About me

I was raised in Almere, the Netherlands, and moved to Groningen to study Spatial Planning and Design (then, Technische Planologie). Ever since, the interrelation of theory and practice intrigues me: I am convinced that engaging and immersing in both theory and practice provides a deeper understanding of our discipline, particularly concerning spatial and infrastructure planning. I find it fascinating how infrastructure networks fundamentally affect quality of life through their vast path-dependencies.

During my studies, I co-founded the SAC Groningen, a student consultancy firm in the spatial and originally mobility and infrastructure domain. Moreover, I continued my studies through the Research Master (ReMa) Spatial Sciences. Thereafter, I pursued my PhD in infrastructure planning, again at our Faculty of Spatial Sciences. The research itself focussed on how the immense renewal task of ageing infrastructure network-of-networks may be addressed, and it was conducted in close collaboration with Dutch infrastructure administrations.

For the past years, I have been working as postdoctoral researcher, including a role as programme coordinator at Next Generation Infrastructures (NGinfra), a foundation in which six Dutch infrastructure administrations collaborate. I initiate, supervise, and coordinate both academic and more applied research that directly feeds into these administrations’ needs. I am proud to provide masterclasses at all levels across these organisations; to supervise bachelor, master and PhD students; and to contribute to the development of us as spatial scientists and practitioners.