SENSE
View this newsletter online
SENSE e-News
Research School for Socio-Economic and
Natural Sciences of the Environment
SENSE e-News
    Newsletter December
02 December 2015
Table of contents
Editorial
SENSE News
UNESCO-IHE officer-in-charge prof. Stefan Uhlenbrook takes on new challenge ››
Wageningen University has appointed Niklas Höhne as professor Mitigation of Greenhouse Gasses ››
SENSE researchers (UU) evaluated the wind farm in Houten ››
Dutch professors call for closing of coal-fired electricity plants ››
Download inaugural lecture Detlef van Vuuren (UU): "Integrated assessment: Back to the Future" ››
Urban heat island is an urban cool island in the morning ››
Carina van der Laan (UU) gave an interview for Nieuwsuur (NOS) on 4 November about the forest fires in Indonesia ››
The Dutch National Research Agenda ››
Upcoming PhD Graduations
Overview of PhD graduations upcoming period ››
Upcoming Courses
Grasping Sustainability, 22-26 February 2016 ››
The Science of Conservation; Managing Biodiversity in a Changing World, 2-12 March 2016 ››
Overview of PhD / postdoc courses December-February ››
Overview of recently announced PhD / postdoc courses ››
Discussion Groups
Reading group Environmental Economics, every second week on Wednesday ››
Wageningen Evolution and Ecology Seminars (WEES) - Tinde van Andel, Naturalis & Wageningen UR, 17 December ››
Upcoming Events
CleanSea Project presents: Marine Litter Symposium and Film Premiere, 3 December ››
Climate Negotiation Game and Climate Movie, 10 December ››
EURO-AGRIWAT conference Water Footprint of agricultural products: progress, challenges and solutions, 7-9 March 2016 ››
Overview of upcoming events ››
Tips
Call for nominations Volvo Environment Prize, deadline 10 January 2016 ››
New vacancies
Onderzoeker Bewonersgerichte aanpak energiebesparing, Wageningen University, deadline 8 December ››
OT-Med postdoctoral position: Modelling of the land-sea nutrient transfer to the Mediterranean sea under different land management scenarios, Marseille, France ››
Assistant Professor (UD) for the Natural hazards and disaster risk management group, ITC, Twente University, deadline 31 December ››
Associate/Assistant Professor (UHD/UD) for the Geological remote sensing of earth resources group, ITC, Twente University, deadline 31 December ››
Study director ecotoxicology / biology, WIL Research, Den Bosch ››
Four PhD positions, ITC, Twente University, deadline 31 December ››
More vacancies ››
SENSE headlines
Dutch professors call for closing of coal-fired electricity plants
Course "Grasping Sustainability", 22-26 February 2016
CleanSea Marine Litter Symposium and Film Premiere, 3 December
Climate Negotiation Game and Climate Movie, 10 December
EURO-AGRIWAT conference Water Footprint of agricultural products: progress, challenges and solutions, 7-9 March 2016
Editorial
These days, it is almost an understatement to sing with Bob Dylan ‘the times they are a-changing..’. Let’s face it, we live in a world that can be quite confusing sometimes. The Climate Summit in Paris, with which 2015 will be concluded, is lined both with growing concern and also with heart-warming initiatives.

To have sufficient optimism is indeed a very good thing, especially since the challenges before us can seem quite daunting. One research initiative that may be worth your while during the Xmas recess can be found at: http://deepdecarbonization.org/reports-analyses/. Perhaps food for further thought and debate in the New Year?

Meanwhile it is very important also to count our blessings and to value the progress that we make. Therefore, we feel positive about sharing with you some (bad and good) news from the SENSE Board of Directors. The bad news is that our most appreciated SENSE General Director, Prof. Juliette Legler, has accepted a very attractive position at Brunel University London – where she will lead the theme "Environment and Health", which is part of the Institute of Environment, Health and Societies. Of course, we congratulate Juliette with this excellent opportunity (especially since she has promised to keep in touch and perhaps organize some initiatives together from London also). The good news following this bad news, lies in the fact that we have found an excellent new SENSE General Director: Prof. Philipp Pattberg, who is professor of Transnational Environmental Governance and Policy and Department head of Environmental Policy Analysis at IVM, VU.

And besides this, there is even more bad news... our most appreciated SENSE Director of Research, Prof. Ernst Worrell, has decided to step down due to an increasingly full schedule. Of course we will celebrate the fact that Ernst has been an excellent member of the SENSE Board of Directors during almost eight (!) years: loyal efforts such as these compose the energy by which the SENSE network ticks. Fortunately, we have also found an excellent new SENSE Director of Research: Prof. Max Rietkerk, who is professor of Spatial Ecology and Global Change at the Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University.

