Prof. Hens Runhaar is a Full Professor of Sustainable Food System Governance at Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. His research focuses on reconciling food production with biodiversity recovery, environmental sustainability, and health through innovative governance frameworks. He emphasizes connectivity issues in food systems, such as disconnects between production and environmental conditions, and advocates for transformative practices like agroecology and nature-inclusive agriculture. Key roles include chairing the Board of Examiners for Sustainable Development and membership in Future Food Utrecht. His projects include NWO-funded initiatives like COMBINED (grassland biodiversity) and REWIRE (circular agricultural missions). He actively engages in policy dialogues, such as advising BirdLife Netherlands and contributing to the Dutch Biodiversity Council. Research highlights systemic barriers to sustainability transitions in agriculture, with recent work analyzing dairy farming and farmer collectives. His outreach includes media appearances on nitrogen policy, nature restoration, and sustainable food systems. Professional memberships span international networks like Earth System Governance and the Wageningen School of Social Sciences.
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.
Dr. Jennifer Koch is an Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing, part of Wageningen University & Research. Previously, she served as an Associate Professor and Associate Research Director at the University of Oklahoma's Data Institute for Societal Challenges. Her research integrates data-driven methods like simulation modeling to address socio-economic and climate change challenges, focusing on sustainable urbanization and environmental management. Education: She holds a Diplom (Univ.) in Geoecology from the University of Bayreuth and a Dr.-Ing. in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science from the University of Kassel. She teaches courses on geo-information management and data analytics. Research emphasizes multi-scale modeling, stakeholder engagement, and participatory approaches to socio-ecological systems. Recent work explores urban growth in Africa, methane emission monitoring, and renewable energy siting. Articles highlight interdisciplinary methods in GIS, climate policy, and community geography. Professional service includes roles with iEMSs, IALE, and the AAG. No ancillary activities reported. Her work bridges technical geospatial tools with societal challenges, emphasizing practical policy applications.
Hens Runhaar is Professor of Policy and Governance for Sustainable Food Systems at Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. He holds positions as Chair of the Examination Committee for Sustainable Development and is a member of the Core Team of Future Food Utrecht. Additionally, he serves on the Editorial Board of Earth System Governance Journal and as Associate Editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems journal. His research focuses on sustainable food systems, policy and governance for biodiversity conservation, and nature-inclusive agriculture. Runhaar's research interests center on understanding the connectivity issues in Western food systems that lead to sustainability challenges including biodiversity loss, climate change, and food-related diseases. He investigates the decoupling of food production from environmental conditions, disconnects between feed production and livestock farming, and the separation between food production and consumption areas. His work emphasizes biodiversity as a key indicator of sustainable food systems, with special interest in scaling up agroecology, regenerative agriculture, and nature-inclusive agriculture. He delivered his inaugural lecture on January 17, 2025, titled 'Governing towards sustainable food systems: new connections for more diversity'. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on biodiversity policy integration, nature-based solutions, and transformative food system changes. Runhaar has been instrumental in special issues on biodiversity governance and environmental policy integration. His research projects include COMBINED (2025-2031), REWIRE, DivGrass, and work on the Water Framework Directive after 2027. Editorial Board Member of Earth System Governance Journal Associate editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems journal Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Dutch Bird Protection Association Senior Research Fellow of Earth System Governance research network Fellow of Wageningen School of Social Sciences Runhaar actively supervises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with a focus on sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation, and nature-inclusive agriculture. He has contributed significantly to societal debates through media appearances in NRC, De Volkskrant, and EenVandaag, addressing topics like nitrogen policy, nature restoration, and the role of farmers in sustainability transitions. Beyond academia, he volunteers with the Badger Working Group Utrecht and 't Gooi Foundation, monitoring badgers since 2012 and contributing to nature conservation efforts.
