Pim Willemsen

dr. ir. Pim Willemsen

Post-doctoral researcher

My research focusses on the fascinating feedback between waves, tides, morphology and ecology in deltas estuaries and shallow seas. I am convinced we can have a more sustainable future by relying on ecosystems and a naturally functioning system to provide climate change adaptation and mitigation while enabling biological diversity. Accordingly, we need to integrate ecology in coastal engineering. 

By training (University of Twente) I am a Civil Engineer (BSc) with a specialization in Water Engineering and Management (MSc). During my Master thesis (National University of Singapore) I became fascinated by coastal wetlands. During my PhD (NIOZ, University of Twente) and postdoc research (University of Twente, Wageningen University) I specialized in biogeomorphology of coastal wetlands (tidal flats, salt marshes, mangroves) and how they function in Nature-based Solutions and provide Ecosystem Services. I aim at bringing scientific advances directly to application in my appointment at Deltares. I like working in this dynamic environment and use a range of methods, including historical data analysis, conducting field measurements and flume studies, and process-based and simple numerical models. 

My current postdoctoral research focusses on how natural systems and Nature-based Solutions contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation over time scales of decades to centuries. The research is conducted in Kennis Programaa Zeespiegelstijging – Natuurlijke Oplossingen and my NWO-TTW Veni onderzoek “salt marshes: where climate change adaptation meets climate change mitigation”. Our findings will enable the sustainable protection of low-lying coastal areas and the preservation and increase of biodiversity through salt marshes.