Find Academic Supervisors

Fiona Sloothaak is an Assistant Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), affiliated with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, specializing in Stochastic Operations Research. She holds the Eurandom Assistant Professor title and contributes to the Stochastic Operations Research group. Her research focuses on cascading failures in complex systems, power grids, battery swapping networks, and stochastic processes. Education: Fiona earned a PhD in Stochastic Operations Research from TU/e in 2020 and completed a Master's in Mathematics (2015). Her doctoral thesis, Criticality in power networks: a probabilistic approach , explores cascading failures in power systems. Research Interests: Fiona’s work addresses systemic risk in infrastructure systems, including power grids and transportation networks. She investigates cascading failure dynamics, load balancing in battery swapping stations, and resource pooling strategies. Her studies often employ probabilistic modeling and queueing theory. Key Projects: She co-authored the MARCONI project (2019–2022), focusing on integrated planning for maritime logistics and service systems. This involved optimizing supply chain resilience and remote control tower operations. Scientific Award: Applied Probability Trust Prize (2020) Teaching: Courses include Stochastic Networks, Insurance and Credit Risk, and Probability and Stochastics 1. Grants: MARCONI project funding for maritime logistics optimization. Labs/Teams: Active in TU/e’s Stochastic Operations Research group and Eurandom institute. Collaborations span network topology analysis and interdisciplinary systems research.

• Stochastic Operations Research
• Network Theory
• Cascading Failures
• +6 more

Victor Jetten is a Full Professor in Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Management at ITC (International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation), University of Twente. He holds a PhD in Physical Geography from Utrecht University (1994) and has been Head of the Department of Earth Systems Analysis since 2013. His expertise lies in integrated hazard modeling, with a focus on flood, landslide, and erosion processes. He leads the IRDR International Center of Excellence on Spatial Decision Support for Disaster Risk Reduction and developed the open-source openLISEM model for multi-hazard simulations. Education: MSc (1988) and PhD (1994) in Physical Geography from Utrecht University. Postdoc (1994–1998) at INRA, France, studying Loess soil erosion. Assistant Professor (1998–2006) at Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences. Research Interests: Holistic modeling of natural hazards, disaster risk reduction, and climate change impacts. Specializes in integrating spatial data and computational models to improve disaster preparedness, including applications in Dominica, Indonesia, Uganda, and the Caribbean. Key Projects: DESIRE (FP6 project combating desertification), GITHRA (Vietnam hazard risk assessment), and the Caribbean Handbook on Disaster Information Management (CHARIM). Active in capacity-building through training programs in Rwanda, Thailand, and the Caribbean. Advising & Grants: Supervised 24 PhD/MSc students. Involved in NWO-funded projects and international collaborations with UN agencies and NGOs like the Red Cross. Serves on editorial boards (e.g., Catena) and advisory groups for disaster resilience initiatives. Labs/Teams: Leads the 4DEARTH research program and collaborates with UNU-DGIM (United Nations University for Disaster Geo-Information Management). OpenLISEM model is a flagship tool for simulating floods, landslides, and erosion in dynamic environments.

• Natural Hazards
• Disaster Risk Management
• Environmental Modeling
• +3 more

Dr. Johannes Flacke is an Associate Professor for Spatial Planning and Decision Support Systems at the University of Twente, Netherlands, with dual affiliation to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management and the Digital Society Institute. He holds a Diploma in Geography (1994) and a PhD in Geosciences (2002) from Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. Diploma in Geography, Ruhr-University Bochum (1994) PhD in Geosciences, Ruhr-University Bochum (2002) His research focuses on sustainable urban transformation, climate change adaptation, and micro-level urban modeling. He specializes in collaborative spatial decision support systems, addressing challenges in informal settlements, environmental inequalities, and poverty alleviation. Recent work includes inclusive digital planning tools like OGITO and analyses of energy poverty and health risks in marginalized communities. Key trends in his 2025–2023 publications include participatory design for bikeable cities, cascading effects of disasters in informal settlements, climate adaptation planning, and equity-focused urban research. Tools like collaborative mapping and interactive dashboards are recurring themes across his work. Dr. Flacke has supervised 13 research projects and contributed to datasets on European climate plans, heat-or-eat dilemmas, and disaster impact chains. He actively engages in oral presentations on topics such as water security, flood risk management, and health promotion for unhoused populations.

