Teaching & Mentoring

Outlook on Teaching

Teaching has been one of the most pleasant surprises of my career so far.  I have had the great privilege to help out with a number of interesting courses on some of my favourite topics, and have learned so much from the students in these classes.  Three of my main interests include coaching students through the technical writing process, active learning with students in fieldwork settings, and supporting international students. My experience ranges from large classes (>100) to small groups (<20) to working with individual students, and at BSc to MSc to PhD levels. Currently, my teaching specialties are the theory, numerical modelling, and field measurement of coastal processes. 

The next generation of hydraulic engineering students will face challenges like climate change, the energy transition, and others that we cannot yet conceive of.  We must therefore prepare our students with the right quantitative techniques and problem-solving skills to adapt and innovate. By endowing them with a strong theoretical basis and sharp critical thinking skills, we can help students develop their “bullshit detectors” (see Carl Bergstrom & Jevin West’s Calling Bullshit, which I highly recommend!) to avoid being fooled by models, confront misinformation and restore public trust in science, minimize uncertainty, and ultimately to make good engineering decisions. To do so effectively, we must adapt to the new post-Covid teaching landscape. We thus need to adopt new approaches to online/hybrid learning and embrace a more diverse student body.

My enthusiasm in the classroom is rooted in a lifelong curiosity and an urge to share that with the people around me. My teaching philosophy is very much rooted in “learning by doing” as a result of my own educational background: my undergrad program was interspersed with 6×4-month internships that informed my perspective on civil engineering practice across a range of disciplines. I also believe in getting students to the field to help them make connections between the classroom and reality. In the classroom, it is important to me to regularly use real-world examples so that we can avoid the dreaded, “when the heck am I ever going to use this?” question.  Keeping an eye on student mental health is also an important personal priority: students (especially those from marginalized groups) have been more disconnected and less motivated since the pandemic began. When we take good care of our students, we are investing in the future of our TU Delft community, our society at large, and ultimately our coasts, too.

Teaching Experience

Co-Instructor

  • Coastal Systems, TU Delft, MSc course, 2023.
    • Lecturing on tidal inlet systems, co-developing exam and other course material.
    • Awarded prize for “#2 Best Educator of Hydraulic Engineering (Civil Engineering Master)” in May 2023
    • Main Instructors: Judith Bosboom & Jose Antolinez
  • Advanced Coastal & Estuarine Systems, TU Delft, MSc course, 2023.
    • Lead coordinator of field excursion, co-developing exam and other course material.
    • Main Instructors: Matthieu de Schipper & Bram van Prooijen
  • Coastal & Estuarine Modelling, TU Delft, MSc course, 2023.
    • Lecturing on model visualization.
    • Main Instructors: Sierd de Vries & Arjen Luijendijk
  • Coastal Dynamics I, TU Delft, MSc course, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
    • Lecturer on Tidal Inlets & Basin Morphodynamics and exam preparation/review sessions
    • Co-responsible for online education and exam during COVID crisis in 2020
    • Primary Instructor: Judith Bosboom
  • Leveraging Dutch Expertise in Advanced Techniques for Water Management (NSF IRES), TU Delft/Deltares/University of New Orleans/Water Institute, PhD course, 2022, 2023
    • Served as co-instructor for 2-week PhD summer school about coastal geoscience and management, with a focus on numerical modelling and field visits. Offered to 14 visiting US students and 6 Dutch students.
    • Co-Instructors: Chris Esposito (The Water Institute), Maddie Foster-Martinez (UNO), Matthew Tarr (UNO), Bram van Prooijen (TU Delft), Edwin Elias (Deltares)

Teaching Assistant

  • NCK Summer School, Netherlands Centre for Coastal Research, PhD course, 2022
    • Primary Instructor: Ad Reniers
    • Led field measurements on beach and tidal flats in Texel (Netherlands)
  • Coastal Oceanography and Delta Geology, Wageningen University & Research, MSc course, 2020, 2021.
    • Led students on guided field trip to beach nourishment and engaged them in inquiry about coastal processes.
    • Primary Instructors: Ton Hoitink/Jakob Wallinga/Bart Makaske
  • Coastal Dynamics I, TU Delft, MSc course, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
    • Ran weekly tutorial sessions, gave seminars on longshore sediment transport, developed and graded final exam questions, coordinated logistics for online learning environment (Brightspace & MapleTA) and final exam
    • Primary Instructor: Judith Bosboom
  • Fieldwork in Hydraulic Engineering, TU Delft, MSc course, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
    • Helped to plan field trip to sand nourishment/beach, supervised field measurements, and mentored students through data processing and reporting
    • Primary Instructor: Matthieu de Schipper
  • Sediment Dynamics, TU Delft, MSc course, 2017, 2018, 2022
    • Supported field trips to mudflats of Eastern and Western Scheldt as a teaching assistant
    • Primary Instructor: Bram van Prooijen