Indeed, “the times they are a-changing (a lot)...” – but at the same time we have plenty reason to be optimistic about our strengths and possibilities to further contribute towards changes ‘for the better’.

Let’s (continue to) make SENSE together!

Ad van Dommelen
SENSE Director of Education

During the SENSE Strategy Meeting of 21 April, SENSE decided to organise an international conference every second year. The first one will be the EURO-AGRIWAT conference Water footprint of agricultural products: progress, challenges and solutions, in cooperation with the European Cost Action EuroAgriwat. The conference will take place from 7-9 March 2016.
SENSE PhD candidates pay a reduced fee. The deadline for abstract submission is extended till 6 December.
 


The SENSE team wishes all of you very good December holidays!

SENSE News
UNESCO-IHE officer-in-charge prof. Stefan Uhlenbrook takes on new challenge
Officer-in-Charge Professor Stefan Uhlenbrook has decided to take on a new professional challenge as the new coordinator (Director) of the UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), a UNESCO programme based in Perugia, Italy per 1 November 2015.

Stefan Uhlenbrook served UNESCO-IHE for almost 11 years in different functions. "Looking back on these years, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work on such a wide range of water issues in very different environments within a single organization, i.e. education/research/capacity development, with high impact for sustainable development," says Stefan Uhlenbrook.

On 11 December UNESCO-IHE is organizing a mini symposium on the key role of water resources assessment and management in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), followed by the Farewell Event of Professor Stefan Uhlenbrook. He will give a valedictory address on '10ᶾ experiences – striving for global impact on water challenges.'
Read more ››
Wageningen University has appointed Niklas Höhne as professor Mitigation of Greenhouse Gasses
The executive board of Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) has appointed Niklas Höhne as special professor ‘Mitigation of Greenhouse Gasses’. The appointment for starts at 15 November and will last for 5 years. The chair is funded by the NewClimate Institute.

Prof.dr. Niklas Höhne (Hamburg, 1970) studied Physics in Aachen and Lyon. His PhD was entitled ‘What is next after the Kyoto Protocol?’ He worked some years at the United Nations, partly for the climate negotiations in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and at Ecofys in Germany. Höhne is an expert on the world wide problem of greenhouse gas emissions. Niklas Höhne is founding partner of the NewClimate Institute.
Read more ››
SENSE researchers (UU) evaluated the wind farm in Houten
27 October the report of the Houten wind farm evaluation has been made public after a press meeting organized by Houten. The report (in Dutch) is a Copernicus coproduction of the innovation (Frank van Rijnsoever, Kevin Broecks and Robert Harmsen) and energy group.
RTV Utrecht picked it up and made an item (in Dutch).
Read more ››
Dutch professors call for closing of coal-fired electricity plants
Met een open brief in Trouw roepen 64 hoogleraren de regering op om alle kolencentrales te sluiten. De hoogleraren vinden dat de regering aan de vooravond van de VN-klimaattop een signaal moet afgeven.

Prof. dr. Ernst Worrell, hoogleraar aan het Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development van de Universiteit Utrecht en scheidend SENSE Directeur Onderzoek, is een van de ondertekenaars. ‘Voor Nederland is het eigenlijk heel dramatisch: we moeten 25% omlaag met onze uitstoot, maar het afgelopen jaar is de uitstoot alleen maar gestegen,’ aldus Worrell. ‘Door de goedkope kolen hebben we de kolencentrales harder laten draaien dan de gasgestookte centrales.
Read more ››
Download inaugural lecture Detlef van Vuuren (UU): "Integrated assessment: Back to the Future"
Huidige beslissingen rond energie- en voedselvoorziening kunnen het mondiale milieu nog eeuwen beïnvloeden. Wetenschappers kunnen bijdragen aan het maken van de juiste keuzes door middel van toekomstverkenning. In zijn inaugurale rede gaat Detlef van Vuuren in op de mogelijkheden van dit soort verkenningen door middel van complexe computermodellen. Als voorbeeld gebruikt hij het klimaatprobleem. Internationaal is afgesproken dat het klimaat op aarde met maximaal twee graden mag stijgen. Volgens Van Vuuren een enorme opgave, maar toekomstverkenningen laten zien dat het niet onmogelijk is. In zijn inaugurale rede zegt hij: “Ons CO2-budget is bijna op. Er zijn nog steeds paden die binnen het budget blijven – maar hiervoor zijn forse keuzes nodig.”
Read more ››
Urban heat island is an urban cool island in the morning
Op 18 november promoveerde Natalie Theeuwes (WU) op het hitte-eiland-effect met enkele opmerkelijke vondsten die ze in haar proefschrift gedetailleerd heeft uitgewerkt. ’s Ochtends blijkt het in de stad koeler te zijn dan daarbuiten. En het meten van oppervlaktetemperaturen blijkt een slechte indicator te zijn voor het hitte-eiland-effect. Promotor was Bert Holtslag met als co-promotoren Gert-Jan Steeneveld en Reinder Ronda.

