Bart Krol

I am a lecturer in natural hazard studies in ITC's department of Earth Systems Analysis. My original background is in Earth and Environment (MSc, Wageningen University), with a specialisation in Remote Sensing and earth surface dynamics. My career began as a junor researcher, involved in the development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) for natural resources management and conservation planning in the Amazon region of Colombia. Over the years I have worked in different fields where insight in geography and earth surface processes is relevant, including sustainable land management, rural land development and disaster risk reduction. To this end I've developed specific expertise in image interpretation for earth sciences, digital terrain analysis, natural hazard modelling, disaster risk analysis, spatial data quality. This is combined with a focus on the use of freely available geo-data and open-source software tools. My current interest is in the (re-)use of geographical data in areas and working environments where access to data and adequate geo-information is often limited. Examples are rural communities, small towns and local NGOs. They increasingly face today's environmental and climate-related challenges. But they often lack the means to acquire data and advanced technical expertise themselves. While putting science into practice I intend to contribute to the sharing of knowledge and information - in a manner that is relevant for effective planning and decision making by those living at risk.