Introduction

How did I get involved with Steemit?
In the last year I got more and more involved with cryptocurrencies, together with a small group of friends we started our own “Cryptonight” meetings. These meetings where every time very interesting, since everyone was on the look for new technological inventions related to the crypto world. Since one night a week was not enough to keep track of this we started a “whatsapp group” to keep another closely updated on our latest findings a.k.a our own “toolbox”. And last Monday night (27th July 2016) I got a message of one of my friends telling me about Steemit.

The next morning I directly visited the Steemit website and started reading about his awesome blockchain-based social media platform and without further doubt I registered myself and started to think about what would I like to share and bring to this social media platform? (Later more on this).

Personal Introduction:

"The past"

So who am I ?
I’m Maurice Mikkers and I was born in Apeldoorn (The Netherlands) in 1986. After finishing high school in 2003, it seemed natural for me to put my technological knowledge and passion into use, by helping people through laboratory research. After my internships at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) at the Toxicology and later the Parasitology department, I graduated in 2007 and became a licensed Medical Laboratory Analyst.

After my graduation I kept continuing my work at the RIVM where I also did my internship. But something did not feel right, al the time before I could not place this feeling but suddenly I knew what was missing; creativity in my daily work routine, since hyper modern equipment, latest lab technologies and science alone was not enough to keep me interested and satisfied.

So in 2007 I made the decision to go and study Interactive Media Design ( I/M/D) at the Royal Art Academy in The Hague (KABK). Four years later in 2011 I graduated (Bachelor of Design) best in class, with the product and service called Photodispatch.

Photodispatch is a service that provides an interactive streamlined workflow for visual storytelling on any (online) medium. With three simple steps, high quality photo’s are live within 60 seconds. A Social Media Asset Manager connecting photographer, client and consumers.

During my time at the Academy I started to work as a photographer, and started to build a portfolio and network working with clients such as: Adidas, Ernst & Young, Grolsch, Hennessy, Lay’s, Microsoft, Playboy, Spotify, T-mobile and many more.

But this was also “lacking character” , so next to my commercial work I started to work on Micrograph Stories in 2015, a project that is focused on creating awareness on daily consumed products by enlarging them underneath a microscope. Images that reveal the microscopical beauty of: Drugs, Painkillers, Medication, Food Additives and Tears. Witch also let to the making of my now most known work “Imaginarium of Tears”.

So to say the circle was round a gain in 2014, I managed to combine my 1st study as a Medical Laboratory Analyst with my 2nd education at the Royal Art Academy, putting together science and art.

"The Present"

What am I doing now?
At the moment I’m currently still working as a creative independent freelance photographer, an nice way to see what is playing in the creative market and a good way of interacting with your (maybe future) clients. Next to that it plays a very important part in the other project(s) I’m working on, since the experience, knowledge that is gained in the last years helped me to further evolve as an artist and person. And yes, it’s also needed to pay not only the bills but also to pay for the other project(s) I’m currently working on. I’m trying to manage this in such a way that the money that flows out of being a “photographer” can be re-used in projects that inspire me, since the projects that I’m currently working on are not (yet fully) self sustaining. The mission of these projects are to not only inspire me, but are there to create more awareness, educate and inspire others to be driven by scientific and technological innovations; Art + Science.

A project where I’m currently working on is “Micrograph Stories” within this project I try to visualise the everyday things we encounter and consume in our daily life by using (the latest lab) technology. By using these (available/Affordable) technologies I’m trying to create visual experiences. With these visual experiences I hope to trigger people, hoping that they will gain more knowledge about its subjects and therefor create more awareness due the interaction that had with it by making it; understandable, reachable, visible and touchable.

When you followed the link to the project “Micrograph Stories” you have might seen that I lately have done a TEDx Talk about this subject or maybe you have seen my work published on wired.com or many other big international platforms.

"The Future"

What is my mission (on Steemit)?
My current mission is to continue creating awareness by using Art + Science, and use it to educate and create more interest about certain subjects within the “general public”. Maybe therefor the name of “Micrograph Stories” is not covering it any more (since in the future I want to use more and different types of science equipment).

As I mentioned in the beginning, I’m also very into the new technological inventions related to the crypto world, this crypto world brought us already some great technological interesting ideas. And I think and belive that also Steemit can make a big difference and change into the way todays social media is used. Therefor I would like to support Steemit and its community by posting my experiences, results, insights gained from my projects, together with many more things that are within my interest.

Since I liked the idea of Steemit so much I started to already share some of my stories with you, and I hope there are allot more to come.

*For now they are about #3Dprinting #Drugs #Darknet #Tears #Electronics #micrograph #photography #art #science #microscope #education #technology *