How can we as a society deal with science and technology in a responsible manner? How do we organize societal dialogue hereon? And how can we increase trust among stakeholders and the general public?
These questions have guided my education and professional life. By now I have quite some experience with examining ethical, legal and societal implications of emerging technologies, as well as designing and moderating (stakeholder) dialogue sessions hereon.
– Current position
Currently I work as a postdoctoral researcher and teacher at the Athena Instituut of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. I participate in the EU-funded project RETHINK, which deals with innovation in science communication. Furthermore, I teach and coordinate courses relating to science and society, for instance at the Master Forensic Sciences of the UvA.
In addition, I am an external PhD student within the Technology, Innovation and Society group at Eindhoven University of Technology. My PhD research deals with ‘early engagement’ with emerging technologies and reflects on how the Rathenau Instituut (see below) put this concept into practice with regard to synthetic biology. I am being supervised by prof. dr. Geert Verbong and dr. Rinie van Est, my former research coordinator at the Rathenau Instituut.
– Earlier positions
Prior, I worked as a biotechnology policy advisor at the (former) ministry of Infrastructure and Environment. Here my work was related to the modernization of the Dutch biotechnology policy. More specifically I was concerned with stakeholder and public participation herein.
Furthermore, I worked at the Technology Assessment division of the Rathenau Instituut for six years. Here I was concerned with ‘early engagement’ with emerging technologies, such as synthetic biology and stimulating debate hereon – which is also the topic of my PhD thesis. During my time here, I also got experience with several media (TV, Radio and newspapers), and collaborated with artists. For instance, check out the clip of visual artist Floris Kaayk’s ‘Modular Body’ below:,