• Urban Planning
• Geo-Information Systems
• Climate Change Adaptation
• +5 more

Dr. Sebastiaan J. Vastert is an Associate Professor in Medical Sciences at University Medical Center Utrecht, specializing in Pediatric Rheumatology within the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital. His work bridges clinical practice and translational research, focusing on systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and novel therapeutic development. Academic Rank: Associate Professor Primary Affiliation: University Medical Center Utrecht Research Unit: Center of Translational Immunology Strategic Program: Child Health Infection & Immunity Research Focus: Translational immunology in pediatric autoimmune diseases, particularly JIA. His lab explores: Mechanisms of disease pathogenesis Metabolic reprogramming in T-cells Nicotinamide as immunomodulatory agent Epigenetic regulation of inflammation Clinical implementation of precision medicine Research Trends: Recent publications emphasize molecular mechanisms (LIMK1 variants, histone acetylation), immune cell metabolism, and clinical guideline development for Still's disease. Collaborative work spans genetics, pharmacology, and multi-omics approaches. Scientific Recognition: 2007 Best Basic Abstract Award 2014 Wilhelmina Research Fund (€150,000) 2015 ZonMW Rational Pharmacotherapy Grant (€340,000) Collaborative Leadership: Co-leads the v Loosdregt-Vastert group with molecular biologist Jorg van Loosdregt since 2015, overseeing 5 PhD students, 1 postdoc, and 2 technicians focused on translating cutting-edge immunology to clinical applications.

• Translational Immunology
• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
• Systemic JIA
• +3 more

Dr. Serkan Girgin is an Associate Professor at the Department of Geo-information Processing, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente. He leads the Center of Expertise in Big Geodata (CRIB) and contributes to global initiatives in geospatial big data, cloud computing, and disaster risk assessment. His work bridges academic, private, and scientific sectors with over two decades of experience since 1996. M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering Second M.Sc. in Geodetic and Geographic Information Technologies Research interests span geospatial data science, machine learning for remote sensing, open science frameworks, and Natech risk assessment. He has designed systems like ITC's Geospatial Computing Platform, eNatech Database, and RAPID-N for risk mapping. Recent publications focus on digital twins for soil-plant systems, SAR benchmark datasets, and automated workflows for Sentinel-1 interferometry. His projects include ESA EO AFRICA R&D Facility, SURF's Next Generation Data Repositories, and Netherlands eScience Centre's EcoExtreML. eScience Center Fellow (2022) SURF Research Support Champion (2022) Multiple early-career awards in programming (1993-1996) and thesis excellence (2005) He actively develops tools for citizen science (e.g., QGIS Light) and advocates for FAIR data management. His collaborations extend to Zenodo datasets and international conferences on geospatial resilience.

• Geospatial Data Science
• Big Data Analytics
• Cloud Computing
• +10 more

Frank Riemers is a Researcher at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences (Surgery of Companion Animals). He obtained a Bachelor of Life Sciences from Hogeschool Utrecht (1998) and a Master's in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology from UVA/VU Amsterdam (2019). His research integrates wet-lab and computational approaches, focusing on RNA/protein analysis and bioinformatics. Riemers investigates tissue repair mechanisms, cancer biology, and regenerative medicine, with emphasis on intervertebral disc regeneration, osteoarthritis, and replication stress in cancer. He collaborates on projects like the EU-funded iPSpine initiative and KWF cancer research, leveraging single-cell transcriptomics and molecular profiling. His publications (2017–2025) reveal interdisciplinary trends: 40% focus on regenerative medicine (disc/join regeneration), 30% on cancer mechanisms (replication stress, oncogenes), and 30% on immunology/cell biology. Key methodologies include single-cell analysis, iPSC models, and hydrogels for therapeutic delivery. Riemers contributes to teams at the Hubrecht Institute and orthopaedic research groups, advancing translational studies in veterinary and human medicine. Current projects explore notochordal cell therapies and FOXM1-mediated stress responses.

• Bioinformatics
• Transcriptomics
• Tissue Repair
• +3 more

Maria Vlasiou is a Full Professor of Mathematics of Operations Research at the University of Twente, an Associate Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology, and a Research Fellow of EURANDOM. Her work focuses on stochastic processing networks, particularly layered architectures arising in energy systems, high-tech manufacturing supply chains, and bandwidth-sharing networks. Education & Qualifications UTQ (University Teaching Qualification) diploma obtained in 2010; continuous professional-education training thereafter. Research Interests Vlasiou’s research spans the performance analysis of stochastic networks, with special emphasis on: Electric-vehicle charging networks and congestion control. Extreme-value theory for fork-join queues inspired by ASML/Philips/Boeing supply chains. Lévy-driven queues, heavy-tailed risk models, and large-deviations asymptotics. Resource-allocation problems involving non-convex optimisation and heavy-traffic limits. She combines rigorous probabilistic methods (fluid & diffusion approximations, perturbation analysis) with practical applications in energy, logistics and manufacturing. Scientific Awards & Recognition AMSI-ANZIAM Lecturer 2017 Marcel Neuts Student Paper Award (MAM8) 3rd Prize, 8th Conference in Actuarial Science & Finance 2014 Best Paper Award, ICORES 2013 Excellent Course Prize, University of Twente 2021 Grants & Projects She has attracted over €4.5 million in external funding from NWO, Australian Research Council, 4TU.CEE, and industry, including current NWO LTP ROBUST programme on “AI for Energy Grids” (2023-2032). Teaching & Supervision Vlasiou teaches Probability, Stochastic Processes, Performance Modelling and Infectious-Disease Epidemiology. She has supervised nine PhD dissertations and numerous BSc/MSc theses, internships and PDEng projects, and leads educational-innovation grants on mini-lectures and student engagement. Editorial & Leadership Roles Associate editor for OR Spectrum, IISE Transactions, Math. Methods of OR, and INFOR. She represents the Netherlands at the IMU Committee for Women in Mathematics and serves on advisory boards for national women-in-math organisations in Cyprus and Greece.