“Het urban heat island-effect doet zich overal ter wereld voor,“ zegt Natalie Theeuwes. “Vooral ’s avonds en ’s nachts is het in de stad warmer dan op het omringende platteland. In mijn proefschrift heb ik onderzocht welke processen de temperatuur in de stad, en dus het urban heat island-effect, reguleren."
Read more ››
Carina van der Laan (UU) gave an interview for Nieuwsuur (NOS) on 4 November about the forest fires in Indonesia
Indonesië kampt sinds deze zomer met grote bosbranden, vooral op de eilanden Kalimantan, Sumatra en Java. Er is veel milieuschade: smog, vervuiling en verwoesting van het tropisch regenwoud en de kostbare veengrond die in honderden jaren is ontstaan.
Nieuwsuur spreekt met Hans Beukeboom, bomenexpert van het Wereld Natuur Fonds op Borneo, klimaatonderzoeker Guido van der Werf en Carina van der Laan, landbouwonderzoeker aan de Universiteit Utrecht.
Read more ››
The Dutch National Research Agenda
Last Friday, 27 November 2015, the Dutch National Research Agenda was presented. During the previous year, almost 12.000 questions were submitted by both individual civilians and institutions, which were evaluated and processed by 5 juries, consisting of scientist from different backgrounds. The Knowledge Coalition, led by professors Beatrice de Graaf and Alexander Rinnooy Kan, was responsible for the establishment of The Dutch National Research Agenda. The knowledge coalition comprises the universities, the universities of applied sciences, the university medical centres, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers, Royal Association MKB Nederland, and Federation TO2 (the institutes for applied research).

The Dutch National Research Agenda contains 140 cluster questions structured through 16 exemplary routes. We are pleased to see that SENSE research topics are well represented in the National Research Agenda. All questions are linked to current policy agendas and research agendas from institutes. You can check if your institute is well represented here.

In the upcoming years the Knowledge Coalition will use the Research Agenda as a basis for further consideration and prioritisation of important scientific research areas, as defined in the Science Vision 2025. Collectively with scientists, companies and societal organisations, the Knowledge Coalition will distinguish priorities, further develop the routes, and establish an investment plan.
Upcoming PhD Graduations
Overview of PhD graduations upcoming period
  • Jelmer Nijp
    Fine scale ecohydrological processes in northern peatlands and their relevance for the carbon cycle
    1 December 2015, Wageningen University, Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology
     
  • Pascalle Jacobs
    The impact of pelagic mussel collectors on plankton in the western Wadden Sea, the Netherlands
    4 December 2015, Wageningen University, Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality
     
  • Peer Timmers
    Exploring the ecophysiology of anaerobic communities of methanotrophic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria
    4 December 2015, Wageningen University, Microbiology
     
  • Merel van der Wal
    The role of computer models in social learning for participatory natural resource management
    4 December 2015, Open University, Management, Science & Technology
     
  • Zhubiao Ni
    Bioremediation of Chlorinated Ethenes in Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage
    8 December 2015, Wageningen University, Environmental Technology
     
  • Slava Vasenev
    How does urbanization affect spatial variability and temporal dynamics of soil organic carbon in the Moscow region?
    8 December 2015, Wageningen University, Environmental Systems Analysis
     
  • Jeltsje Sanne Kemerink-Seyoum
    Policies lost in translation? Unravelling water reform processes in African waterscapes
    10 December 2015, UNESCO-IHE, Water Governance
     
  • Anne Sjoerd Brouwer
    Capturing low-carbon power system dynamics
    11 December 2015, Utrecht University, Energy and Resources
     
  • Irene Alvarado Quesada
    International cooperation for biodiversity conservation: an economic analysis
    14 December 2015, Wageningen University, Environmental Economics and Natural Resources
     
  • Marjolein Sterk
    Operationalising resilience for ecosystem management by assessing ecosystems' adaptive capacity
    15 December 2015, Wageningen University, Environmental Systems Analysis
     
  • Christian Siderius
    Flexibility in land and water use for coping with rainfall variability
    18 December 2015, Wageningen University, Environmental Economics and Natural Resources
     
  • Laurens Welles
    Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal: Metabolic Insights and Salinity Effects
    22 December 2015, UNESCO-IHE, Sanitary Engineering
      
More upcoming graduations ››
Upcoming Courses
Grasping Sustainability, 22-26 February 2016
Explore, understand and utilise sustainability, the different concepts, objectives, indicators and methodologies.

