Tinde van Andel

Prof. Tinde van Andel is a Professor by special appointment in the Department of History of Botany and Gardens at Leiden University, holding the Clusius Chair. Her research focuses on ethnobotany, traditional plant use, and the historical context of botany, including Dutch Caribbean ethnobotany and medicinal plants of Suriname. She collaborates with institutions like Naturalis Biodiversity Center and leads projects involving PhD and MSc students. Recent initiatives include ecological collaborations with the University of Paramaribo.

Her work bridges historical botanical studies with contemporary issues, such as decolonizing museum practices and preserving cultural heritage through historic herbaria. She teaches courses like Tropical Biodiversity and Field Methods in Southeast Asia. Notable collaborations include securing NWO grants for innovative research and mentoring students such as Charlotte van 't Klooster (LUMC) and Sarina Veldman (Naturalis).

Labs/Teams: Active in Naturalis Biodiversity Center and the Leiden Institute of Biology (IBL). Her inaugural lecture, 'Open the treasure room and decolonize the museum,' highlights her commitment to recontextualizing botanical history.