• Stochastic processing networks
• Queueing theory
• Energy networks and EV charging
• +6 more

Dario Bauso is a Full Professor and Chair of Operations Research for Engineering Systems at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Science and Engineering. He concurrently holds a Professorship at the Dipartimento di Ingegneria, University of Palermo, Italy, since 2005. His research focuses on Optimization, Optimal and Distributed Control, and Game Theory. He has held visiting roles at institutions including Keio University (Japan), MIT, and Imperial College London. Education: Laurea (Aeronautical Engineering, University of Palermo, 2000) and PhD (Automatic Control and System Theory, University of Palermo, 2004). Past positions include Reader at the University of Sheffield (2015–2018) and Research Fellow at the University of Trento (2012–2014). Research interests emphasize applications to energy systems, financial networks, and multi-agent systems. His work has been published in top journals like Dynamic Games and Applications and Automatica . Awards include multiple Italian National Qualifications to Full and Associate Professor roles. Teaching includes courses on Game Theory, Control Systems, and Operations Research at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Current PhD student: W. Baar ('Diffusion models on networks'). Grants include leadership in projects like the ADEPT initiative (2017–2018) and the Italian-funded 'Smart PORt Terminals' (2016–2019).

• Optimization
• Optimal and Distributed Control
• Game Theory
• +4 more

Agnieszka Janicka is a Doctoral Candidate at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) since 2022, affiliated with the Stochastic Resource Sharing Networks group. Her research focuses on cascading failures in networks, heavy-tailed processes in queueing models, and stochastic optimization techniques like Markov Decision Processes and reinforcement learning. Education: Bachelor's in Applied Mathematics (2020), TU/e Master's in Industrial and Applied Mathematics (2022), TU/e Certificate in Energy-related Refurbishments (2017), University College of Northern Denmark Her work contributes to understanding scale-free failures in power transmission and highway networks, combining theoretical analysis with mathematical simulations. She is supervised by Professor Maria Vlasiou and Dr. Fiona Sloothaak and collaborates with EURANDOM, LNMB, and NETWORKS. Scientific Awards: Gold KWG Poster Prize (2023) Teaching Involvement: She teaches courses including Advanced Simulation, Stochastic Simulation, and Stochastic Simulation and Modeling.

• Stochastic Networks
• Cascading Failures
• Heavy-Tailed Processes
• +3 more

Alessandro Zocca is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , where he has been since 2019. His research sits at the intersection of applied probability , reinforcement learning , and network optimization , with primary applications in power systems resilience against climate-driven uncertainties. Education: PhD in Mathematics (2015, Eindhoven University of Technology), Postdoctoral work at Caltech (2017-2019) and CWI Amsterdam (2016-2017) Key Research Themes: Stochastic dynamics on networks, climate crisis impact on infrastructure, optimization under uncertainty Awards: Applied Probability Trust award (2015), NWO Rubicon grant (2017) His recent work focuses on reinforcement learning for grid topology control, two-stage stochastic programming for exponential constraint handling, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods for rare-event analysis. He actively supervises five PhD students on topics ranging from weather-driven grid failures to stochastic frequency reserve optimization . Co-author of the textbook Hands-On Mathematical Optimization with Python (Cambridge University Press, 2025), he also organizes the IFIP Performance 2025 conference in Amsterdam.

• Applied Probability
• Stochastic Dynamics on Networks
• Power Systems Resilience
• +3 more

Dr. D. (Deb) Panja is an Associate Professor in the Simulation of Complex Systems group at Utrecht University's Faculty of Science. His research focuses on developing models and computational methods to analyze complex systems across physics, materials science, epidemiology, and network theory. He maintains an active research program with collaborations spanning multiple disciplines. His primary research interests include foundations of complex systems, statistical physics of polymers and materials, network vulnerability analysis, epidemiological modeling (including COVID-19 interventions), and sociotechnical system dynamics. His work combines theoretical frameworks with computational simulations to address fundamental questions in these domains. Recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on network criticality, materials dynamics (especially graphene and amorphous silicon), and pandemic response modeling. The research consistently employs advanced computational techniques and statistical physics approaches, often addressing system fragility and emergent behaviors across different scales and applications.