Dr. Dirk Oudes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning at Wageningen University. His research focuses on the intersection of renewable energy transitions and landscape transformation, particularly solar power plants and agrivoltaics in the Netherlands. He explores how solar energy systems interact with agricultural landscapes, urban planning, and policy frameworks, emphasizing sustainable land use and climate adaptation. Recent trends in his publications highlight spatial analysis of solar infrastructure, regulatory challenges in energy projects, and circular economy principles in agrivoltaics. His work often bridges academic research with practical implementation, as seen in reports and media engagements addressing landscape aesthetics, public acceptance, and policy-relevant findings. Dr. Oudes collaborates with researchers like Sven Stremke and actively participates in workshops, keynote speeches, and expert consultations. He supervises PhD projects on landscape-inclusive energy transitions and spatial quality frameworks, contributing to both academic discourse and professional practice in sustainable design.
Prof. Niki Frantzeskaki is a Chair Professor of Regional and Metropolitan Governance and Planning at Utrecht University's Geosciences Faculty. Her expertise focuses on urban transitions, climate resilience, and nature-based solutions. Previously, she held roles at Swinburne University (Research Professor/Director) and Erasmus University (Associate Professor). She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and authored/co-authored four books. Her research emphasizes sustainable urban governance, ecological justice, and transformative urban planning. Education: Advanced degrees in environmental science and urban planning (details not explicitly stated in provided texts). Research interests include urban sustainability transitions, climate adaptation, and the governance of nature-based solutions. She has led projects in Australia, Canada, and the U.S., with a focus on global urban challenges. Notable awards include Clarivate's Highly Cited Researcher (2020-2023), Elsevier's top 2% global researchers (2021-2023), and the Ecological Society of America's Sustainability Science Award (2023). Her work bridges academic research with policy impact, particularly through transdisciplinary collaborations like the URBES and ARTS projects. Grants and projects include the EU-funded ARTS and URBES initiatives, and current leadership in the Pathways to Sustainability (PtS) research group. She advises on urban resilience strategies and serves on editorial boards for journals like Urban Transformations and Nature-Based Solutions .
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uta Pottgiesser is a Professor of Heritage & Technology at the Department of Architectural Engineering + Technology, Delft University of Technology. Her research focuses on the technical aspects of architectural heritage, emphasizing sustainable reuse of historical buildings through innovative concepts and products. She holds a PhD from TU Dresden and has held leadership roles at institutions like the Detmold School of Architecture and the University of Antwerp. Her work bridges architecture, engineering, and interior design to enhance user well-being and environmental sustainability. Education: PhD in Architecture (2002), TU Dresden Architecture studies, TU Berlin Research Interests: Combining technical and cultural dimensions of architectural heritage, including facade construction, building conservation, energy efficiency, and adaptive reuse of modernist structures. She explores how digital technologies and bio-inspired solutions can address heritage risks and urban sustainability challenges. Professional Activities: Vice-Chair of DOCOMOMO Germany Chair of DOCOMOMO ISC/T (Technology) Editorial roles in journals (e.g., JFDE, JID) Organizer of international conferences and architectural competitions Recent Articles: Focus on occupant satisfaction in office spaces, digital tools for heritage risk management, and green infrastructure's health impacts. Her work often integrates interdisciplinary approaches to urban sustainability and cultural preservation.
Sanda Lenzholzer is a Full Professor at Wageningen University's Department of Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning. Her research focuses on urban climate adaptation, sustainable design, and the integration of ecological principles into urban planning. She leads projects addressing climate-responsive design strategies, green infrastructure, and the mitigation of urban heat islands. Lenzholzer is actively involved in academic leadership roles, including editorial work for journals like Landscape and Urban Planning , and has collaborated internationally on climate-related initiatives. Notable contributions include developing design guidelines for urban open spaces in hot arid climates and exploring the spatial impacts of cultivating biobased materials. She received the Biking Betuwe award in 2011 for her contributions to sustainable urban design. Her academic engagements include supervising multiple PhD and EngD students in areas like climate-responsive design and biobased construction. Lenzholzer has delivered keynote lectures and workshops on future urban landscapes and climate adaptation, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. She has also served as a visiting professor at institutions like Politecnico di Milano, Italy, and contributed to public media discussions on urban climate challenges. Her work bridges research and practice, fostering innovation in sustainable urban development through design-driven methodologies. Lenzholzer’s research portfolio includes over 160 publications and 278 professional activities, showcasing her commitment to advancing knowledge in urban environmental management. She leads projects funded by diverse stakeholders, addressing topics such as multifunctional urban waterfronts and the integration of climate adaptation into policy frameworks. Her efforts highlight the importance of community engagement and spatial quality in creating resilient cities.
