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Sascha van Schendel is an Assistant Professor in Data Protection & Cybersecurity at the Department of Law & Markets, Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam. She is affiliated with the Erasmus Centre of Law and Digitalization and contributes to the Sectorplan SSH-Breed research initiative on the influence of digitalization on work, prosperity, and entrepreneurship. Her research lies at the intersection of law, technology, and fundamental rights, with a focus on data protection, privacy, algorithmic governance, and the regulation of emerging technologies in public and environmental domains. She has published widely on topics including GDPR compliance, privacy by design, smart energy systems, AI in criminal justice, and the legal implications of predictive policing. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward the regulation of data in public infrastructure (e.g., energy grids), algorithmic accountability in law enforcement, and the integration of legal and technical perspectives in privacy-preserving systems. Her work spans environmental law, criminal procedure, and digital constitutionalism, demonstrating interdisciplinary reach. Scientific Awards: No awards explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: While no formal PhD or Master’s students are listed, Dr. van Schendel has been involved in significant research projects such as the NWO-funded Megamind project on smart energy grids, indicating experience with competitive grant funding. She actively collaborates with legal scholars and contributes to public policy debates, including responses to national legislation like the Dutch Cybersecurity Bill. Labs and Teams: She is a core member of the Erasmus Centre of Law and Digitalization, a research hub focusing on the legal challenges of digital transformation. Her work is embedded in interdisciplinary collaborations involving law, technology, and public policy experts.

• Data Protection Law
• Privacy Law
• Cybersecurity
• +12 more

Prof. Annemiek ter Heijne is a Full Professor of Environmental Technology at Wageningen University & Research, affiliated with the Agrotechnology & Food Sciences faculty and leading the Environmental Technology group. She focuses on circular economy solutions, microbial electrochemistry, and sustainable resource recovery from waste streams. Her research integrates biological, chemical, and physical processes to develop technologies like bioelectrochemical systems for methane production and nutrient recovery. Education: MSc in Environmental Sciences (Wageningen University), PhD in Environmental Technology (Wageningen University & Wetsus). She has held a 0.8 FTE position since her PhD, balancing work with family and hobbies. Her leadership emphasizes collaboration, work-life balance, and the ethical use of AI in science. Research Interests: Bioelectrochemical systems, microbial fuel cells, carbon capture via electrochemical processes, and sustainable wastewater treatment. She explores how bacteria can clean wastewater while generating energy, emphasizing circularity and global sustainability. Key Projects: Scaling up methane-producing bioelectrochemical systems, CO₂-to-methane conversion, and optimizing bioanodes for ammonium recovery. Collaborates with industry to translate lab innovations into real-world applications. Awards: NWO Vidi Grant (2019) Advising: Supervises 18 PhD candidates including D. Metz (Circular Nutrients), Y. Chang (Sulfur Recovery), and J. Steller (Power-to-Methane) Grants: Multiple EU and industry funded projects on electrochemical technologies Labs/Teams: Leads the Environmental Technology group and chairs the Wageningen Energy Alliance, fostering cross-disciplinary energy research.

• Environmental Engineering
• Sustainable Energy
• Microbial Electrochemistry
• +4 more

Peter Driessen is a full Professor of Environmental Governance at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development (Utrecht University) since 2004. His research focuses on governance strategies for sustainability transitions , particularly in climate adaptation , water management , and science-policy interfaces . He leads the Environmental Governance research group and contributes to global debates on resilient governance and institutional reform . Key research themes include: Sustainable Urban Development : Analyzing institutional frameworks for climate-resilient cities Water Governance : Exploring legal and social conditions for effective water policy Science-Policy Interfaces : Enhancing decision-making through interdisciplinary collaboration His recent publications emphasize anticipatory governance in the Global South, city-to-city learning for water management, and institutional shifts in flood risk governance. Driessen’s work bridges theoretical analysis with practical policy recommendations, focusing on legitimacy , efficiency , and effectiveness of sustainability governance models. Contact: p.driessen@uu.nl

• Environmental Governance
• Climate Adaptation
• Sustainable Urban Development
• +2 more