PhD Student (Co-)Supervision

  1. Gijs Hendrickx. Nature-based solutions against salt intrusion. Jan 2023 — Present. Co-supervisors: Stefan Aarninkhof (TU Delft), and Peter Herman (TU Delft).
  2. Tjitske Kooistra. Impacts of sand nourishments on benthic ecosystems. Oct 2021 – Present. In cooperation with NIOZ. Main Supervisors: Rob Witbaard (NIOZ), Karline Soetaert (NIOZ), and Tjeerd Bouma (NIOZ)

MSc Thesis (Co-)Supervision

I served on the thesis assessment committees of these students in a formal capacity (along with faculty members and industrial partners) and was responsible for regular supervision, mentoring, and assessment. The theses generally supported my main research interests in coastal sediment transport pathways, tidal inlet dynamics, and flood hazards on coral reef-lined coasts and small islands. Working with these students has also been one of the most enjoyable parts of my career!

  1. Nirubha Raghavi Thillaigovindarasu. Mangrove-Sediment Connectivity. Jan 2023 – Present. Chair: Ad Reniers.
  2. Wouter Hoek. Predicting the short-term response to dredging interventions at Lake Bardawil. Dec 2022 – Present. In cooperation with the Weathermakers. Chair: Zheng Bing Wang.
  3. Steven Haarbosch. Lab Experimental Study of the Influence of Shells on Sediment Transport. Sep 2022 – Present. In cooperation with NIOZ. Chair: Bram van Prooijen.
  4. Kimon Kadoglou. Impact of Reef Enhancing Breakwaters. May 2022 – Present. In cooperation with Reefy. Chair: Marcel van Gent.
  5. Femke Bisschop. Modelling sediment and propagule pathways to improve mangrove rehabilitation: A case study of the pilot project in Demak, Indonesia. May 2022 – Present. Chair: Ad Reniers. [Thesis].
  6. Lars Krikke. Impact of the Eastern Scheldt Storm Surge Barrier on sediment transport pathways. Nov 2021 – Present. In cooperation with Deltares and Rijkswaterstaat. [Thesis]
  7. Carlijn Meijers. Sediment transport pathways in Burrard Inlet. Graduated Dec 2021.  In cooperation with Deltares, Kerr Wood Leidel, and Tsleil Watuth Nation. [Thesis].
  8. Denzel Harlequin. Morphodynamic Modelling of the Ameland Ebb-Tidal Delta. Graduated Nov 2021. In cooperation with Deltares and Rijkswaterstaat.  Chair: Bram van Prooijen. [Thesis].
  9. Charlotte Uphues. Observations of Coastal Aeolian Sediment Transport in an Active Surface Layer using Tracers. Graduated Oct 2021. In cooperation with Flinders University. Chair: Sierd de Vries. [Thesis, Paper]. 
  10. Paula Lambregts. Sediment bypassing at Ameland inlet and the role of an ebb-tidal delta nourishment. Graduated Jun 2021. In cooperation with Deltares and Rijkswaterstaat. Chair: Zheng Bing Wang. [Thesis].
  11. Jan van Gorsel. Pressure distribution due to slamming of breaking waves into lighthouses. Graduated May 2021. Chair: Alessandro Antonini. [Thesis] 
  12. Vesna Bertoncelj. Efficient and accurate modeling of wave-driven flooding on coral reef-lined coasts: On the interpolation of parameterized boundary conditions. [Thesis, EGU Conference] Graduated May 2021.  In cooperation with Deltares.  Chair: Marion Tissier.
  13. Mayra Ithzel Zaldivar Piña. Sandbank stability at the mouth of a modified Haringvliet Estuary.  [Thesis]. Graduated Oct 2020.  In cooperation with Delta21. Chair: Zheng Bing Wang.
  14. Paul van Wiechen. Wave dissipation on a fringing coral reef: an experimental study. [Thesis].  Graduated Aug 2020. In cooperation with Boskalis. Chair: Marion Tissier.
  15. Tije Bakker. Flood risk assessment for Majuro Atoll considering compound events and associated uncertainties. [Thesis, Paper]. Graduated Apr 2020. In cooperation with Deltares. Chair: Stefan Aarninkhof.
  16. Laurie van Gijzen. Sediment Transport Pathways in San Francisco Bay. [Thesis]. Graduated Mar 2020.  In cooperation with Deltares. Chair: Bram van Prooijen.
  17. Camila Gaido. Infragravity wave transformation on fringing coral reefs. [Thesis, ICCE Conference]. Graduated Dec 2019. Chair: Marion Tissier. 
  18. Hilary Richards. Flood hazard prediction for St. Martin. [Thesis]. Graduated Jul 2019. In cooperation with Deltares. Chair: Stefan Aarninkhof. 
  19. Matteo Parodi. Investigating uncertainty in coastal flood risk analyses in Small Island Developing States – a case study: Sao Tome & Principe. [Thesis, Paper] Graduated Jul 2019. In cooperation with the Deltares. Chair: Ad Reniers.
  20. Fred Scott. Data reduction techniques of coral reef morphology and hydrodynamics for use in wave runup prediction. [Thesis, Paper]. Graduated Jul 2019. In cooperation with Deltares and the US Geological Survey. Chair: Ad Reniers.
  21. Floortje Roelvink. Coral Restoration for Coastal Hazard Risk Reduction: The effect of coral restoration on wave transformation over various reef morphologies and the resulting runup. [Thesis, Paper]. Graduated Jul 2019. In cooperation with Deltares and the US Geological Survey. Chair: Ad Reniers.
  22. Timo Veldt. The effect of wave directional spread on coastal hazards at coastlines fronted by a coral reef [Thesis]. Graduated Jun 2019. In cooperation with Deltares. Chair: Ad Reniers.
  23. Rens Harteveld. Marine erosion of the Point Grey cliffs [Thesis]. Graduated Jun 2019. In cooperation with Boskalis and the University of British Columbia. Chair: Stefan Aarninkhof. 
  24. Roy van Weerdenburg. Graduated Jan 2019. Exploring the relative importance of wind for exchange processes around a tidal inlet system [Thesis]. Chair: Zheng Bing Wang.
  25. Michelle Gostic. Sediment Transport Pathways in San Francisco Bay [Thesis]. Graduated Jul 2018. In cooperation with Deltares. Chair: Wim Uijttewaal. 
  26. Albert Monclús Abadal. Assessment of Climate Change Impacts in Sandy Nearshore Inlet Systems [Thesis]. Graduated Jul 2018. Chair: Stefan Aarninkhof. 
  27. Jochem Dekkers. Experimental Study on Undular Bore Development Over a Fringing Reef [Thesis]. Graduated Jul 2018. Chair: Ad Reniers.
  28. Jasper Bak. Nourishment strategies for the Ameland Inlet. [Thesis]. Graduated Oct 2017. In cooperation with Deltares, Boskalis, and Rijkswaterstaat. Chair: Zheng Bing Wang.
  29. Hithaishi Hewageegana. Wave Transformation Through Mangrove Coasts: A Model Study with XBeach-Surfbeat. [Thesis]. Graduated Jul 2017. In cooperation with Deltares. Chair: Ad Reniers.

