Congratulations to Brian Bartilol on being awarded the Wageningen Graduate Schools (WGS) Sandwich PhD Programme at Wageningen University & Research. This prestigious scholarship supports capacity strengthening and international scientific collaboration by facilitating PhD training between Wageningen University and the candidate’s home institution. The grant covers living expenses during Brian’s stay in Wageningen, travel costs, and access to research facilities. As part of the programme, Brian will spend the initial phase of his PhD at Wageningen University, where he will further develop his research proposal, undertake specialised education and training, and strengthen his modelling skills. He will then conduct his research in collaboration with his home institution before returning to Wageningen University to develop and complete his thesis.