I am an archaeologist and a certified 3D modelling and animation specialist, with training and research/teaching experience in forensic archaeology, mortuary archaeology and digital archaeology. I teach digital and science-based archaeology and am the Scientific Director of the 4D Research Lab (4DRL). My research interests and expertise cover the archaeology of death and burial, forensic archaeology, forensic taphonomy, mass graves, 3D visualization in achaeology, sensory archaeology, ethics regarding human remains in archaeology and museum contexts, and Caribbean archaeology.
I have developed and currently lead an innovative, interdisciplinary program of human decomposition experiments at the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State University (FACTS). This research combines actualistic taphonomic experiments with 3D visualization methods, and a variety of biomolecular, biogeochemical, geophysical and remote sensing techniques to improve methods, models and interpretations in mortuary archaeology (especially archaeothanatology) and forensic archaeology. I developed and lead the Mass Grave project at FACTS: a taphonomic experiment simulating a small scale mass grave with the aim to improve the detection, excavation and documentation of mass graves. I use a variety of 3D digital tools for documentation, analysis and visualization of taphonomic processes, including Structure from Motion photogrammetry, laser scanning, and 3D computer graphics and 3D animation.
I am the president of the Netherlands Association for Physical Anthropology (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Fysische Antropologie, NVFA), and a member of the council of the British Association for Human Identification (BAHID). I am also an editorial board member for the Springer Soil Forensics Series. I hold professional certifications in both clay and digital Forensic Facial Reconstruction (Dundee University; Texas State University; Philippe Froesch) as well as 3D modelling and animation (Maxon certified; College of Multimedia).