SAFER Alumni Story by Federica Panzarella
Hi, I am Federica Panzarella, a PhD Candidate at the Belgian Nuclear Research Center (SCK CEN) and KU Leuven. The focus areas of my research are Sustainability and Environmental Management. Before starting the master’s, I did a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Social Sciences. I chose the SAFER program because I was interested in the topic of Security and Safety Management and wanted to pursue a master’s in an international environment.
What do safety and security mean to you?
Premising that the terms security and safety can assume different meanings and interpretations depending on the context, I personally attribute the most value to the concept of security/safety when used not only in relation to risk prevention and protection from harm but in a broader sense as a principle to guarantee individual rights and opportunities – i.e., protecting fundamental freedoms.
My thesis focused on the nexus of wildlife trafficking, security and development. Now I am a PhD researcher at the Belgian Nuclear Research Center – SCK CEN. The focus of my research is sustainable environmental management of radioactively contaminated sites.
You should join SAFER as it is an excellent program that offers a multidisciplinary perspective on security/safety challenges at local and global level.