Could you introduce yourself?
After studying physics at the UvA in Amsterdam, I was a PhD candidate in Mathematics in Trieste (Italy) from 2002 to 2005. I worked as a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute in Bonn for one year and since 2007 I have been working at Radboud University Nijmegen. From 2021, I have been a professor in non-commutative geometry, a field in mathematics where functional analysis, (operator) algebra, (partial) differential equations and (Riemannian) geometry come together. In my research, I focus on its applications in physics. I am currently teaching the courses Introduction to Mathematics, Lie Groups (MasterMath, Fall 2024) and Noncommutative Geometry (MasterMath, Spring 2025). I am also a father of three children and I play timpani in the Nijmegen Symphony Orchestra.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
Even during my studies, I found the intersection between mathematics and physics the most exciting. I discovered, for example, that at a small scale in physics, abstract mathematics plays a dictating role in the organisation of the structure of elementary particles.
What are you currently researching?
I still prefer to be at the interface between mathematics and physics. It is incredibly intriguing when abstract mathematics has something to say about how the laws of physics work.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
Above all, follow the study programme that you enjoy the most, and don't think too much yet about what you want to do with it afterwards or what you can do with it. That will come, and rest assured that a science degree is a guarantee for a good job, whether in academia, education, in a company or in government.