Communications

2009 – today

Freelance Senior Communications Consultant specialized in life sciences and health.
Key services: Communication and media strategies; Crisis communication & preparation; (Media) training (en/nl); Debate moderation (en/nl); Native-English/Dutch writing & editing (e.g. funding proposals).

2006 – today

Freelance moderator of public debates. Examples include a debate series (Dutch/English) on the impact of international borders (by De Rode Hoed and the University of Amsterdam), a conference of FNV Bondgenoten (a Dutch labor union), a discussion on translational research on matter at the Innovatieproeftuin and debates at Bessensap, a science-meets-journalism event organized by NWO and the Dutch Association of Science writers (VWN).

2006 – 2009

Strategic Senior Consultant at Schuttelaar & Partners, a consultancy firm based in Brussels (Belgium) and The Hague (The Netherlands). My focal points at the firm were handling international accounts and building the Brussels office. Work included providing extensive services such as building (web) communication and media strategies, crisis communication and -preparation, media training and writing and editing funding proposals. At the firm, I worked for clients in industry, government, civil society and combinations thereof.

2004 – 2006

Freelance Communications Consultant for clients such as Nature Biotechnology and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

Journalism

2006 – today

Freelance science writer, based in Amsterdam and Paris, reporting for clients such as Nature Biotechnology and Advocatenblad (journal of the Dutch Bar Association).

2004 – 2006

Freelance science writer, based in Amsterdam and Paris, reporting for clients such as Nature Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Bioentrepreneur, and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. Also, science writing for Dutch newspapers and magazines such as NRC Handelsblad, Intermediair, Binnenlands Bestuur and Advocatenblad.

1999 – 2004

Freelance United States correspondent, based in Washington DC, reporting on science, history, economy, law etc., for Dutch newspapers and magazines such as NRC Handelsblad, Intermediair, Het Parool, Staatscourant, Historisch Nieuwsblad and Advocatenblad.

1990 – 1999

Editor/Reporter at daily newspaper Het Parool. Responsibilities included: Reporting (higher) education policy up to national cabinet and parliament levels; reporting science; coordinating and editing special sections and supplements on higher education and science; initiating, creating and managing the paper's first website and hiring its editorial team; co-founding, coordinating and presenting a public debate series and a nation-wide student thesis competition; chairing the paper's editorial advisory board. Member of works council.

1993 – 1998

Host/Editor of award-winning tv-shows and documentaries for Dutch public television, such as
- Het Souterrain ('The Basement'), short series of talkshows on future biomedical dilemmas arising from current research;
- Een Rondje DNA ('A Round Of DNA'), thirteen mini-documentaries on DNA technology and its consequences;
- Gif Om Op Te Vreten ('Feeding On Poison'), documentary on the use of genetically engineered micro-organisms to clean up chemical pollutants;
- Voor Een Breed Publiek ('For A Large Audience'), documentary on scientists who go out to tell the world about their work.

1985 – 1990

Interim Editor-in-chief/Editor/Reporter at UK (weekly newspaper of University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands). Responsibilities included: science writing & editing; implementing editorial computer system and desktop publishing; supervising restyling; chairing editorial staff.

Teaching

2008

Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), research division of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (freelance). Subject: media handling for (young) scientists.

1993 – 1999

Faculty of Communication and Journalism, Utrecht Polytechnic, Utrecht, The Netherlands (freelance). Subject: health science writing.

1990 – 1999

Foundation for science journalism and information, Utrecht, The Netherlands (freelance). Subject: science writing.

1998

Boekman Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (freelance). Coaching of editorial staff of Boekmancahier.

1993 – 1995

Moderator of panel discussions on reproductive technology and bioethics; lectures on state of affairs in biotechnology.

Books

1992

Perfectie Op Bestelling — Genetische Manipulatie In Het Dagelijks Leven ('Perfection Made To Order — Genetic Engineering In Daily Life'.); 152 pp., publ. Aramith Uitgevers, ISBN 90-6834-108-1. On the state of affairs in biotechnology and what it holds in store for ordinary people's lives.

Awards

1999

Van Walree-award from the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences) for documentary series Een Rondje DNA and Het Souterrain. Granted to producer Jan Vink (Science Productions).

1998

Press award from Wageningen University (The Netherlands); for selected articles on agriculture, science and the environment.

1997

Teyler Initiatief-award from Teylers Museum Haarlem (The Netherlands); for tv documentaries Gif Om Op Te Vreten and Een Rondje DNA. Granted to producer Jan Vink (Science Productions).

Training

1996

New media & internet publishing: 3-week crash course with excursions covering best practice examples in Houston TX, Phoenix AZ, San Francisco CA, and San Jose CA, with additional excursions to New York Times and Chicago Tribune. Organized by the Newspaper Association of America (NAA).

1980 – 1989

M. Sc. (Biology, highest honors) at University of Groningen (The Netherlands) with:
- De Oorzaak Van Homoseksualiteit; Achtergronden Van De 'Affaire-Swaab' ('Causes of Homosexuality; Background To The 'Swaab Affair'), colloquium and thesis on research into suggested etiologies of homosexuality;
- Een Onpraktisch Vak ('An Impractical Profession'), thesis on the rise and fall of mammalian paleontology in The Netherlands;
- Behavioral research on circadian pacemaker in diurnal chipmunks. Published in: J. Biological Rhythms 14 (4) pp. 320-329;
- Teaching credentials (for high school, college and polytechnic).

Languages

Mother tongue: Dutch.
Other: English (proficient); German (independent); Spanish, French (basic).