IHE Delft Institute for Water EducationNetherlands
Dr. Assela Pathirana is a Professor at the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, specializing in water infrastructure asset management (WIAM), climate resilience of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and sustainable urban water systems. His work bridges academia, policy, and practice, focusing on digitalization, data-driven decision-making, and nature-based solutions. Key roles include Chief Technical Advisor for the Maldives’ water systems and leadership of a MOOC on SIDS climate adaptation. He holds a BSc (First Class Honours) from the University of Peradeniya and advanced degrees from the University of Tokyo, specializing in hydrology and water resources engineering. Education: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (First Class Honours), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Master’s and Doctoral Degrees in Civil Engineering (Hydrology and Water Resources), University of Tokyo, Japan Research Interests: Dr. Pathirana’s work emphasizes climate resilience, SIDS adaptation, urban flood risk management, and sustainable infrastructure. He develops decision-support tools for flood forecasting, evaluates land-use changes in Jakarta, and promotes equity in water rationing systems. His interdisciplinary approach integrates hydrological modeling, open-source software development, and policy analysis. Advising & Capacity Building: He leads training-of-trainers programs and capacity-building initiatives, enhancing postgraduate education in technical disciplines. His efforts focus on didactics and pedagogy, ensuring graduates gain both theoretical knowledge and practical expertise. Key Projects: Developed the WIAM curriculum at IHE Delft MOOC on SIDS climate adaptation and water security Consultancy for the Maldives’ Ministry of Environment and UNDP Labs & Collaborations: Engages in cross-disciplinary teams addressing urban water challenges, including sponge cities in China and flexible adaptation planning in Melbourne and Pune. His work with UNESCO-ICHARM and UNU underscores global water security and disaster risk reduction.
Nina Schwarz is Assistant Professor of human-environment interactions in cities at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management, ITC—University of Twente. Holding a Diploma in Environmental Sciences (University of Lüneburg, 2003) and a PhD in Social and Economic Sciences (University of Kassel, 2007), she spent a decade as senior scientist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ before joining ITC. Her interdisciplinary research integrates urban land-use science, ecosystem-service evaluation and advanced modelling techniques—especially agent-based models—to explore sustainable urban development under global change. Research interests revolve around three interconnected themes: (i) urban land-use change —understanding how residential, commercial and green-space dynamics co-evolve; (ii) urban ecosystem services —quantifying both supply and demand of services such as local climate regulation, recreation and biodiversity; and (iii) behavioural modelling —formalising human decision-making to simulate policy scenarios ranging from slum-upgrading to vineyard management. She actively links these themes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, notably SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Recent publications (2022-2025) reveal a methodological breadth spanning citizen-science impact assessment in Suriname, cooling effects of urban water bodies in Chinese mega-cities, European wine-growers’ adaptive behaviour, and methodological advances in upscaling and validating agent-based land-use models. Across these studies, Schwarz consistently combines empirical field data, geospatial analytics and participatory approaches to produce policy-relevant insights for cities in both the Global North and South. She has (co-)authored >80 peer-reviewed works, accumulating c. 5 900 citations and an h-index of 28 (Scopus). While specific honours are not itemised in the supplied text, her sustained citation impact and invited contributions to major conferences (e.g., iEMSs 2020, IAHR 2025) underscore scientific recognition. Schwarz frequently engages with societal stakeholders: her projects have generated open datasets on urban green-space monitoring in Paramaribo, e-learning modules for Latin-American universities, and interactive dashboards for sustainable water management. Within ITC she contributes to capacity-building programmes for emerging economies, supervises graduate researchers and maintains active collaborations across Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia. No explicit lists of PhD students or personal grants are provided in the current corpus, but her leadership of externally funded projects (e.g., citizen-science evaluation, vineyard decision-making database) indicates ongoing acquisition of research funding.
