Our team
Operational management
The facility managers are responsible for day-to-day operation of the facility. For their management tasks, they are supported by a small team which provides administrative, financial and communication support. Facility management is coordinated by both Utrecht University and Wageningen University & Research.
Dr. T.P. (Dolf) Straathof, Managing Director (WUR)
Dr. R.L. (Roeland) Berendsen, Managing Director (UU)
H.J. (Rick) van de Zedde, MSc, Chief Technology Officer (WUR)
Dr. V. (Valerian) Meline, Phenomics and Data Scientist (UU)
J.J.J. (Joep) Laan, Operational Manager Open Field (WUR)
Dr. V. (Vinicius) Munaldi Lube, Phenomics Engineer (UU)
Dr. M. (Marciel) Pereira Mendes (UU)
Jannick Verstegen (WUR)
Jonatan Hovenkamp
R. (Rene) Alles
M. (Rinie) Verwoert
NPEC data team
Peter Roos, Data Steward (WUR)
Sven Warris, Data Team Lead (WUR)
Tim van Daalen, Data & Sensors Quality Lead (WUR)
Joris Luijsterburg, RDM Infra (WUR)
Executive board
Responsible for the overall scientific and strategic management of the NPEC facility. Decides on the acquisition, maintenance and upgrades of the facility and it closely monitors both the technical progress as well as the financial state of affairs.
Members
Prof. Dr. M.G.M. (Mark) Aarts (WUR); Chair
Prof. Dr. Ir. G.B. (Gerlinde) de Deyn (WUR)
Prof. Dr. Ir. C.M.J. (Corné) Pieterse (UU)
Prof. Dr. G.A. (George) Kowalchuk (UU)
Supervisory Board
Monitors the Facility on a ‘not day-to-day basis’ and advises the Executive Board on the annual financial, management reports and future strategic opportunities and developments.
Members
Prof. Dr. J.C.M. (Sjef) Smeekens (UU); chair
Dr. Ir. P.W.J.R. (Petra) Caessens (WUR)
Prof. Dr. Ir. B.J.G. (Ben) Scheres (RijkZwaan)
Prof. Dr. G.R. (Geert) de Snoo (NIOO-KNAW)
NPEC technical experts / ambassadors
Module 1 – Ecotron
Dr. K.E. (Kathryn) Barry (UU)
Prof. Dr. G.A. (George) Kowalchuk (UU)
Module 2 – Plant-Microbe Interaction Phenotyping
Dr. R.L. (Roeland) Berendsen (UU)
Prof. Dr. Ir. C.M.J. (Corné) Pieterse (UU)
Module 3 – Multi-Environment Climate Chambers
Dr. D.H. (Diederik) Keuskamp (UU)
Dr. M. (Martijn) van Zanten (UU)
Module 4 - Growth Rooms
Dr. T.P.J.M. (Tom) Theeuwen, growth room CF imaging & photosynthesis (WUR)
Dr. S.A. (Sofia) Bengoa Luoni, growth room CF imaging & PSI software (WUR)
Dr. J.A. (Joseph) Peller – spectral imaging, colour calibration & light measurements (WUR)
Module 5 - Greenhouse
Dr. E.N. (Robert) van Loo, Plantarray system & drought protocols (WUR)
P.V. (Viviana) Jaramillo Roman, Plantarray system & lab-to-field protocols (WUR)
Dr. Ing. G. (Gerrit) Polder, spectral imaging
Module 6 - Open Field
Dr. M. (Magdalena) Smigaj, UAV thermal imaging & calibration (WUR)
Dr. H.M. (Harm) Bartholomeus, UAVs imaging and data processing (WUR)
Ing. H. (Henk) Kramer, TraitSeeker UAV data fusion and RTK-GPS alignment (WUR)
NPEC User Platform
Prof. Dr. V.A. (Viola) Willemsen, Chair UP (WUR)
User Platform members
- Teun Munnik (UvA)
- Martijn Bezemer (Leiden)
- Remko Offringa (Leiden)
- Marcel Proveniers (UU)
- Fred van Eeuwijk (WUR)
- Gerard van der Linden (WUR)
- Ingrid van der Meer (WUR)
- Geert Smant (WUR)
- Wi van der Putten (NIOO)
- Kathryn Berry (UU)
- Marciel Pereira Mendes (UU)
International Advisory Board
Nine members of national and international renowned researchers and industrial R&D leaders in the field of Plant Sciences advise on the NPEC performance and future strategy at least annually, but also on its own initiative.
Members:
- Dr. Astrid Junker, head of Plant Phenotyping Syngenta, Germany
- Dr. Ulrich Schurr, Pflanzenwissenschaften Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
- Prof. Eva Rosenqvist, Section for Crop Sciences, Denmark
- Dr. Bettina Berger, University of Adelaide, Australia
- Dr. Francois Tardieu, INRA, France
- Prof. Malcolm Bennett, Faculty of Science Sutton Bonington Campus, United Kingdom
- Dr. Dong JIANG, College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, China
- Dr. Ir. Kris Audenaert, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Belgium
- Dr. Nico Eisenhauer, Leipzig University, Germany