Marjan worked at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) from 2001 to 2004, where she served as coordinator of the research field European Environmental Policy. Before joining IVM, she had already built an impressive and diverse career, with roles at Shell, Novem (the predecessor of RVO), and Greenpeace.
During her time at IVM, she contributed to many projects, including the Handbook on European Environmental Policy in the Netherlands, together with colleagues including Nicolien van der Grijp and Harro van Asselt. She was also closely involved in the organization of major European research initiatives, such as the European Forum on Integrated Environmental Assessment (EFIEA I and II), and contributed to large collaborative projects like MATISSE. During her time at IVM, she also co-founded the Centre for Innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CIMO), now known as the VU Center for Entrepreneurship.
Marjan was known for her extraordinary drive, energy, and practical, hands-on mentality. To describe her as a “workaholic” would almost be an understatement, colleagues would often find detailed emails from her early in the morning, written late into the night.
Beyond her work, she was equally engaged, combining a busy family life with musical commitments, including playing the oboe and serving on the board of Het Orkest.
In the IVM anniversary book, Marjan looked back on her time at IVM with fondness. Colleagues who worked with her share that sentiment. Her drive never came at the expense of others; she was always willing to take on unglamorous tasks and contributed to a spirit of collaboration and goodwill. Marjan deeply valued the community atmosphere at IVM, with its emphasis on interdisciplinarity, its wide range of research topics, and its collegial and social character. The broad network she built there remained important to her and continued to play a role in her later work.
Marjan’s time at IVM was brief. Highly intelligent and strongly motivated to contribute to societal change, she went on to work at DRIFT (the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions) and later co-founded Urgenda, where her impact has become widely recognized.
Marjan will be missed and remembered for her achievements, her energy, and the positive presence she brought to those around her.