Raúl Vásquez Gianella
Raul Vasquez Gianella is from Peru and is working in the Navy as a navy officer. He graduated as an engineer in Maritime Science. After he graduated, the Navy gave Raul the opportunity to develop his skills in a specialization and he decided to become a hydrographic officer (IHO Hydrographer “B Class”). Before coming here, Raul was working at the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation of Peru that is principally in charge of providing support and safety to all navigators who sails into Peruvian territory (ocean, rivers, lakes and Antarctica). He did so through research results and the aquatic aspects of the environmental sciences involving various hydrographic services including cartography, geomatics, navigation aids, hydrography and oceanography.
Raul had been working in the oceanographic area for several years, where they investigate and monitor ocean and meteorological phenomenon, for example, tsunamis’. Raul “We are the national tsunami warning centre.” Furthermore, the division where Raul was working (and is one of the reason he is studying at IHE Delft) has the responsibility of analysis and approval all the coastal projects in the Peruvian shoreline territory: “Coastal development in Peru is in apogee, coastal and port constructions are in an important increasing stage, besides because of its strategic geographical position, Peru is being seen as one of the most important harbours or ports in South America and a high percentage of the maritime transport in the area passes by Peru. We have approximately 3000 km of coastline in our country, and the demands of coastal and port projects has been increasing in the last years, therefore it is our responsibility to guarantee a correct assessment on behalf of all the areas that sustainable coastal development involves. This is the reason why we need to improve our knowledge even more and our capacity to work with both current and future projects”.
On his motivation to study in the field of water: “I grew up in a coastal environment, my father was also a navy officer. Since I was a child I used to go to the sea and I have always been interacting in the shoreline area, our house was also close to the sea, my life is the sea and in the same sense, the coast. This is the reason why I decided to become a navy officer and also strengthened my interest in environmental issues and everything related with water and our coasts, and this Master’s degree will definitely allow me to contribute to my Institution and my country.”
Raul heard about the Master’s degree in Coastal Engineering from other navy officers who also came to IHE Delft and studied the same course.It is interesting to highlight that the current Head of the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation of Peru is one of them as an alumnus of IHE Delft, prove that the Master’s degree is very related and important to the activities in his Hydrographic Service. The Peruvian Navy and Government approved his scholarship to study at IHE Delft, because the need is really high. ‘’I will invest all my effort to improve my knowledge and experience in order to make the most of the opportunity they gave me.”
Raul about IHE Delft:
I feel proud to be here, this is one of the best Institutes in this area (coastal engineering). The Netherlands is under sea level, so the history and coastal experience here is amazing.
Raul on his first lecture: ‘’As a student at IHE Delft, I realized that I am in the place where I have to be to go back to my country and be successful, to be a leader, to share this with my colleagues back home and contribute to my Institution and my country’’. The social environment is very welcome and warm, and it is so amazing the diversity of people from countries all over the world, different cultures, each one with their own experiences and motivations to be here. You learn something new every day in the classrooms as well as outside them.
On life in Delft: ’’My first experience is that it is really wet. Delft is a very nice city, a small town, not far from the big cities. It is a very comfortable city. People are very friendly and take their time to talk with you.’’