Joost Raessens is Professor of Media Theory at Utrecht University's Faculty of Humanities, Department of Media and Culture Studies, where he leads research in Media and Performance Studies. He coordinates the Horizon Europe-funded project STRATEGIES: Sustainable transition for Europe's game industries (2024-2028), focusing on how games, AI, and extended reality impact the climate crisis. His research spans several interconnected areas focused on the intersection of digital media, gaming, and environmental sustainability. Raessens explores how immersive experiences like Games and XR for Change contribute to advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals through his Green Media Studies framework. His work examines the environmental impact of the gaming industry while investigating how games can foster ecological citizenship and climate awareness. He has pioneered research on "ecogames" - games designed to engage players with climate crisis issues through playful perspectives. Raessens' recent publications reveal a clear trend toward examining gaming's dual role in the climate crisis - as both a contributor to environmental problems and a potential solution. His work analyzes how games like Collapsus, SpaceBuzz, and Symbiosis create meaningful engagement with ecological issues, while also addressing the carbon footprint of the gaming industry itself. This research sits at the intersection of game studies, environmental humanities, and digital media theory. His notable recognition includes: Incentive for the development of an International Master Degree Game Studies (2011) Raessens actively supervises multiple PhD projects including 'The becoming-playful of warfare in the Netherlands' (2021-2025) and 'Experiencing the past: Bridging art, history, and young people's media environment through multisensory XR engagement' (2022-2026). He leads significant research initiatives including the NWO-funded project on "Long-term consumer and community empowerment in energy applications through inclusive Game design, Artificial Intelligence and system Modelling" (2022-2026) and previously directed the Utrecht University Graduate Programme "Game Research" (2015-2021). He co-founded and directed the Utrecht Center for Game Research (2014-2024), creating a hub for interdisciplinary game studies that connected humanities scholars with computer scientists. This center facilitated numerous collaborative projects examining the societal impact of games, from persuasive gaming to citizen science applications.

• Game Studies
• Digital Humanities
• Environmental Humanities
• +7 more

Dr. Vivian Visser is an Assistant Professor in Governance & Pluralism at the Department of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her research lies at the intersection of Public Administration and Sociology, focusing on citizen participation, community self-organization, and the reproduction of social inequalities in governance processes. Her research interests include: Citizen participation and invitational governance Social and emotional dynamics in public engagement Status and educational disparities in civic initiatives Role of civil servants in inclusive governance Urban sociology and neighborhood livability Visser employs an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods approach—combining vignette survey experiments, ethnographic observations, and in-depth interviews—to investigate how public professionals can tailor participation strategies to diverse citizen groups. Her recent publications reflect a strong trend toward understanding the emotional, cultural, and structural barriers to inclusion, especially among less-educated populations. The research emphasizes actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners. She has received the Erasmus Graduate School Award for Best Dissertation and has been recognized for her impactful work through media coverage in outlets like NRC Handelsblad, De Jortcast, and Binnenlands Bestuur. Her research has also informed public discourse on participation through expert contributions. Visser is actively involved in knowledge exchange through initiatives such as: Kenniswerkplaats Leefbare Wijken : Co-creating knowledge on neighborhood livability GovLab010 : Fostering innovation in local governance She coordinates the Master’s program Polarisatie, Democratie en Samenleving and develops post-academic courses to equip public professionals with tools for inclusive participation. She is currently developing new educational content focused on engaging discontented citizens.

• Public Administration
• Sociology
• Citizen Participation
• +12 more

Behnam Taebi is Full Professor of Energy & Climate Ethics and Scientific Director of the Safety & Security Institute at Delft University of Technology. He leads TU Delft | The Hague, a university-wide initiative connecting engineering knowledge with public policy. His work bridges technology, ethics, and policy through roles at Harvard University’s Belfer Center (2014–2020) and The Young Academy of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (2016–2021). As co-Editor-in-Chief of Science and Engineering Ethics , he contributes to shaping ethical discourse in engineering. BSc in Material Science and Engineering (2006) PhD in Philosophy of Technology (2010) Taebi's research focuses on the ethical dimensions of energy systems, nuclear technology, and climate engineering. He explores intergenerational justice, distributive equity, and responsible innovation frameworks. His work integrates value-sensitive design and moral emotions to address uncertainties in technological risk governance, particularly for nuclear energy and carbon capture. Recent publications highlight ethics in nuclear waste repositories, climate policy metaphors, and synthesizing justice frameworks. His VENI-grant from NWO supports innovative research on technological risks. Collaborations span the OECD Expert Panel on transdisciplinary research and co-editorship of influential volumes like The Ethics of Nuclear Energy (Cambridge, 2015) and Ethics and Engineering: An Introduction (Cambridge, 2021). As Scientific Director of the Safety & Security Institute , he leads interdisciplinary efforts to address societal challenges through engineering ethics. His initiatives emphasize inclusive energy transitions, equitable climate strategies, and bridging technical and social sciences in policy-making.

