I am currently an Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing of Wageningen University.

My specialization is interdisciplinary research on land use change dynamics, climate change mitigation and sustainable development, with an emphasis on spatial analysis & remote sensing technologies.

In the context of REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, plus enhancing forest carbon stocks) and climate change mitigation, my research focuses on national forest monitoring for REDD+, drivers of tropical deforestation and the role of earth observation in acheiving transformational change towards climate- and forest-friendly food systems.

I also like to explore ways to visualise and present scientific data to a wider (non-scientist) audience, because bringing science ‘to life’ is an important aspect of being an applied scientist.

Check out this story map, developed for an international data visualisation competition, that illustrates the role of forests in feeding the world.

The Global Comparative Study on REDD+ (GCS REDD+)

The GCS REDD+ project, led by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), builds on 20+ years of research to understand the causes of deforestation and forest degradation as well as to explore what can be done to reverse those trends in tropical countries. We are currently in the third phase, which focuses on the assessment of policy design and actual impacts of REDD+ policies and measures as a basis to achieving results in the broader context of landscape management, livelihood objectives and equity considerations. The project focuses on 7 target countries: Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guyana, Indonesia, Peru, Vietnam and Myanmar.

Within this project, the Laboratory of Geo-Information and Remote Sensing leads the module on forest and carbon emissions monitoring. The research in this module aims to improve procedures and practices for estimating and monitoring carbon stocks of tropical forest landscapes to support better and more cost-efficient measurement and monitoring systems and institutions for national and sub-national REDD+ programmes. In addition, we aim to provide better data and assessments on mitigation policy options and the role of forests in setting country targets and planning mitigation activities in the broader land use sector.