To date, many different scientific concepts and approaches of environmental sustainability exist. What are the differences? What do they entail? How can you achieve sustainable development? How can you apply sustainability in your own research? Moreover, what is your role as a scientist and how can you deal with facts, insecurities, values and opinions?

This course will enable you to grasp sustainability and to apply concepts and approaches to your own research.
Read more ››
The Science of Conservation; Managing Biodiversity in a Changing World, 2-12 March 2016
Due to human land use and climate change, the world around us is changing rapidly. Natural vegetation and wildlife are challenged to adapt to these changes, but in many areas biodiversity is declining. The loss of biodiversity has been put forward as an underestimated driver of global change. The repercussions of these losses for ecosystem functioning and human well-being may be enormous.



Traditionally, major advancements have been made in the field of ecology, but conservation research has increasingly acknowledged the importance of economic and social dimensions in determining the trajectory of human-biodiversity interaction. The complexity of human-wildlife interaction raises a fundamental question: How do we balance healthy and diverse vegetation and wildlife with the requirement of social and economic sustainability? This question is central to this course on the science of conservation.
Read more ››
Overview of PhD / postdoc courses December-February
Overview of recently announced PhD / postdoc courses
More upcoming courses ››
Discussion Groups
Reading group Environmental Economics, every second week on Wednesday
A reading group with PhD students in the field of Environmental Economics. Each week one of us presents
  • a paper in the broad field of environmental economics that he/she finds interesting (everyone reads the paper on beforehand), or
  • a working paper he/she is working on, or
  • the research set-up of an experiment or survey he/she is working on, or
  • a topic he/she finds interesting based on a collection of the relevant literature.
After the presentation (±20 mins) the remaining will be used for discussion. The group is open for new participants and new topics!
Read more ››
Wageningen Evolution and Ecology Seminars (WEES) - Tinde van Andel, Naturalis & Wageningen UR, 17 December
WEES is an initiative from PhD students and postdocs at Wageningen University to organize a continuing series of stimulating seminars on contemporary topics in evolution and ecology. We aim to bring together different groups at Wageningen University using a variety of systems, but with a common interest in evolutionary and ecological questions. For this series we invite researchers from all over the world that have leading roles in their field. After the talk there will be drinks for an informal discussion and a dinner in town with the speaker.
Read more ››
Upcoming Events
CleanSea Project presents: Marine Litter Symposium and Film Premiere, 3 December
CleanSea, a large European research project, aims to provide instruments and tools to keep European seas clean, healthy and productive. For doing so, it is improving the knowledge and understanding of marine litter composition, distribution and impact in order to identify strategies and right mix of measures to abate this problem.

On 3 December CleanSea will present a showcase of marine litter research highlights, marine litter documentary film and roadmap towards litter-free seas.
Read more ››
Climate Negotiation Game and Climate Movie, 10 December
Wanna learn how to negatiate on climate change? Learn which choices and interests are important while negatiating with different countrlies by playing the Climate Negatiation Game. (9-12.30 hrs)

Wanna see how research shows the devastating effects of a changing climate on ice? Watch the movie Chasing Ice. Discussion afterwards! (20-22 hrs)

Next to these climate event there will also be the farewell symposium of SENSE climate professor Pier Vellinga: "More sea or more Sun". (14-17 hrs)
Read more ››
EURO-AGRIWAT conference Water Footprint of agricultural products: progress, challenges and solutions, 7-9 March 2016
Water represents a main resource for human activities and its management. Together with food and energy production, water scarcity is one of the most outstanding problems for society. In most European regions agricultural productions are intensive water consumers. Therefore, these systems are very vulnerable to a potential decrease in water availability.

In 2011 a European Concerted Reseach Action (COST) started, aimed at the Assessment of EUROpean AGRIculture WATer use and trade under climate change (EURO-AGRIWAT).

EURO-AGRIWAT intends to prepare and disseminate recommendations and guidelines for enabling a more efficient water resource management in relation with agricultural activities under climate change and variability, and involves collaboration between scientists and stakeholders.

