Anecdotally, maybe my predisposition was to become interested in snails... My uncle was called ‘de slecke’ (the snail), in Flemish dialect (my family originated in the southwestern part of the country). And at kindergarten my place in the cloak-room was marked by a snail...
As a biologist I'm mostly interested in environmental science and policy making. Sustainable development is a thread in my professional career. But snails are ‘meat and drink’ to me. My interest in Neotropical snails started when I studied Caribbean Bulimulus at the former Institute of Systematic Biology in Utrecht for my B.Sc. Besides taxonomy I'm mostly interested in evolutionary biology, biogeography and geosciences. Biodiversity is what really matters to me.
Some data about my (malacological) life:
1951 Born in Utrecht, the Netherlands
1968-1974 Biology study at University Utrecht (B.Sc.) and University Leiden (M.Sc.)
1975-1979 Researcher at University Leiden; research funded by the Foundation for Scientific Research in the Tropics (WOTRO)
1976-1982 Treasurer Dutch Malacological Society (NMV)
1979 Ph.D. Biology (Promotor: Prof.dr. J.Th. Wiebes
1984-1990 President Dutch Malacological Society (NMV)
1995-2000 Secretary Dutch Malacological Society (NMV)
2000-2001 President Dutch Malacological Society (NMV)
2007- Associate researcher, Naturalis Leiden
2009- Board member Dutch Malacological Society (NMV)
If you feel that I could help you, please contact me at the address below or use the link below to email me:
National Museum of Natural History / Naturalis
Section of Malacology
P.O. Box 9517
NL-2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands
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