• Energy & Climate Ethics
• Engineering Ethics
• Nuclear Energy
• +4 more

Prof. Elisa Giaccardi is a Professor in Industrial Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology, specializing in Human-Technology Relations. Their research focuses on sustainable energy practices, AI ethics, decolonial design, and material interactions in everyday life. Giaccardi has led projects exploring heat pump adoption, clinical AI development, and microbial coexistence with humans. They are affiliated with TU Delft’s 4TU.ResearchData repository and hold editorial roles in design conferences such as EKSIG 2017. Notable contributions include datasets on heat pump practices and awards like the 2023 Best Paper Honourable Mention. Giaccardi actively participates in international conferences, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration across design, technology, and social sciences. Research interests span decolonizing design methodologies, energy transition practices, and the ethical implications of AI. Their work bridges technical innovation with human-centered approaches, addressing societal challenges through speculative and critical design frameworks. Recent publications analyze household improvisation with heat pumps, hauntological critiques of AI, and material care for cyanobacteria in domestic contexts. Giaccardi has supervised 5 academic works and contributed to over 70 research outputs. They organize conferences, review journal submissions, and advocate for inclusive, equitable design practices. Current activities include exploring AI’s societal integration and fostering dialogue between designers, engineers, and marginalized communities.

• Industrial Design
• Human-Technology Relations
• Sustainable Energy Practices
• +3 more

Geert Buelens (born 1971) is a Professor of Modern Dutch Literature at Utrecht University and guest professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Affiliated with the Department of Languages, Literature and Communication within the Faculty of Humanities, he works at the Humanities Institute for Cultural Inquiry. His research focuses on the intersection of literature and society, particularly examining how writers and artists respond to moments of crisis. His areas of expertise include Environmental History, Literary History, Modern Dutch Literature, Cultural History, 1960s in Global Perspective, Avant-Garde Poetry from the First World War, and Poetry Song Culture. Buelens has published extensively on European poets of the First World War, the global cultural upheaval of the 1960s, the history of Flemish poetry, literature and decolonization, and cultural responses to the environmental and climate crisis. His notable publications include Wat we toen al wisten. De vergeten groene geschiedenis van 1972 (2022), which explores the environmental year 1972 and was awarded the Boon Prize while longlisted for the Jan Wolkers Prize; De Jaren Zestig: Een Cultuurgeschiedenis (2018), a comprehensive global perspective on the 1960s; and Europa Europa! Over de dichters van de Grote Oorlog (2008), examining WWI poetry across Europe. He has also published poetry collections including Ofwa (2020). Boon Prize for Best Fiction or Non-Fiction book of 2022 Longlisted for the Jan Wolkers Prize Buelens is actively involved in the Network for Environmental Humanities and participates in the HERA project 'Cultural Exchange in a Time of Global Conflict.' He frequently contributes to public debates on literature, environmental issues, and cultural history through media appearances and public lectures. His current research examines the relationship between literature and the climate crisis, with a particular focus on Dutch and Flemish literary responses to environmental challenges.

• Environmental History
• Literary History
• Modern Dutch Literature
• +11 more

Prof. Darren McCauley is a leading academic in environmental and social justice, currently holding a full Professorship at Newcastle University and a Visiting Professor role at Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences. His work bridges global climate challenges with equity considerations, focusing on just transitions to low-carbon futures. Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam Professor of Environmental & Social Justice, Newcastle University His mixed-methods research spans the Arctic, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US, examining energy justice, fossil fuel dynamics, and climate change impacts. Key themes include: Quantitative and qualitative energy transition analysis Global climate governance frameworks Fossil fuel policy equity Community-centric just transition models Interdisciplinary SDG implementation Recent publications emphasize systematic reviews of sustainability justice (2024) and quantitative methodologies for just transitions (2024), with a focus on harmonizing technical and socioeconomic dimensions. JUSTNORTH (6.2M€ Horizon Europe, 2020-2024) PROBONO (26.4M€ Horizon Europe, 2022-2026) EU Polarnet advisory role His funded work engages British Academy, ESRC, NWO, and Carnegie Trust, combining empirical rigor with policy influence.

