Lecturer at the Amsterdam University College.

A research scientist at the Spinoza Institute and the Institute for Theoretical Physics of Utrecht University, The Netherlands, I am also the editor of Foundations of Physics on behalf of Gerard 't Hooft, the Editor-in-Chief.

I studied at Utrecht University and obtained my PhD under the supervision of Gerard 't Hooft with a dissertation entitled Quantum Gravity and the Holographic Principle (2001). After finishing my PhD, I worked as a research scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles (2001-2003), the Max-Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Potsdam (2003-2006) and King's College, London (2006-2008).

Interests

My general area of interest is quantum gravity and string theory. My current reserach focues on the quantum properties of the gravitational force, in particular the holographic description of gravity. In the past I also worked on topological quantum field theory. I am currently active in the foundations of quantum gravity and string theory as well.

My blog, De wetenschapsalon, (in Dutch).

Teaching (2009-2010)

Mechanics
Thermodynamics
Big Questions in Science

Publications

List of scientific publications.
Publications in the foundations of physics:
        On Black Hole Complementarity. Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (2004) 509-525 [with Jeroen van Dongen].
        Stephen Hawking. Kritisch Denkers Lexicon 41, november 2008 (in Dutch), invited contribution.
Popular science articles and articles for a general audience.

Taks

Transparencies of some past talks.