Extended deadline of the call for abstracts for oral contributions: 6 December 2015.
Co-organised by SENSE.
Read more ››
Overview of upcoming events
Recently announced:
Full list of interesting upcoming events:
See SENSE website ››
Tips
Call for nominations Volvo Environment Prize, deadline 10 January 2016
Since the first award in 1990 the Volvo Environment Prize has become one of the scientific world’s most respected environmental prizes.
 
Laureates represent all fields of environmental and sustainability studies and initiatives. The Volvo Environment Prize is awarded by an independent foundation. A Scientific Committee does the initial screening and evaluation of candidates. The International Prize Jury, a group of internationally renowned scientists, makes the final selection of prize laureate.

The Volvo Environment Prize is awarded annually. The Prize consists of a hand-crafted diploma, a glass sculpture and a cash award for SEK 1.5 million (approximately EUR 165,000 or USD 215,000). The award ceremony is in Stockholm in November each year.

Please nominate for the Volvo Environment Prize 2016. To be considered, nominations must be submitted before January 10, 2016.

The Volvo Environment Prize Foundation invites universities, research institutes, scientists and engineers as well as other individuals and organisations to submit nominations for the Volvo Environment Prize. Priority is given to an individual or to a group of named individuals rather than to institutions.
Read more ››
New vacancies
Onderzoeker Bewonersgerichte aanpak energiebesparing, Wageningen University, deadline 8 December
De vakgroep Milieubeleid (Wageningen Universiteit) heeft een vacature voor een onderzoeker binnen het STEM-project ‘Doorontwikkeling en Opschaling Bewonersgerichte Aanpak Energiebesparing’. Dit project wordt in samenwerking met HIER Klimaatbureau en een drietal private partijen (KUUB, HOOM en Buurkracht) uitgevoerd.
Read more ››
OT-Med postdoctoral position: Modelling of the land-sea nutrient transfer to the Mediterranean sea under different land management scenarios, Marseille, France
We seek a post-doctoral scientist for the project “Towards an integrated prediction of Land & Sea Responses to global change in the Mediterranean Basin” (LaSeR-Med), which focusses on integrated socio-ecological modelling. The duration of the contract is initially one year, with a possible extension for a second year, depending on the initial results. The post-doc will be based within the Mediterranean Institute of marine and terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE) in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Read more ››
Assistant Professor (UD) for the Natural hazards and disaster risk management group, ITC, Twente University, deadline 31 December
Your excellent research contributes well to the ESA department, resulting in publications in high impact journals. You develop education and teach at MSc level for an international class room, and supervise research at the graduate level (MSc and PhD). You have or are willing to obtain in the near future, a basic teaching qualification. You join in research and capacity development projects and help in project acquisition.
Read more ››
Associate/Assistant Professor (UHD/UD) for the Geological remote sensing of earth resources group, ITC, Twente University, deadline 31 December
Your excellent research contributes well to the ESA department, resulting in publications in high impact journals. You develop education and teach at MSc level for an international class room, and supervise research at the graduate level (MSc and PhD). You have or are willing to obtain in the near future, a basic teaching qualification. You join in research and capacity development projects and help in project acquisition.
Read more ››
Study director ecotoxicology / biology, WIL Research, Den Bosch
WIL Research is een internationaal opererend gerenommeerd contract-research laboratorium. Het bedrijf is gespecialiseerd op het terrein van milieu- en veiligheidsonderzoek voor nieuwe en bestaande geneesmiddelen, chemische stoffen en producten. Kwaliteitsdenken vormt de kern van de onderneming. De opdrachtgevers zijn internationale farmaceutische, chemische en agrochemische bedrijven.

Onder leiding van de study director worden studies opgezet en uitgevoerd. De study director draagt de zorg en de verantwoordelijkheid voor de planning, het verloop en de kwaliteit van de studies, interpretatie van de resultaten en de wetenschappelijke inhoud van het rapport. Tevens houdt de study director intensief contact met klanten om een goede vertrouwensbasis op te bouwen.
Read more ››
Four PhD positions, ITC, Twente University, deadline 31 December
  • Changing climatic extremes impacting natural hazards, Read more ››
  • Influence of geologic sample surfaces on TIR spectroscopy, Read more ››
  • Land use changes impact on meteorological triggers for floods, Read more ››
  • Socio-economic resilience and post-disaster recovery assessment using remote sensing and spatial economic modeling, Read more ››
More vacancies
During the month new vacancies are regularly posted on the SENSE vacancy page and in the SENSE LinkedIn group.

This newsletter is published by the
SENSE Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment.

If you have information that you would like to see included in the next SENSE e-News,
please use our contact form.