• Just Transition
• Environmental & Social Justice
• Climate Change
• +3 more

Dr. Geerten van de Kaa is an Associate Professor of Standardization and Business Strategy at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), affiliated with the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management. He holds a PhD from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. His research focuses on understanding standardization processes to enable complex innovations and address societal challenges, emphasizing collaboration, market mechanisms, and strategic firm behaviors. He teaches courses on strategic management, technology strategies, and standards battles. His work has been published in high-impact journals like Organization Studies and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management . Research Interests: Design for values, responsible innovation management, sustainable energy systems, and strategic management. He leads the Journal of Standardisation as Editor-in-Chief and collaborates on EU and NWO-funded projects. Teaching: Courses include 'Strategic Management', 'Technology and Strategy', and 'Standards Battles', emphasizing practical applications in business and policy. His research explores factors influencing standard dominance, ethical considerations in innovation, and geopolitical aspects of technology standards. Grants: Active in EU-funded initiatives and Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO) projects. Research spans semiconductor industry standards, maritime energy transitions, and blockchain standardization geopolitics. Labs/Teams: Engaged with TU Delft's Values, Technology and Innovation department and Economics of Technology and Innovation section. Collaborates with industry and policy stakeholders globally.

• Standardization
• Strategic Management
• Responsible Innovation
• +3 more

Sabine Roeser is a Full Professor of Ethics at Delft University of Technology, working within the Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Section at the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management. She has been with TU Delft since 2001 and has held several leadership positions including Head of the Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Section (2015-2020), Head of Department of Values, Technology and Innovation (2021-2024), and Acting Dean of the Faculty of TPM (November 2024-April 2025). As one of six Principal Investigators in the NWO Gravitation project on 'Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies' (ESDiT), she co-leads the emotions and art lines of this major research initiative. Her educational background spans multiple disciplines, with degrees in painting (BA, Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts, 1994), philosophy (MA, University of Amsterdam, cum laude 1997), political science (MA, University of Amsterdam 1998), and a PhD in metaethics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2002). During her PhD studies, she conducted research at the University of Notre Dame and University of Reading. Roeser's research focuses on the intersection of ethics, emotions, and technology, particularly in the context of risk assessment and decision-making. She has developed 'affectual intuitionism,' a metaethical theory combining ethical intuitionism with cognitive theories of emotions. Her work argues that emotions serve as forms of moral cognition that can alert us to ethically relevant aspects of risky technologies. She has published two monographs ( Moral Emotions and Intuitions , 2011; Risk, Technology and Moral Emotions , 2018) and co-edited eight books with major academic publishers. Her research spans multiple technological domains including nuclear energy, climate change, transportation, and public health. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the role of emotions in ethical decision-making, particularly in technological contexts. Her work increasingly explores how art can scaffold moral-emotional deliberation about risky technologies. She has made significant contributions to engineering ethics education, developing the 'Delft approach' that emphasizes problem-based learning and integration of ethical reflection throughout engineering curricula. More than 200 academic talks, mostly invited Over 100 interviews for popular media Member of various national and international policy advisory committees Former integrity officer of TU Delft (2018-2021) Chair of TU Delft's Human Research Ethics Committee (2014-2019) Roeser has secured competitive funding from organizations including NWO and the EU, leading multiple research projects and supervising numerous PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers. She has played a key role in developing TU Delft's integrity policy and Code of Conduct. Her leadership has significantly grown both the Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Section and the Department of Values, Technology and Innovation.

• Ethics of Technology
• Risk Ethics
• Moral Emotions
• +7 more

Mandy de Wilde is an Assistant Professor at Leiden University's Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology within the Social and Behavioural Sciences faculty. Her research focuses on environmental anthropology, political ecology, and Science and Technology Studies (STS), exploring sustainable farming practices, indigenous crop valuation, and climate resilience in Northwestern Europe. She conducts fieldwork at the PolderLab Vrouwe Venne, studying experimental farming with wet crops like rice and cranberries. Previously, she held postdoctoral positions at the University of Amsterdam, Wageningen University, and the University of Antwerp, and was a visiting fellow at institutions including the University of Edinburgh and Humboldt University Berlin. Her work examines intersections of ecological, economic, and social relations, emphasizing more-than-human agency and gendered normativities in sustainability movements. She teaches courses on economy-ecology linkages, anthropological research methods, and urban belonging. Notable publications include studies on rats as political agents in Amsterdam and gender dynamics in zero-waste living. Her research bridges academic inquiry with practical experiments in sustainable agriculture and urban ecologies.

