Nick van de Giesen

Nick van de Giesen is a Professor in the Department of Water Management at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). He holds the Van Kuffeler Chair of Water Resources Management and has been a key figure in advancing hydrological science and sustainable water solutions since 2004. He is also the chairman of the Delft Global Initiative since 2015, promoting global development through engineering and science.

His research focuses on the measurement and modeling of complex water systems, with an emphasis on developing science-based decision support systems. Key research themes include distributed temperature sensing (DTS), high-performance computing, satellite remote sensing, and the development of low-cost, innovative sensors for hydro-meteorological monitoring, especially in data-scarce regions like sub-Saharan Africa.

His recent publications reflect a strong trend toward uncertainty quantification, risk-informed water management, climate resilience, and the integration of ground observations with satellite data. Projects such as TAHMO (Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological Observatory) and eWaterCycle demonstrate his leadership in creating open, scalable, and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) hydrological modeling platforms and dense observation networks across Africa.

• AGU Ambassador Award (2023)
• Henry Darcy Medal (2015)
• Special Prize, European Satellite Navigation Competition (2015)
• Leermeester Prijs, TU Delft (2014)
• IBM Faculty Award (2010)

He actively advises and collaborates on major research initiatives, leads international consortia, and contributes to policy-relevant science. His work integrates strong technical innovation with real-world impact, particularly in Africa, where he promotes education, data access, and capacity building through sensor deployment in schools and open data platforms. He teaches courses in Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Management at TU Delft.

He leads the Water Systems Monitoring & Modelling research group and is deeply involved in major projects including TAHMO, eWaterCycle, and TEMBO Africa, which focus on building resilient, data-driven water management systems. These initiatives often involve partnerships with institutions such as Utrecht University, the Netherlands eScience Center, Oregon State University, and various African universities and agencies.