For me, a career at sea was truly a boyhood dream – I wanted to be outdoors and see the world. At the age of 20, I left for the Maritime Academy on Terschelling. I spent years sailing in deep-sea shipping, which was a remarkable period in my life. For example, I once lay anchored off North Korea with a full cargo destined for a closed harbour, and I transported an oil rig to Madagascar. In the Bay of Biscay, I marvelled at the container ships that seemed to defy the towering waves with ease.
After some time, however, I felt I had had my fill. I also became a father for the first time, which made the long days at sea less appealing. I then worked for several years as a nautical cartographer for the Royal Netherlands Navy, until I came across a vacancy for a lecturer in Nautical Science on Terschelling. Together with my wife, children and the swing – which absolutely had to come along – we moved to the Wadden Island.
What are your research interests/specialisms?
I currently work as a lecturer-researcher at MIWB and I am also a PhD candidate. My interests include Human-Machine Interaction, Augmented Reality, AIS data analysis, Nautical Cartography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Meteorology and Wind Propulsion. In addition, I am a member of the Examination Board.
What is your role at NHL Stenden and what are your goals and responsibilities?
With great passion and love for the maritime profession, I now teach on the master’s programme. I teach courses such as Statistics, Navigation and Human-Machine Interface. I also supervise students' research projects. Every day is different. Seafaring today is completely different from how it was 40 years ago. Technologies are changing, and people are asking more critical questions about sustainability. This is why it is so important to consider the future of the maritime industry today. I teach students to view the maritime world critically and analytically. Theory is always linked to an assignment that students can carry out within their own company. This makes the Master's programme highly applicable.
Alongside the Master's programme, I have just started my PhD.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I enjoy tinkering with vintage stereo equipment, including triode tubes. I also love cycling through Italian wine regions.