MSc Consultancy Project (Co-)Supervision

At TU Delft, MSc students have the opportunity to pursue a multidisciplinary consultancy project with an external company, often abroad [Link].

  1. Bart Scheurwater, Jasper Scheijmans, Jim Tukker, Mizzi van der Ven, & Nicole Hartman. Nature based alternatives regarding coastal and environmental climate change hazards for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. [Link]. Jan – Apr 2020. In cooperation with Kerr Wood Leidel (KWL) and Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
  2. Irene Cantoni, Camila Gaido, Tessa Jonker, & Laurie van Gijzen. Cliff Erosion at Point Grey, UBC. [Link]. Nov 2018 – Mar 2019. In cooperation with Kerr Wood Leidel (KWL) and the University of British Columbia.
  3. Tjerk Veenman, Rens Janmaat, Godert van Rhede, Floris Boersma, & Daan van der Ven. Erosion on Isle of Palms due to shoal bypassing. [Link]. Sept 2018 – Feb 2019. In cooperation with Tim Kana at Coastal Science & Engineering.

BSc Thesis (Co-)Supervision

  1. Klaas Sicking. Measuring sandbars with acoustic sensors. May – Jun 2022. Chair: Rolf Hut
  2. Rieneke van Noort. Variations in Suspended Sediment Grain Size at Ameland Inlet. Apr – Jun 2018. Chair: Bram van Prooijen