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Hauke Smidt is a Personal Professor at Wageningen University & Research, affiliated with the Molecular Ecology group within the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences. His research focuses on microbial ecology, particularly gut microbiota dynamics, antibiotic resistance, environmental microbiology, and the One Health framework. Smidt has supervised over 50 PhD students and contributed to 519 publications, including studies on microbiome resilience, fermented food impacts, and bioremediation strategies. Education and affiliations include leadership roles in projects addressing antimicrobial resistance, pig health, and drinking water microbiology. His work spans collaborations across Europe and Asia, with notable contributions to understanding microbial community responses to environmental stressors and dietary interventions. Smidt is actively involved in public outreach, as seen in media contributions discussing microbiome research and health benefits. Key projects include aquifer treatment for drinking water, microbiome simulation models, and combating plant pathogens. His awards and recognition are not explicitly listed, but his extensive publication record and project leadership highlight significant academic impact.

• Microbiology
• Environmental Microbiology
• Gut Microbiota
• +4 more

Lisa Haushofer is an Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Humanities, Department of History. Her work bridges the histories of medicine, science, and food, focusing on the commercial, colonial, and ecological dimensions of nutritional culture. Fields of Interest: History of Medicine, History of Science, Food History, Nutrition History She authored the book Wonder Foods: The Science and Commerce of Nutrition (2022), which explores the intersection of nutritional science and global food systems in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Contact: lisa.haushofer@uva.nl . Follow her on Twitter and Bluesky for updates.

• History of Medicine
• History of Science
• Food History
• +3 more

Jampel Dell'Angelo is an Associate Professor with ius promovendi in Water Governance and Politics at the Department of Environmental Policy Analysis, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He holds concurrent roles as a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley's Ecohydrology Lab, and an Environmental Governance Affiliate Scholar at SESYNC, Maryland. His research focuses on multilevel dimensions of water governance, climate adaptation in African irrigation systems, and transnational land investments' impacts. He leads the EU-funded NEWAVE project, coordinating 15 Early Stage Researchers across 10 institutions. Educated with a dual PhD in Environmental Science (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and International Cooperation (Sapienza University), he also holds advanced degrees from the LSE, Sapienza, Curtin, and the University of Siena. As Editor-in-Chief of World Development , he promotes interdisciplinary research on socio-environmental systems. His work contributes to UN SDGs related to clean water, sustainable cities, and responsible production. Research interests span water grabbing dynamics, socio-ecological resilience, and policy frameworks for equitable resource management. Recent projects address Mediterranean water scarcity solutions and the socio-political implications of global land rushes. He supervises PhD candidates exploring themes like water democracy, agrifood transitions, and environmental justice. Key contributions include pioneering analysis of 'water commons grabbing' and documenting the Global Water Grab Syndrome. His documentary work complements field research, such as Working Together: Research and Water Governance on Mount Kenya . Current projects emphasize innovative governance models and climate-resilient water management in transboundary contexts.

• Water Governance
• Political Economy of Natural Resources
• Climate Change Adaptation
• +3 more

Prof. Peter H. Verburg is a Full Professor in Environmental Spatial Analysis at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, leading the Environmental Geography group within the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) under the Faculty of Science. He holds roles as a member of the Earth Commission and the Science-Policy Interface of UNCCD, and co-Editor-in-Chief of Landscape and Urban Planning . His work focuses on land use modeling, interdisciplinary research, and sustainability challenges, notably developing the globally used CLUE model. Education: PhD in Land Use Modelling (2000), Wageningen University MSc in Physical Geography (1996), Wageningen University Research Interests: His expertise includes land change analysis, spatial modeling, ecosystem services, and human-environment interactions. He employs methods from social sciences, econometrics, and earth sciences to address global issues like climate adaptation, sustainable city planning, and multi-functional land use. Recent projects emphasize small island resilience, European nature narratives, and food systems in urban and global contexts. Publications & Projects: With over 300 peer-reviewed articles and contributions to EU-funded initiatives such as BrightspotsCSA and CONtract SOLutions, his research bridges theory and policy. Recent publications highlight urban food interventions, spatial planning for island states, and climate impacts on agriculture. Awards: Highly Cited Researcher (top 1% in Web of Science) Advising & Grants: As a project leader and researcher in multiple grants, he supports sustainability transitions and climate-smart agriculture. He has advised through post-graduate courses and workshops on land use modeling and ecosystem services. His work emphasizes practical applications of research to decision-making frameworks. Labs/Teams: He leads the Environmental Geography group at IVM, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing land system change research globally.

• Land Change Analysis
• Spatial Analysis and Modelling
• Landscape Ecology
• +9 more

C. (Chengyong) Xiao is an Associate Professor of Sustainable Supply Chain Management at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Economics and Business. He holds a BSc in Management Science from the University of Science and Technology of China (2010) and a PhD in Operations Management from the University of Groningen (2019). His research focuses on sustainable supply chains, particularly the extension of sustainability standards in global supply chains, corporate social responsibility, and social enterprises. Education: Bachelor's Degree: Management Science, University of Science and Technology of China (2010) PhD: Operations Management, University of Groningen (2019) Research Interests: Global supply chain sustainability Supplier sustainability capability development Corporate social responsibility and stakeholder engagement Case study and mixed-method research methodologies Awards: Chan Hahn Best Paper Award (2020 AOM Conference) Teaching and Editorial Roles: Teaches courses including Global Supply Chain Management & Sustainability, Management Science, and Operations & Logistics Management Editorial board member of the Journal of Supply Chain Management and Journal of Operations Management Collaborations: Partnerships with multinational companies like Philips and Signify to study supply chain sustainability practices

• Sustainable Supply Chain Management
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Supply Chain Sustainability
• +3 more

Alessandra Arcuri is Full Professor of International Economic Law at the Department of Law and Markets, Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and a member of the Erasmus Initiative on Inclusive Prosperity. Her academic leadership spans critical intersections of law, sustainability, and democratic governance within global economic frameworks. Her research interrogates the tensions between international economic law and planetary boundaries, focusing on how investment treaties constrain climate action through cases like Rockhopper v. Italy . She exposes how fossil fuel interests exploit legal mechanisms like the Energy Charter Treaty while analyzing glyphosate regulation failures and corporate influence on EU Green Deal implementation. Her work consistently challenges technocratic governance models that marginalize democratic participation in environmental decision-making. Recent scholarship reveals an intensified focus on supply-side climate policies, where investment law clashes with state efforts to phase out fossil fuels. She documents how tribunals prioritize investor protections over ecological imperatives, using Dutch river pollution cases to demonstrate states' international obligations to prevent toxic emissions. Her analysis of boundary-work in investment law reveals systemic exclusions of public interest perspectives. Scientific Awards: Jean Monnet Fellow (2011-12) Fernand Braudel Fellow (2021-22) Hauser Global Research Fellow (2003-04) Marie Curie Fellow (2001) Professor Arcuri supervises PhD candidates including Abdurrahman Erol, with whom she co-authored pivotal research on Dutch river degassing that directly influenced national policy banning toxic emissions from inland vessels. Her policy impact extends through commissioned reports for the Dutch Parliament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Commission, and NGOs, translating academic rigor into tangible regulatory change. She actively bridges scholarly critique with public advocacy, as seen in open letters correcting ministerial misinterpretations of environmental law. As a core contributor to the Erasmus Initiative on Inclusive Prosperity, she collaborates across disciplines to reconfigure economic governance toward ecological sustainability and democratic accountability, challenging the fossil fuel economy through legal innovation and grassroots empowerment.

• International Economic Law
• Sustainability
• Environmental Law
• +4 more

Pieter Desmet serves as Professor of Design for Experience at Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, specifically within the Department of Human-Centered Design. He directs the Delft Institute of Positive Design, focusing on advancing knowledge for designing human flourishing. His research centers on emotional design mechanisms, particularly how product design evokes emotions and contributes to individual and community well-being. Key interests include Positive Design frameworks, mood-regulation interventions, AI-emotion alignment, and multisensory experiences in packaging and museum contexts. Recent work explores liminal spaces in exhibits, autoethnography ethics, and group mood dynamics in workplaces. Analysis of his 275+ publications reveals consistent focus on emotional design theory with expanding applications in AI, healthcare, and sustainability. His work bridges academic research with practical design tools for emotional well-being. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. Desmet actively supervises doctoral candidates (evidenced by PhD thesis datasets) and secures research grants through institutional collaborations. His leadership in organizing major conferences like IASDR 2023 and Design & Emotion events demonstrates significant academic influence. He leads the Delft Institute of Positive Design research group, which investigates user experience aspects through interdisciplinary projects integrating psychology, design, and technology.

• Emotional Design
• Positive Design
• User Experience
• +3 more

Jan Dijkstra is an Associate Professor at Wageningen University specializing in Animal Nutrition . His research focuses on dairy cattle nutrition, methane emissions, and nutrient efficiency. Academic Rank: Associate Professor Department: Animal Nutrition His work emphasizes: Mathematical modelling of methane production Phosphorus and nitrogen balance optimization Feed supplementation strategies for reduced emissions Genotype-environment interactions in dairy systems Recent publications highlight advancements in methane mitigation , nutrient cycling , and rumen microbiome dynamics . He serves as a promotor for multiple PhD projects and contributes to datasets on equine microbiomes and rumen metabolites. Scientific Awards American Feed Industry Association Award (2015) Publicatieprijs ASG (2013) Supervision PhD candidates: Kozorezov, Henry, Koning, Vivares Martinez EngD candidate: Holshof

• Animal Nutrition
• Dairy Cattle
• Methane Emission
• +2 more

Prof. Jack van der Vorst is the Personal Professor of AgriFood Supply Chain Logistics at Wageningen University's Operations Research and Logistics Group. Previously serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Wageningen University & Research (until 2024) and General Director of the Social Sciences Group, he leads over 1000 personnel across three institutes. His advisory roles include the Topteam AgriFood (Science Captain), Top consortium for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI), The Sustainability Consortium (TSC), and Florensis BV's Supervisory Board. With 20+ PhD supervisions and 200+ publications, his research focuses on innovative logistics concepts in AgriFood systems, including supply chain resilience, sustainability, and system innovation. His work integrates modeling frameworks with practical industry applications, emphasizing perishable products, horizontal collaboration, and environmental efficiency. Research interests span AgriFood System Design, Supply Chain Strategy, and Performance Management. His recent studies address challenges like postharvest loss reduction in developing countries, CO2 emission minimization in cold chains, and circular economy implementation in mushroom supply chains. Methodologically, he employs multi-criteria decision models, optimization techniques, and simulation to address complex logistics problems. Publications highlight themes such as horizontal collaboration success factors, vulnerability assessment frameworks, and green supply chain design. His work bridges academic rigor with industry needs, often collaborating with policymakers and international organizations to promote sustainable agri-food systems.

• AgriFood Supply Chain Logistics
• Supply Chain Management
• Logistics Network Design
• +4 more

Professor Ruerd Ruben is an external academic expert in Development Economics with over 300 research outputs spanning food systems, smallholder livelihoods, and rural poverty alleviation. His work focuses on value chain transformation, nutrition, and sustainable agricultural practices in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Research Pillars: Food systems optimization Smallholder economic empowerment Value chain governance Sustainable diets and nutrition Rural development strategies Ruben's recent publications examine midstream actors in informal economies (2025), market-based poverty reduction (2024), and fair trade limitations (2023). His editorial work includes contributions to Food Security journal, and he has supervised 19 PhD projects on topics ranging from Ethiopian potato chains to climate-resilient East African agribusinesses. Scientific Leadership: Contributed to 300+ academic works Received 7 Scopus citations for key publications Active in global food systems discourse

• Food Systems
• Smallholder
• Value Creation
• +5 more

Prof. Koert van Ittersum is a Professor of Marketing and Consumer Well-Being at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen (since 2013). He holds a PhD from Wageningen University (2001) and previously worked at the University of Illinois and Georgia Institute of Technology. His research focuses on consumer behavior, particularly linking marketing strategies to consumer well-being through healthier and sustainable diets. Key collaborations include the Centre for Public Health in Economics and Business and the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health (RUG). Research interests center on consumer psychology, health, sustainability, and spending behaviors. Notable projects involve interventions with Dutch retailers to reduce food waste via transparency tools and studying decision-making dynamics in grocery shopping. Recent work explores self-control mechanisms, pride/guilt effects, and health-promoting digital interventions. Publications span journals like Journal of Consumer Research , Annals of Internal Medicine , and Preventive Medicine , addressing topics from food waste to mHealth adoption. His work bridges academic research with real-world applications in public health and retail strategy.

• Consumer well-being
• Consumer psychology
• Health
• +5 more

Alfons Oude Lansink is a Professor and Chairholder in Business Economics at Wageningen University, Netherlands. He holds adjunct professorships at Universitas Padjadjaran (Indonesia) and the University of Florida (USA), and serves on the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture's CDM committee and Rabobank's scientific advisory board. His academic career spans roles as director of Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS) and Secretary-General of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. Education: MSc and PhD in Agricultural Economics from Wageningen University Leadership: Head of Business Economics group since 2003 His research focuses on dynamic technical and economic efficiency , sustainable performance of food supply chains , and economics of plant health . Recent work examines climate adaptation strategies, circular economy applications, and cross-border agri-food innovation dynamics using advanced econometric models. Key projects include MINDSTEP (modeling farm decisions), Closing the Loop (insect-based agriculture), and Food Pro-tec-ts (transboundary food technologies). Publications address topics like: Technical efficiency in dairy and arable farming Economic impacts of climate change on agriculture Corporate social responsibility in food manufacturing Policy evaluation for biogas and organic farming He serves as: Secretary/Treasurer of agricultural economics journal foundation Advisor to Universitas Padjadjaran (Indonesia) on policy and PhD supervision Editorial board member of Agronomy Journal and European Review of Agricultural Economics

• Dynamic Technical and Economic Efficiency
• Productivity Analysis
• Sustainable Food Supply Chains
• +7 more

