I am Full Professor and Chair Holder in Landscape Architecture at Wageningen University and Principal Investigator at the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS). I studied landscape architecture at the Leibniz University Hannover and Housing and Urbanism at the Architectural Association School in London. Subsequently, I worked as a designer at landscape architecture and architecture offices in the Netherlands (e.g. Mecanoo and Sant en Co) and Germany (STFreiraum) and was a part-time lecturer at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Germany. Since 2004, I have been tenured at Wageningen University and specialized in the relationship between research and design and climate-oriented urban design.
Within my research, I integrate urban climate science with urban planning and design practice. I publish widely in refereed academic journals and her book on urban climate adaptation "Weather in the city" (nai010 publishers) is acclaimed internationally. Through my research projects (e.g. Climate Proof Cities, Climadaptool, REALCOOL, MSCA ITN SOLOCLIM) I contribute to improving the knowledge basis of climate-responsive urban design. My distinctive expertise on the interface of urban climate science, urban design and research through design make me a frequently invited guest to give keynote talks, guest lectures and master classes in many countries and to act as an advisor for municipalities and companies. I am involved on the Resilience Engineering centre because all the major future challenges such as climate change, energy transition, water management, and other socio-technological changes require resilient solutions. As landscape architects and urban designers we can contribute to creating such solutions.
I was a host in the 4TU.DeSIRE tenure-track programme.