• Environmental Anthropology
• Political Ecology
• Science and Technology Studies (STS)
• +4 more

Diana Vela Almeida is an Assistant Professor in Political Ecology of Sustainability at the Environmental Governance Group, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development , Utrecht University . She holds a PhD in Political Ecology from McGill University and an MSc in Forest and Nature Conservation Policy from Wageningen University . Her work bridges Political Ecology , Ecological Economics , and Feminist Critical Geography , focusing on resource extraction, green neoliberalism, and socio-environmental transformation. Areas of Expertise: Political Ecology, Extractive Industry, Economic Geography, Social Justice, Feminist Theories, Environmental Governance, Sustainability Transitions Current Research: 1) Critiquing green transition as a new colonial frontier; 2) Global commodity chain governance for European markets Her recent publications address the European Green Deal as neo-imperialism, gendered labor in mining frontiers, and socio-environmental implications of conservation policies. She contributes to peer-reviewed journals and public-facing media like Uneven Earth . Affiliations: Senior researcher at Norwegian University of Science and Technology , associate editor at Uneven Earth , and member of the Collective of Critical Geography in Ecuador.

• Political Ecology
• Extractive Industry
• Economic Geography
• +5 more

Overview Jasper van Vliet is an Associate Professor in Land Use and Urban Development at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam's Faculty of Science, specializing in Environmental Geography. His research focuses on understanding land use change, urban development processes, and their impacts at global to local scales, with particular attention to food systems and human settlements' role in land use dynamics. He leads initiatives such as the VIDI-funded 'Guiding human settlements towards sustainable development' project and the RUGBIS project on urban densification's ecological impacts. Education PhD in Geo-Information Science, Wageningen University (2013) MSc in Geo-Information Science, Wageningen University (2006) Research Interests Dr. van Vliet's work integrates methodologies like spatial analysis, land use modeling, and case studies to address challenges in sustainable development. His current projects explore trade-offs between urbanization and biodiversity conservation, food security in Southeast Asia, and the spatial structuring of cities across regions. He emphasizes multi-scale approaches to bridge rural-urban divides and advance SDG-aligned policies. Key Contributions Recent publications highlight his focus on rural-urban biodiversity threats, Lao PDR's agricultural sustainability, and global urban land-use equity. He has pioneered studies on solar energy infrastructure siting in the EU and comparative urban spatial structures across continents. His work consistently bridges empirical analysis with policy-oriented solutions. Awards & Grants NWO Vidi Grant (2019) for sustainable human settlement research Teaching & Mentorship As program director for the Bachelor in Earth, Economics, and Sustainability, he teaches GIS, land use change, and urban development courses. He actively supervises student theses and collaborates with international teams on projects like the SDG food initiative in Laos and Myanmar. Labs & Collaborations His research involves partnerships with institutions like PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, TU Delft, and the Athena Institute. Key projects include land-use modeling capacity building in the Mekong region and urban vulnerability assessments globally.

• Land Use Change
• Urban Development
• Spatial Analysis
• +4 more

Dr. James Patterson is an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University's Faculty of Geosciences, specializing in Environmental Governance. His interdisciplinary research bridges sustainability, public policy, and comparative politics, focusing on institutional dynamics in climate governance. European Research Council Principal Investigator (2021-2026) for the BACKLASH project Scientific Steering Committee member of the Earth System Governance Project (2019-present) Research areas: Climate policy backlash mechanisms Institutional adaptation to climate change Urban sustainability transformations Political feasibility of 1.5°C pathways Publications (2021-2025) examine contentious climate politics, institutional remaking, and polycentric governance systems across 25+ peer-reviewed outlets including Nature Sustainability and PNAS . Teaching: Coordinates Earth System Governance track in Utrecht's Sustainable Development Master's program and teaches courses on research design, sustainable land use, and urban governance.

• Climate Change
• Sustainability Transitions
• Environmental Governance
• +10 more