Prof. Han Olff is a Professor of Community and Conservation Ecology at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Science and Engineering, within the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences. He leads research on ecosystem structure, species interactions, and theoretical ecology, with fieldwork in savannas, salt marshes, and coastal systems. His work bridges theory and conservation, advising organizations like WWF and ARK Nature. Education: PhD (Cum Laude) in Biology from the University of Groningen (1992), MSc in Biology (1988). Research Interests: Focuses on plant-herbivore-predator interactions, ecosystem engineering, and the impact of human activities on biodiversity. Key themes include savanna ecology, food web dynamics, and restoration ecology. Awards: Gold Medal from Teyler Museum (2006) and PIONIER Award (2002). Active in grants like the EU Horizon 2020 AfricanBioServices project. Teaching: Coordinates courses in Conservation Biology, Ecological Research Skills, and Advanced Population Ecology. Leadership: Directed the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies (2011–2015) and chairs the National Research Agenda's 'Green Route'. Fieldwork: Organizes expeditions to the Serengeti-Mara, Banc d'Arguin, and Bijagos Archipelago to study human-wildlife interactions and ecosystem dynamics.

• Ecology
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Environmental Sciences
• +3 more

Nando Sigona is Professor of International Migration and Forced Displacement and Director of the Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS) at the University of Birmingham, UK. He serves within the School of Geosciences Human Geography and Spatial Planning in the Urban Geography department, where he leads significant research on migration policy and forced displacement. His research spans critical areas including undocumented migration, the migration-citizenship nexus, naturalisation and denaturalisation processes, Romani politics and anti-Gypsyism, EU asylum systems, Brexit impacts on European mobility, and child and youth migration. Sigona's work is characterized by its policy relevance and theoretical innovation in understanding contemporary migration governance. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward examining the intersection of migration enforcement, digital platforms, and labor markets, particularly evident in his 2025 research on migrant food delivery riders in Birmingham. His scholarly output spans foundational theoretical works like The Oxford Handbook of Superdiversity (2022) to urgent contemporary analyses of migration enforcement in the gig economy. Sigona has received significant research funding including Horizon Europe support for the I-CLAIM project (Improving the living and labour conditions of irregularised migrant households in Europe), where he serves as co-Investigator and Scientific Director. His work has been published across leading journals including Sociology, Social Anthropology, Antipode, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, and Ethnic and Racial Studies. Founding editor of Migration Studies (Oxford University Press) Lead editor for Global Migration and Social Change book series (Bristol University Press) Director of the Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS) His recent blog posts and media commentary reveal active engagement with contemporary policy debates, particularly regarding Labour's immigration enforcement strategies targeting migrant workers in the gig economy. Sigona's research team has documented a 79% increase in immigration raids in Birmingham since Labour came to office, based on Freedom of Information data (FOI2025 07429).

• Migration and Societal Change
• International Migration
• Forced Displacement
• +7 more

Professor Peter Verhoef is a renowned academic at the University of Groningen, serving as a Professor of Marketing and Director of the University of Groningen Business School. He earned his PhD from the Erasmus School of Economics. His research focuses on customer management, loyalty, and consumer behavior in contexts such as organic product purchasing and digital transformation. Notably, Verhoef received the 2013 Sheth Foundation/Journal of Marketing Award and the 2009 Harold M. Maynard Award, marking him as a leading figure in marketing research. He also chairs the Advisory Council for the Customer Centre of the Dutch Banking Association (NVB). Education: PhD from Erasmus School of Economics Affiliations: Director of University of Groningen Business School, Chair at NVB Research Interests: Verhoef’s work bridges academic rigor and practical applications. He investigates how digital transformation impacts businesses, explores consumer responses to privacy practices, and analyzes the effects of marketing strategies on customer retention. His findings often challenge conventional wisdom, such as demonstrating that 'light' products do not aid weight loss. Recent studies emphasize omnichannel retailing, privacy calculus, and the business value of SME digitalization. Awards: His accolades include the Sheth Foundation/Journal of Marketing Award for groundbreaking work on CRM efforts and the Harold M. Maynard Award for best paper in the Journal of Marketing. These prizes underscore his global influence in marketing academia. Grants & Teams: While specific grants are not detailed, his leadership roles suggest involvement in large-scale research projects. Collaborative work with institutions like the SOM Research School and contributions to interdisciplinary initiatives (e.g., digital transformation frameworks) highlight his team-oriented approach. Labs/Teams: Active in the University of Groningen Business School’s marketing department, he collaborates with researchers like Dong J.Q., Nguyen D.K., and Eggers F., focusing on data analytics, customer experience, and privacy-related challenges.

• Customer Management
• Customer Loyalty
• Consumer Purchasing Behavior
• +4 more