Besides my chairmanship for HuFoSS, I am a member of the steering committees of major EU-projects and a Professor at the Oceanographic Institute of the University of Gdansk, Poland. At my work, I unfortunately see often in meetings the researchers, policymakers and stakeholders talk past each other. Many remain stuck within their own field of interest. As a result, a great deal of knowledge and experience remains unused, consultations are slow, and decisions are not shared. And the really necessary decisions to achieve a more sustainable society are not taken or are (too) late and incomplete. Within HuFoSS, therefore, it is my goal to bring different parties and approaches together to achieve a more sustainable nature and society. I like to see such a sustainable environment because in addition to my work, in my free time I can be found more outside than inside: at home, besides the necessary housekeeping, I am mainly busy in the garden, for sports especially on waterways to row, and for vacation often in the mountains for hiking from mountain-cabin to mountain-cabin.

From an early age I have had a fascination with human diversity. Discovering other languages, other cultures, and the variety of ways in which people give meaning to their lives has always attracted me tremendously. During my college years I deepened these interests by examining social and cultural issues from a scientific perspective. During that time I became increasingly interested in the relationships between culture, society, and our natural environment. Human beings and nature are inextricably linked, and the ways in which people perceive their environment is often largely shaped by cultural beliefs. Unfortunately, this dimension is often neglected within the ecological approach. Being a socio-cultural researcher at HuFoSS, I hope to draw extra attention to these important aspects and use my knowledge and experience to actively contribute to sustainable initiatives and a better balance between nature, culture, and society.

My passion lies in leveraging geospatial technologies to tackle environmental challenges and foster sustainability. With a Master’s degree in Geoinformatics and a strong background in GIS analysis, spatial modelling, and data interpretation, I contribute to HuFoSS by exploring the interplay between ecological, cultural, and socio-economic factors. I enjoy engaging with stakeholders to align diverse perspectives and ensure meaningful contributions to sustainable projects. Outside work, I find inspiration in outdoor activities and prioritize fostering kindness and collaboration in all aspects of life.

During my bachelor's in Security Studies, I have learned to approach contemporary issues from multiple disciplines. My interest lies particularly in regions such as the Arctic or the Sahel, where climate change and other ecological factors clearly play a leading role in security challenges. Projects I have previously been involved in have shown me the importance of bringing together different perspectives to gain new insights and proactively address these issues. This aligns perfectly with the approach of HuFoSS, where I am eager to contribute to a balance between nature and society.

As a cultural anthropologist, I believe in listening to the perspectives of diverse stakeholder groups and bringing them into dialogue with one another. By actively involving stakeholders in policy-making and giving them a voice, we can foster collaboration and work towards more sustainable solutions. With a background in visual storytelling, I translate scientific insights into visual formats to raise awareness around sustainability and make complex conversations accessible to a wider audience. My passion for the relationship between humans, animals, and nature is a key driving force in my work. Awareness is, in my view, the first step toward lasting change.

From a young age, I have had a great sense of wonder for nature. This sense of wonder has only grown. As an interdisciplinary researcher, I enjoy looking at how we, as humans, can live in balance with nature from different perspectives, as we are an intrinsic part of it. In searching for possible solutions, a complete understanding of the socio-ecological and cultural context is essential. Participation and weighing opposing interests are, of course, part of this - something I have a lot of experience with through my professional background in government. I do not view participation as a mere checkbox exercise, but as an essential component in arriving at solid, integrated, and widely supported solutions. HuFoSS offers me the opportunity to do exactly this.

I have a strong interest in nature reserves, and how they can best be arranged to help to safeguard our future on earth. My expertise is to connect various parties involved in nature conservation areas in order to create optimal societal support for the design of a nature conservation area. I live and am active in a “Central Living” project, a form of housing where the emphasis is on social cohesion between the residents, and where we work together on the future. Within HuFoSS I want to contribute in creating broader social support for nature development and in maintaining a healthy environment for our future generations.

Actually I have a love for construction activities from an early age. I could watch fascinated for hours at construction projects. That is why, after high school, the only logical choice for me to continue my studies was in construction engineering. After my education, through the middle and higher technical schools and university, the jobs were not easily available and I was, in the midst of the last crisis period, already happy to have been offered a job, and I started to work in offshore buildings. When the oil market collapsed with the subsequent austerity, I made the decision to go back to my roots: construction engineering. Since then I have been working in various functions as an engineer. Hereby I was able to gain expertise in (technical) process improvement and implementation. I use these skills within HuFoSS to improve the relationship between people, its built environment, and the natural environment.