Marc van den Homberg

Marc van den Homberg is a full Professor on the Princess Margriet Chair “Data for disaster resilience” at the University of Twente's Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), Department of Applied Earth Sciences (ITC-AES). He concurrently serves as Scientific Lead of 510—an initiative of the Netherlands Red Cross—and holds advisory roles in the IFRC Early Action Protocol Validation Committee, FAO's IPC Advanced Technology and AI Working Group, WMO Standing Committee on Hydrological Services, and Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence (ICAI) Advisory Board.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Physics from Delft University of Technology
• MSc in Physics from Utrecht University
• MBA from Rotterdam School of Management
• Disaster Management Certificate from IFRC/Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Professor van den Homberg's research integrates geospatial data science and AI to advance disaster resilience, with core expertise in risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and nature-based solutions. His work focuses on enhancing risk/impact data quality, developing trigger models for anticipatory humanitarian action, and evidence-building for prevention strategies—particularly in regions like Malawi and the Philippines. This interdisciplinary approach bridges earth observation, machine learning, and operational humanitarian systems to improve response speed and cost-effectiveness.

He has driven 510's growth since 2016 by establishing university collaborations for evidence-based humanitarian innovation. Previously, he co-founded TNO's ICT for Development (ICT4D) team, implementing pro-poor technology solutions. His ancillary activities include guest lecturing at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education.