I am an Associate Professor (Universitair Hoofddocent, with IUS promovendi) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. My work operates at the intersection of interdisciplinary research, innovation-driven education, and entrepreneurship and innovation in science and technology. I lead a research group, called Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Science & Technology (EIST), comprising of fully funded research projects by PhD-candidates and postdocs.
My academic career spans more than two decades and is characterized by leadership in educational and innovation initiatives that connect science, entrepreneurship, and societal challenges. I have led transformative interdisciplinary educational programs, which are internationally recognized as leading examples of educational innovation and entrepreneurship education.
I have secured major national and European funding for research and education projects. I collaborate extensively with international research and innovation organizations such as CERN, ESADE, and EMBL, bridging frontier science with entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation.
My research focuses on innovation systems, science-based entrepreneurship, and sustainable transitions, with a particular emphasis on water management. I have published widely as lead and first author in leading international journals, and my work informs both academic scholarship and real-world policy and innovation practice.
Alongside my academic work, I actively contribute at the science–policy interface. I have worked closely with Dutch ministries and knowledge institutions, including the Rathenau Institute, contributing to research that has shaped parliamentary and policy debates on science, technology, and innovation. I regularly speak and engage with media on sustainable innovation, science policy, and water governance.
During my PhD and postdoctoral research at the University of Amsterdam within the Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research (AISSR), I performed research in innovation in sustainable water management. Earlier, as a student assistant at Maastricht University, I participated in a flagship research project presented to (now former) Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and which was later published by MIT Press.
Throughout my career, including extensive leadership and innovation work at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, I have consistently operated at the nexus of high impact research, strategic educational transformation, and engagement with societal goals.
Educational qualifications:
Basic Teaching Qualification (BTQ/BKO) - 2017
Senior Teaching Qualification (STQ/SKO) - 2020
Learning Trajectory Educational Leadership (Leergang Onderwijskundig Leiderschap) LOL - 2024
Superb Supervision PhD-candidates - 2025
