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prof.dr. S.J.M.H. Hulscher (Suzanne)

Full Professor

About Me

SHORT CV OF PROF.DR. S.J.M.H. HULSCHER

From 2002 Prof. dr. Suzanne J.M.H. Hulscher is head of the group Water Engineering & Management. She received her PhD-grade in 1996 at the faculty Physics and Astronomy, on the topic modelling of bed patterns in coastal seas. The research was conducted at WL|Delft Hydraulics and IMAU, Utrecht University. Hereafter she held several scientific positions within the Cluster Civil Engineering & Management at the University of Twente, from 2002 she holds the chair Physics of Watersystems. As guest scientist she stayed in Canada and Spain. In 2002 she won the Minerva-award of FOM (Fundamental Research on Matter). In 2003, she was awarded a VICI-grant of the NWO (Dutch organization of scientific research) to investigate roughness modelling for water management applications. Hereafter (2006-2011) she was invited to join the DJA (young senior scientists) of the KNAW (Dutch academy of sciences) and the KNAW council for earth and climate. From 2007-2010 Hulscher was part of the Dutch Innovation Platform, chaired by Balkenende (former Dutch prime minister). Prof. Hulscher acted 40 times as promotor and she supervises 15 PhD students. From 2009 till 2012 prof. Hulscher was member of the committee of sciences & innovation (Commissie van Wijzen). Hulscher chairs the scientific advisory board of the Waddenacademie. Hulscher was member of the committees on the Hedwige polder and the closure barrier IJsselmeer, advising the Dutch government. Hulscher is PI of many STW and ALW projects on sand waves, coastal dunes and river dunes, often collaborating with TUD, UU, WUR, NIOZ and RU in a multi-disciplinary setting. In particular, Hulscher chaired the STW-perspective programme RiverCare in which 5 universities and 29 non-academic partners collaborate. Hulscher is (co-)author of 163 papers in refereed scientific journals (Web of Science) and she chaired the conferences MARID (2004) and RCEM (2007). During 2014-2016 Hulscher was member of the Board of NWO-ALW. STW appointed Suzanne Hulscher to Simon Stevin Meester in 2016, the highest award in the Technical Sciences in the Netherlands. From 2017 onwards Hulscher is elected member of the KNAW (Dutch academy of sciences). Suzanne Hulscher is kernel-member of the ENW (expertise network on watersafety) and chair the ENW-workgroup  Rivers. In 2019 Suzanne Hulscher started part-time as counsil member of the WRR (Scientific council for Governmental Policy).

EDUCATION

  • M.Sc. Theoretical Physics, with Mathematics as a minor, University of Utrecht, 1991
  • Ph.D. Physical Oceanography, University of Utrecht, 1996

WORK EXPERIENCE SINCE GRADUATING

  • 2002-pres: Full professor in Water Engineering & Management, inparticular Watersystems, Group leader of Water Engineering & Management, Department of Civil Enigneering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente (1,0 fte).
  • 2001-2002: Associate Professor in Marine Dynamics, Group of Water Engineering & Management, Department of Civil Enigneering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente (1,0 fte). From April 1st, 2002 ad-interim Group leader of Water Engineering & Management (1,0 fte).
  • 1999-2001: Assistant Professor, Group of Integrated Modelling, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology & Management, University of Twente (0.6 fte). Researcher (postdoc), Group of Integrated Modelling, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology & Management, University of Twente (0.4 fte).
  • 1996-1999: Researcher (postdoc), Group of Integrated Modelling, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology & Management, University of Twente (1.0 fte).
  • 1991-1996: Project engineer WL|Delft Hydraulics, Marknesse, The Netherlands (0.6 fte). Junior researcher IMAU, Utrecht University (0.4 fte).

Expertise

Earth & Environmental Sciences
Dike
Dune
Modeling
Morphodynamics
Overtopping
River
Roughness
Sand Wave

Ancillary Activities

  • NIOZ
    Member scientific advisory board
  • Scientific council waddenacademie
    Chair
  • committee sectorplannen beta&techniek
    Member
  • WRR (wetenschappelijke raad voor het regeringsbeleid, scientific council for governmental policy)
    Council member
  • RWS
    ENW (expert network on flood saferty) kernel member and chair river group

Research

In 2002, I became head of the group Water Engineering & Management, University of Twente. I hold the chair Marine and Fluvial Systems (MFS). Originally I was trained as a theoretical physicist (Utrecht University). During the PhD (partly at Physical Oceanography Utrecht University, partly Deltares) my focus was on physics of coastal seas. Nowadays, the research group I lead applies analytical and simulation techniques often supported by field or laboratory data to study the dynamics of rivers, coastal areas and offshore, from a civil engineering point of view. My research group gains knowledge of these water systems in order to predict the consequences of human interferences, including building with nature solutions as the sand engine and room for the river measures (flooding, sediment transport, etc.). This is done by analysis of field measurements, laboratory experiments, idealised modelling and complex modelling.