Myriam M.A.H. Cloodt serves as an Associate Professor of Open Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Department of Innovation, Technology Entrepreneurship & Marketing (ITEM) within the School of Industrial Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). She is also affiliated with EAISI High Tech Systems as a University Researcher. Her academic career spans over two decades, with a continuous focus on understanding innovation processes in complex business environments. Dr. Cloodt earned her MSc in Business Economics from Maastricht University in 1997. After working as a lecturer for two years, she began her PhD research at the Department of Organization & Strategy, completing her dissertation at METEOR (Maastricht University) on measuring innovative performance of high-tech companies after mergers and acquisitions. She joined Eindhoven University of Technology in July 2004 as a researcher at the School of Technology Management, becoming Assistant Professor in June 2006, and was promoted to Associate Professor of Open Innovation and Entrepreneurship in August 2017. Her research focuses on open innovation, corporate entrepreneurship, and strategic management, with particular interest in corporate venturing, strategic technology alliances, mergers and acquisitions, network analysis, and value constellations within innovation ecosystems. Dr. Cloodt's work bridges academic theory and practical application, as evidenced by her participation in industry projects for companies and innovation ecosystems like the High Tech Campus Eindhoven. Her publications span prestigious journals including Research Policy, Journal of Product Innovation Management, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change, as well as book chapters for Oxford University Press. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward circular economy applications, particularly in plastics innovation, alongside continued work on innovation ecosystems, science parks, and military innovation contexts. Her research demonstrates methodological diversity, employing network analysis, case studies, and stated choice experiments to investigate complex innovation phenomena across different sectors and organizational contexts. Best Paper Award - Mature PhD Student at the ESU European University Network on Entrepreneurship Conference (2021) Dr. Cloodt actively supervises graduate students and has contributed to numerous research projects, including C-PlaNeT (Circular Plastics Network for training), SEE-V-Lab, and the Brabant Center of Entrepreneurship. Her professional engagements extend to developing publications for organizations such as Adviesraad voor het Wetenschaps- en Technologiebeleid (AWT) and Het Financieele Dagblad. In teaching, she contributes to the BSc program in Industrial Engineering & Management Science, the MSc program in Innovation Management, and the Certificate program in Technology Entrepreneurship & Management. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly through contributions to circular economy research and sustainable innovation practices. Dr. Cloodt maintains active collaborations with industry partners and participates in significant academic conferences including the Annual World Open Innovation Conference where she serves on program committees.
Prof. Dr. J. Ellers is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , and a member of the Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment . His research focuses on understanding how an individual’s phenotype is shaped by interactions between genes, genome, and environment , employing molecular, physiological, and experimental tools within an evolutionary framework. Ellers contributes to the Netherlands Society of Evolutionary Biology (NLSEB) as a co-founder and serves as Vice-Chair of the Dutch Biology Council , advocating for biology research and education in the Netherlands. Research Interests: Ellers explores the intersection of evolutionary biology, ecology, and environmental science , with key themes in phenotypic plasticity, urbanization effects on species, trait-based ecology, and adaptive signaling . His work spans soil fauna dynamics, invasive species impacts, and metabolic adaptations , emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to link mechanisms with ecological and evolutionary outcomes. Recent Publications highlight trends in urban ecology, climate change impacts, and trait evolution . Notable studies examine how noise and light pollution alter animal communication , high-sugar diets affect microbiomes , and robot morphologies reflect biological systems . His research also addresses data interoperability through initiatives like ShareTrait and global soil arthropod assessments . Scientific Contributions: Ellers advocates for open-access publishing and interdisciplinary climate change experiments. His leadership in the Dutch Biology Council and co-founding of NLSEB reflect sustained commitment to scientific policy and community engagement. Supervised 23 PhD theses and teaching courses like Ecosystem Services and Scientific Advocacy underscore his mentorship and educational impact.
Oktay Türetken is a Full Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences school, specializing in Information Systems . He chairs the Industrial Engineering Bachelor Program and contributes to the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS) in Münster, Germany. PhD in Information Systems Research Fellow at European Research Institute in Service Science (2008-2012) Adjunct Lecturer at METU’s Software Management program (pre-2008) His research focuses on digital innovation and collaborative business models , particularly in urban mobility. He develops methods for operational design , business process management , and data analytics maturity models . Key projects include MobilitEU and EU-funded initiatives in smart mobility. Recent publications address KPI frameworks for business models, platform design for shared mobility, and maturity models for organizational capabilities. He leads multi-disciplinary teams and has co-authored over 129 research outputs, including 2025 articles in Production Planning & Control and Business & Information Systems Engineering . 2021 : 1st Prize at DESRIST for paper prototype 2022 : 1st Prize for MaaS Platform Features research He supervises PhD candidates Ginger Korsten , Yasmin Rettab , and Stella Lo Giudice , and teaches courses like Digitalization and Enterprise Systems and Green and Digital Transformation . His work bridges academic research with industry consultancy via Cogniton Business Engineering Consultancy.
Monika Kuffer is a Full Professor at the University of Twente's Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), holding additional roles as Associate Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management. She leads research in urban remote sensing, deprived area monitoring, and sustainable urban development. Her work integrates spatial statistics, machine learning, and citizen science to inform inclusive city planning. Education: PhD in Human Geography & GIS from the University of Twente MSc in Human Geography (TU Munich) MSc in Geographic Information Science (University of London) Research Interests: Urban Remote Sensing Slum and Deprivation Mapping Climate Adaptation Strategies Citizen Science for Urban Inequalities Earth Observation Policy Support Articles Trends: Recent work emphasizes multi-city climate adaptation analyses, thermal inequality assessments in African slums, and scalable deprivation modelling frameworks like IDEAMAPS. Projects like ONEKANA and NightWatch highlight fusion of EO data with community-driven methods. Awards: 2022 EO4all Prize for innovative Earth Observation applications Advising & Grants: Supervised 3 PhD/MSc projects. Active in global initiatives like the EU's Knowledge Centre on EO and the UN's SDG frameworks. Leads datasets on deprivation (e.g., IDeAMapSudan). Labs/Teams: Core member of ITC's Urban Remote Sensing and GeoAI teams. Collaborates with the Digital Society Institute for interdisciplinary urban research.
IHE Delft Institute for Water EducationNetherlands
William Veerbeek is a Professor and co-founder of the Flood Resilience Chair Group at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. His expertise spans urban climate adaptation, flood risk management, and disaster resilience in rapidly urbanizing regions. He has led impactful projects like the Dutch Knowledge for Climate programme, refining flood impact assessment tools through initiatives such as UFM-Dordrecht and Rotterdam-based studies. His work extends globally, focusing on megacities like Beijing, Dhaka, and Mumbai, where he develops long-term urban growth projections and disaster risk mitigation strategies. He has trained numerous cities in Southeast Asia on climate adaptation and is currently establishing a North Sea region city-to-city learning network on green-blue infrastructure. Dr. Veerbeek’s research emphasizes integrating climate adaptation into urban planning, with a focus on socio-economic equity and policy transferability. His projects often bridge academic research with practical implementation, emphasizing participatory approaches and nature-based solutions. Key contributions include frameworks for evaluating flood resilience strategies and methods for assessing urban vulnerability under climate change scenarios. His publications highlight innovations in flood modeling using UAV and satellite technologies, policy analysis across transnational delta systems, and co-creation of flood mitigation technologies with local communities. He advocates for flexible adaptation pathways that balance technical solutions with social equity considerations.
