Person behind the research: linguist Nika Stefan

Als Poolse uitwisselingsstudent in Groningen kwam Nika Stefan (Wroclaw, 1985) voor het eerst in aanraking met het Fries. Nu is zij gepromoveerd in de Friese taalkunde en werkt ze bij de Fryske Akademy, dol op ,,it dialektysk ferskaat”. 
(As a Polish exchange student in Groningen, Nika Stefan (Wroclaw, 1985) first came into contact with Frisian. Now she has a PhD in Frisian linguistics and works at the Fryske Akademy, fond of ‘it dialektysk ferskaat’.) 

So begins the interview with Dr Nika Stefan, which appears today (25 April) in the Friesch Dagblad. It is the fourth article in a series of 12: the Fryske Akademy and the daily newspaper Friesch Dagblad are working together in 2025 to put the people behind science in the spotlight.

For what do scientists do all day, and, better still, why do they do what they do? Where does that passion for the Frisian language and culture actually come from? Every month in 2025, in the Wykein supplement of the Friesch Dagblad, you can read more about what drives our colleagues and why they put their working lives at the service of Frisistics.

The interview with Nika will soon also be available to read on the website of the Friesch Dagblad.

Previous interviews

The interview with Hindrik Sijens, ‘De rijkdom van de taal helpen beleven’ can be read online (after registration). The interview with Han Nijdam, ‘Han Nijdam slaat een brug tussen de Friese middeleeuwen en nu’, can be read online (after registration). The first edition was an interview with lexicographer Janneke Spoelstra, and can be read here (after registration). Marchje Andringa is the photographer.