MFS devised a method for modelling human interferences in a morphodynamic setting. This opened perspectives for a new approach towards modelling large-scale sand mining in shallow seas. We have been studying the use of morphodynamical models in a societal context. This resulted in cooperations with social scientists, e.g on safety of coastal dunes, from physical as well as economical perspective.

I first tested earlier theoretical results against real-life observations and showed that bed patterns in the North Sea can be explained as free instabilities. Next, I initiated extended modelling of sandwave dynamics, so that we were the first in developing a fully nonlinear model of finite-amplitude sandwaves, taking a process-based simulation approach as well as a complex modelling approach.

In rivers we made idealized models for river dunes, as well as modelling the transition from dunes to upper stage plane bed, in which river dunes are washed out, which increasingly might occur in rivers due to climate change. I initiated working on modelling biogeomorphology in seas, estuaries, and rivers. We pioneered in modelling the effects of benthos in the marine sea bed and MFS is the first with a fully coupled biogeomorphological model for offshore sand waves and benthos.

Based on laboratory experiments we derived sediment transport formulations for rivers and coastal areas which are used all over the world.

I initiated writing (inter)national research proposals resulting in strong involvement of, and collaboration with, coastal and river managers, engineers and scientists from various disciplines, e.g. biologists, social scientists, mathematicians. I largely invested in creating a good research atmosphere in my group, stimulating internal cooperation, international research exchange, initiating several series of research talks, organising (inter)national conferences and involving MSc-students in our research. We have a highly diverse team (gender, continent, scientific specialisation).


Publications

Recent
van der Sande, W. M. , Roos, P. C., Gerkema, T. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). Linear and nonlinear modeling of estuarine sand dunes. Abstract from Schelde-Ems workshop 2023, Antwerpen, Belgium.
Lokin, L. , Warmink, J. J. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). How sediment transport processes control the shape of simulated river dunes. In W. C. E. P. Verberk, F. P. L. Collas, G. W. Geerling, & M-C. Petersdorf (Eds.), Towards 2048: the next 25 years of river studies: Book of Abstracts NCR days 2023 (pp. 24-25). Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen. https://kbase.ncr-web.org/outputs/towards-2048-the-next-25-years-of-river-studies/
van Veelen, T. J. , Roos, P. C. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). On elevation and migration: a model for sandbank dynamics in sediment-scarce seas. In A. Valance, T. Garlan, A. Crave, & A. Gangloff (Eds.), MARID VII, 7th International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics 2023 (pp. 321-325). University of Rennes 1.
van der Sande, W. M. , Roos, P. C., Gerkema, T. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). Nonlinear modeling of estuarine sand dunes: first results with unidirectional flow. In A. Valance, T. Garlan, A. Crave, & A. Gangloff (Eds.), MARID VII, 7th International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics 2023 (pp. 279-285). University of Rennes 1.
Portos - Amill, L. , Roos, P. C. , Damveld, J. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). Tidal sand waves on the lower shoreface: effects on basin-scale hydrodynamics. In A. Valance, T. Garlan, A. Crave, & A. Gangloff (Eds.), MARID VII, 7th International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics 2023 (pp. 245-251). University of Rennes 1.
Overes, P. H. P. , Borsje, B. W., Luijendijk, A. P. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). Exploring the main drivers of sand wave dynamics. In A. Valance, T. Garlan, A. Crave, & A. Gangloff (Eds.), MARID VII, 7th International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics 2023 (pp. 231-237). University of Rennes 1.
Lokin, L. , Warmink, J. J. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). The influence of sediment transport formulae on modelling river dune development. In A. Valance, T. Garlan, A. Crave, & A. Gangloff (Eds.), MARID VII, 7th International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics 2023 (pp. 177-182). University of Rennes 1.
Damveld, J. , van der Meijden, R. , Borsje, B. W. , & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2023). Episodical sand wave migration: analysis of high temporal resolution bathymetry. In A. Valance, T. Garlan, A. Crave, & A. Gangloff (Eds.), MARID VII, 7th International Conference on Marine and River Dune Dynamics 2023 (pp. 75-80). University of Rennes 1.

UT Research Information System

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Education

Master's (Doctoraal)

University/College of Higher Education: Utrecht University, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy
Date: June 24th, 1991
Main subject: Theoretical Physics, Field Theory

Extra first year certificate (Propedeuse)

University/College of Higher Education: Utrecht University, Faculty of Languages
Date: August 30th, 1988
Programme: Dutch Language and Literature

Doctorate

University/College of Higher Education: Utrecht University, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy
Date: November 20th, 1996
Supervisors (Promotors): Prof. De Ruijter, Prof. De Vriend, Dr. De Swart
Title of thesis: Formation and Migration of large-scale, rhythmic sea-bed patterns: a stability approach

 

For a list of MSc projects please visit our department's website:

 

Affiliated Study Programmes

Master

Courses Academic Year  2022/2023

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.
 

Courses Academic Year  2021/2022

Current Projects

Finished Projects

Contact Details

Visiting Address

University of Twente
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Horst Complex (building no. 20), room W217
De Horst 2
7522LW  Enschede
The Netherlands

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Mailing Address

University of Twente
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Horst Complex  W217
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands