About Astha Bhatta - Jansen

The contribution of Astha to Enabling Delta Life, builds on several years of working at the interface of scientific research, collaboration, and policy. During her PhD at TU Delft’s Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, she examined how Living Labs that focus on nature‑based solutions can drive innovation in land and water management. This work explored how diverse stakeholders learn together within these real-world settings and how their innovation and learning impacts policy and practice, drawing on Dutch cases within a coastal lowland area, sandy‑soil region, river system, and delta island. Before her PhD, she worked at Wageningen University on the Urbanizing the Deltas of the World project, which introduced her to the technical, economical, governance and societal dimensions of delta water management. Her work background has deepened her appreciation for the complexity of land and water systems and the importance for integrative approaches that bring together multiple forms of knowledge.

With a foundation in civil engineering from Nepal and an MSc in Urban Environmental Management, Astha's strengths lies in interdisciplinary analysis, connecting perspectives, and bringing analytical insights across scientific and practitioner communities. In broad terms, her interests lie in inter- and trans-disciplinary work, especially across the socio-environmental, governance and policy dimensions of land, soil, and water management.