• Complex Systems
• Statistical Physics
• Polymer Dynamics
• +5 more

R.E. Kooij is a Professor at the Quantum & Computer Engineering department within the Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science faculty. His research spans quantum computing, network robustness, and complex systems analysis. Active in Quantum Computing and Computer Science . Key contributions to Network Resilience and Graph Theory . Works on Cloud-Native Systems and Environmental Engineering applications. His recent publications focus on quantifying robustness metrics, optimizing network controllability, and developing quantum algorithms. Activities include speaking at academic meetings since 2013. Press/media coverage includes public engagement in 2021.

• Quantum Computing
• Network Robustness
• Graph Theory
• +7 more

Elco Koks is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, within the Water and Climate Risk group at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). His research focuses on disaster impact modeling, critical infrastructure resilience, network analysis, and macroeconomic consequences of natural hazards. He leads projects like Horizon Europe’s MIRACA, CoCliCo, and RECEIPT, addressing climate adaptation and infrastructure vulnerability. Education : PhD in Environmental Studies (2016) MSc in Spatial, Transport and Environmental Economics (2011) BSc in Earth and Economics (2010) Research Interests : Elco combines interdisciplinary approaches to assess economy-wide disaster impacts, integrating natural hazard models with macroeconomic frameworks. His work emphasizes cascading infrastructure failures and systemic risks, supported by tools like GitHub-hosted disaster impact models. Articles Trends : Recent work explores AI-driven infrastructure detection, climate change impacts on power grids, and systemic risk from compound disasters. His studies highlight the need for adaptive strategies in coastal and urban systems. Awards : VENI Grant (NWO, 2019) Advising & Grants : Supervises 8 PhDs on infrastructure risk and economic impacts Principal Investigator for projects totaling over €10M, including EU Horizon grants Labs & Teams : Engaged in interdisciplinary teams at IVM, focusing on global critical infrastructure resilience and climate adaptation strategies.

• Disaster Impact Modelling
• Critical Infrastructure Risk
• Network Analysis
• +3 more

Joaquim Bobi I Gibert is an active Researcher in the Cardiology department at Erasmus MC, with a primary focus on translational cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research. His work bridges clinical cardiology with experimental medicine through sophisticated animal models. His research interests center on animal models of human disease , particularly porcine and rodent systems for studying stroke pathophysiology , coronary interventions , and pulmonary infections . Key areas include vascular injury mechanisms, recanalization therapies, hemodynamic profiling, and antimicrobial treatments in complex disease models. His fingerprint reveals strong expertise in Brain Ischemia (61%), Perfusion studies (61%), and Animal Experimentation (35%). Analysis of his recent publications shows a clear trajectory toward quantitative imaging techniques in perfusion assessment and translational validation of interventional therapies. His 2023-2025 work demonstrates increasing sophistication in multimodal assessment of stroke therapies, coronary stenting outcomes, and pneumonia treatments using advanced animal models. Dr. Gibert maintains extensive collaborations across European institutions, particularly with researchers specializing in neurointervention (Taha A., van Beusekom H.M.M.), critical care (Torres A., Martín-Loeches I.), and medical imaging (van der Lugt A., Niessen W.J.). His network shows significant activity in Netherlands-based cardiovascular research with international connections in pulmonary and neurological specialties.

• Animal Models
• Stroke Research
• Hemodynamics
• +5 more

Dr. Jaap van den Born is a Professor at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Medical Sciences, affiliated with the Groningen Institute for Organ Transplantation (GIOT) and Groningen Kidney Center (GKC). His research focuses on molecular mechanisms of kidney diseases with emphasis on complement system activation in transplantation and dialysis contexts. His research interests span complement-mediated kidney injury , proteinuric diseases , organ transplantation immunology , and peritoneal dialysis complications . His fingerprint analysis reveals significant contributions to heparan sulfate biology (100%), proteinuria mechanisms (74%), and glomerular basement membrane pathology (53%). Analysis of recent publications shows consistent focus on complement activation pathways across kidney disease states, with particular attention to diagnostic biomarkers for transplant rejection and progressive kidney failure. His work bridges basic immunology with clinical nephrology applications. He serves as PhD examiner at multiple international institutions including Leiden University, University of Nijmegen, and Aarhus University, demonstrating academic leadership beyond his home institution. His laboratory work involves multicenter collaborations across Europe, with recent studies examining urinary biomarkers, complement inhibitors, and histopathological markers of graft survival. Current research directions include therapeutic targeting of complement activation in proteinuric kidney diseases and transplant recipients.

• Nephrology
• Kidney Transplantation
• Complement Activation
• +5 more