Meet the team
Sarah Oude Brunink
Sarah has been involved with the Knowledge Platform since its foundation in 2018. However, her career did not start in Groningen. She grew up in Hengelo, but moved to the west of the Netherlands when she was 17 to pursue her dream. She went to the Scapino Dance Academy and hoped for a career as a ballerina. Things turned out differently and so Sarah made a career switch. She has been working at the University of Groningen since 2005. First at the Faculty of Spatial Sciences and then at Behavioral and Social Sciences. She also worked for Noorderlink for a year, where she organized the Noorderlink Days with a project team as a liaison for the RUG. This was a "once in a lifetime experience." Seeing the end result and realizing what you have created together is very special. 'The experience offered space, freedom and creativity.' Previously, she organized a multi-day workshop for the Faculty of Spatial Sciences in Granada, Spain. Sarah discovered more and more how much she enjoys organizing events.
She worked at Sustainable Society (now: Rudolf Agricola School) for a while. She became acquainted with the gas extraction case while working at Kenniscentrum Aardbevingen en Duurzame Ontwikkeling (KADO). The Knowledge Platform was founded and there were opportunities for Sarah to work here full-time. “It was nice to be able to focus on one thing and to make growth possible together.”
Coming home
Sarah has two adult children and lives in the city of Groningen with her dachshund Coco, with whom she takes long walks. She also likes to read, she regularly goes to the cinema in the Forum and enjoys elaborate cooking. Sarah has been traveling to the Greek village of Mirtos, which is located on the south coast of Crete, for years. Ideally, she visits this place every year. “It feels like a second home, like coming home.”
A Jack of all trades
What does Sarah do at the Knowledge Platform? She supports the team, organizes activities and thinks about its content, maintains the network, edits texts, makes schedules, manages agendas and carries out administrative work. In short: “a jack of all trades.” Sarah strives for a personal approach in terms of communication. She regularly plans training sessions and trips for the team: from away days to field trips. “She takes care of it from A to Z.” Sarah is very detail-oriented and has discovered in recent years that it is not wrong at all to be meticulous. “Delivering quality is more important than quantity.”
Meaning something for people
Working with the gas extraction case is not always easy. Sarah calls it "a headache case." It does something to you. “You think it will get easier, but it will only get harder. Solutions seem far away.” Yet this also motivates to help people and make progress. Sarah finds the work we do as a Knowledge Platform meaningful. It is valuable to draw attention to themes and to connect people. “Being able to talk to each other is important. Especially in this case.'' For Sarah It feels good when we as a Knowledge Platform can mean something to people. In the co-creation project that we carry out for professionals, we can develop tools and learn from each other by working together.
Cooking in a living room restaurant
Sarah doesn't have a bucket list, but she certainly has dreams. She thinks it would be great to run a living room restaurant. Four or five people at her place, preparing delicious dishes for them. Now and then she cooks something and thinks: I would like to prepare this for others. This is how a list of restaurant-worthy recipes has already been created. A delicious crumble, a dish with razor clams, a vegetarian lasagna and risotto. Mainly French and Italian dishes. Every now and then beautiful tableware is scored, online or on the flea market. Sarah also dreams of a cozy, large house with different living areas for her and her children (plus partners).