About Me
Welcome to my website. Thank you for taking interest in my work.
Key was, and still is, the integration of Civil Engineering and the perspectives Industrial Engineering and Public Administration. Why? Managing projects and delivering infrastructures is as much an organisational as a technical challenge. Roads, canals, bridges, railways et cetera are public goods, ordered by public agencies, and are built by private engineering firms and contractors. Integrating the interests and perspectives of these stakeholders is as important for progress and infrastructure renewal as are the sheer technological innovations. Since my first appointment at this university, I have had several roles and jobs in education, research and management, and became full professor in 2000 holding the chair of "Construction Industry Dynamics".
For more details on Research and Teaching see also the other tabs on this website.
key functions/roles:
- chair “Construction Industry Dynamics” (2000- …); member General Board dept Civil Engineering & Management (2021-…);
- UT envoy to build a cooperative vehicle with Saxion, ROC van Twente and regional stakeholders for upscaling the regional energy transition in the Build environment (2023-….);
- Management Team of 4TU Centre of Excellence for the Built Environment (2017-...)
- Co-initiator and professor of Neerlands Diep Academy's Core Program on Project Management for Public Clients (2008-...)
other functions/roles (selection)
- member of the SER coreteam human capital agenda for the energy transition (2019-..);
- Co-Chair of the core team of the Aphalt Research Impuls program (2017-2022);
- Initiator and director of ZoARG i.e. a program to streamline inner-city infrastructure project and to enhance safety and new technologies in subsurface utilities – to prevent excavation damages and digging incidents (2013-…)
- Initiator and director of Asphalt Paving Research & Innovation (ASPARi) (2005-…);
- Co-initiator and scientific advisor of board Pioneering and cluster Construction of the Innovation Platform Twente (2005-2019);
- Co-inititiator Field lab Digitalization Engery Transition Twente (FiDETT) (2020-...);
- Member editorial adv board "Construction Management & Economics"; (09- …);
Organisations
Ancillary Activities
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stichting p3bi
directeur -
ADoBz
advies, opleiding en begeleiding
Research
My research pivots around competition (markets), cooperation (organisations) and innovation dynamics in construction industry. Preferred perspectives (theory): neo-institutional economics, evolutionary economics and industrial organization and entrepreneurship. The aim is to understand and enhance industry change and technology adoption in the construction industry, in particular for infrastructures (roads, bridges, canals, utilities etc). Starting from 2020 I take special interest in innovations/approaches required to deal with the overhaul of utility networks for energy transition in the build environment. the projected shortage of human capital requires radical new approaches to integration to elevate learning- and innovation curves.
As researcher, I feel most related to systematic neo-pragmatism, and take pride in linking Science & Practice (“Pasteur’s quadrant”). Over the years, I progressed from the social science paradigm towards the design science paradigm (engaged scholarship); aiming at constructive intervention based on excellence in analysis and reflection. Current special research interests/aims are:
- Human Capital Agenda for the societal challenges in the Built Environment: Energy Transition, Climate Adaptation and Resilience. Digitalization is a challenge as well as an enabler.
- Structural inertia in systems of education, innovation and implementation that prevent integration of learning, innovation and implementation; structures that obstruct the triple/quadruple helix towards more productive approaches for the energy transition;
- The impact/leverage of public procurement on dynamics in construction industry; particularly for ‘sustainability trajectories/transitions’
- Technology as source for competitiveness for construction industry. Systems integrators as drivers for innovation and construction industry reform. New business paradigms, professionalism & SMART technologies in asphalt road construction (ASPARi) and utility networks (ZoARG).
- Regional Knowledge & Innovation Clusters in Construction Industry (several projects): focus on systems engineering, SMART Technologies, GPS/GIS pervasive systems and location based services.
- Developing UT campus as living lab for 3D mapping of subsurface infrastructure and utility networks. Developing smart ways to enhance reliability of instalment and maintenance of infrastructure networks in urban spaces (non invasive inner-city surgery). Both related to ‘streamlining inner city infrastructure project’ and ‘reduction of excavation damages and digging incidents’;
- Integration of Design Methodologies (as systems engineering; value engineering), Building Information Modelling (3D/4D/5D), Construction process modelling (simulation), maintenance and asset management (life cycle approach).
- Project evaluations: particularly projects implementing new tendering and contracting approaches seeking process integration and improvement of client-contractor cooperation;
Publications
UT Research Information System
Google Scholar Link
Education
Teaching and education related Activities:
- most effort given to supervision of BSc, MSc, EngD and PhD projects
- Postgraduate (current): Core faculty for Dutch States’ Project Academy (now called NeerlandsDiep), main areas: [1] dynamic in the construction industry; [2] developing reflective practice; [3] economic organization theory, [4] contracting schemes, trust & cooperation;
- Developing a life long learning portfolio for energy transition in the build environment;
- member of the program committee of the EngD CE program; 4TU Centre of Excellence Management team; mentor for employees of other faculties;
Affiliated Study Programmes
Bachelor
Master
Courses Academic Year 2023/2024
Courses Academic Year 2022/2023
Contact Details
Visiting Address
University of Twente
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Horst Complex
(building no. 20), room Z219
De Horst 2
7522LW Enschede
The Netherlands
Mailing Address
University of Twente
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Horst Complex
Z219
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands
Working days
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