honor of being Vice-Chairman of Archeopteryx. This means that I am responsible for the sponsorship and collaborations of our association. My passion for special animals started in the forests, fields and creeks of America, the country in which I grew up. There I looked for everything that crawled, flew, swam, ran, slithered and otherwise lived. When I moved, I quickly missed nature and started volunteering at a bird sanctuary. This sparked a deep love for birds in me, so it is no surprise that I will take the bird working group under my wing. In addition to veterinary medicine, I really enjoy strength training and you can find me in the gym four times a week. This training requires an appropriate diet, so fortunately cooking is also one of my great hobbies. That's why I'm looking forward to tasting all kinds of sandwiches at the sandwich committee! Come by during the break and talk to me while enjoying a sandwich. You can also email me at: vicechair@archaeopteryx-online.com

Hi!

My name is Michiel Verbogt and I will be the secretary of Archeopteryx this year, in my gap year. This means that I am responsible fot the email and post and hopefully I will welcome a lot of new members this year! When I started studying veterinary medicine three years ago, I knew one thing for sure; I wanted to become active within Archeopteryx. So I did; During my bachelor's degree I served on various committees and a working group and I am proud of taking this step. I have always had a great passion for fish, amphibians, but especially reptiles! A turtle always brings a smile on my face (I even have one as a pet) and I cannot stop looking at an aquarium or terrarium. That is why I am very happy to be chairman of the terrarium working group this year. I am also responsible for ensuring that a great symposium will take place this year. Besides that, I also enjoy working at a petting zoo in Utrecht, I love drawing and traveling and, as a Brabander, I am always up for fun! I hope to see you at one of our activities soon! You can reach me at 

secretaris@archaeopteryx-online.com

Hi!

My name is Lars Weekamp and I am already a fourth-year bachelor's student. I am very excited to be the treasurer of Archeopteryx next year. This means that I will be concerned with all the finances of our wonderful association. I have had a great love for animals all my life. As a little boy, my grandfather took me to look for lapwing eggs and spot birds and I went door to door as a WWF ranger to raise money for an endangered species. This is how I managed to create a real animal world at home with cats, chickens, pigeons, rabbits and a dog, if it were up to me I would already have a petting zoo. From an early age I was a true animal whisperer and approached every animal in the enclosure or country, which my parents preferred to call because I had no sense of danger. So it's very nice that I can take on the Wildlife working group and BLE committee this year, it promises to be a great year with all kinds of fun lectures and activities and a successful trip! Outside of Archy, in my spare time I enjoy reading, taking care of my plants and animals, activism, and meeting up with friends. I'm really looking forward to it this year, so don't hesitate to come and have a chat with me! You can also reach me at penningmeester@archaeopteryx-online.com

Hi!

My name is Renske Wiekel and I am currently in the third year of my bachelor's degree. This year I will be taking on the role of editor within the board and I am really looking forward to that! This means, among other things, that I can design the next 5 AVs and also design the posters. As many of us will recognize, I have been crazy about animals from an early age: from large to small and with fur, feathers or scales, it doesn't matter to me! As I write this, a great spotted woodpecker is sitting in the tree opposite my room, something like that can always put a smile on my face. Wild animals in particular, both in the Netherlands and abroad, have always interested me very much, so I am very much looking forward to organizing fun and, above all, educational events with the Wildlife Committee! In addition, this year I can take on the chairmanship of the Leisure Committee, so that I can also provide the necessary relaxation with them! In my free time I like to meet up with friends or watch a series/movie with my housemates. I also enjoy being creative or exercising. All in all, I'm really looking forward to this year and I'm also looking forward to meeting you all in the loft or at one of the activities! Please speak to me or you can always reach me via: redactie@archaeopteryx-online.com

Hey everyone!

My name is Hanna van den Berg and I am currently in the third year of my bachelor's degree. This year, I will fill the position of general board member, in which I will keep you informed of all the amazing activities that this fantastic association has to offer! From an early age, I have been very passionate about (wild) animals, I could never leave the petting zoo and I could spend hours and hours on the couch watching nature documentaries, full of fascination. I am therefore very happy with this opportunity to dedicate this passion for wild animals to Archeopteryx this year. I have also been swimming competitively for years and have a huge passion for everything that has to do with water, the ocean and marine life. It is therefore no wonder that I am thrilled to be the chairman of the aquafauna working group next year! This year, I will also be responsible for organizing the yearly information market and career market together with our members. Besides that, I really enjoy traveling, being outdoors and reading, and I enjoy meeting up with friends. I hope to see you at one of our activities soon! You can also reach me via ab@archaeopteryx.com or via the socials I manage.