About Bregje van Wesenbeeck

Dr. Bregje van Wesenbeeck is the scientific director of Deltares, a Dutch research institute for water management, and a senior expert in nature-based solutions. She also is an associate professor at the Delft University of Technology in nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation for climate change and disaster risk reduction. Her research focusses on biogeomorphological interactions in deltas with a focus on salt marshes and mangroves and she teaches natural process understanding throughout the curriculum of TUD. She initiated testing programs of vegetated coastal and river landscapes under extreme conditions. This work is used to improve numerical models to increase reliability and predictability of NbS functioning. In addition, she investigates effective restoration of coastal habitats. She strives to both strengthen the scientific foundation and further practical application of nature-based solutions. At Deltares she has over 15 years’ experience in working with development banks, UN, NGO’s and governments in Asia, Africa, USA and the Netherlands, for whom she provides advice on flood risk reduction, erosion mitigation and climate change adaptation. She uses her system knowledge and project experience to evaluate feasibility of intervention strategies in different coastal, riverine and urban environments. As scientific director she chairs the science council of Deltares, which advices on quality and direction of the work and organization. She is an inclusive, patient and pragmatic team leader with experience in leading multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

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