Gert Jan van Hardeveld

Gert was awarded his PhD in 2018 and is currently working at Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) as a Specialist.

Why did you choose to study Web Science?

The chance to work in an interdisciplinary team to analyse novel issues on the Web seemed like an exciting opportunity. It was also a great chance to change my career path.

What was you PhD research topic?

I focused on cybercrime, specifically on the behaviour of online criminals.

What work experience did you get?

I had the opportunity to undertake an internship at INTERPOL’s Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore, where I wrote a report on a specific crime phenomenon on the Darknet.

What were the benefits of being part of the CDT?

Being able to present my work in various countries all over the globe. I also enjoyed being part of a diverse cohort of Web Science students, as we mostly came from different backgrounds and approached Web-related problems in different ways.

How has completing your PhD benefited your career?

I doubt that I would have ended up in this field. The PhD gave me new perspectives on the Web and allowed me to grasp the social and technical elements of cybercrime.