About Bob Smits

Bob Smits MSc. is a civil engineer educated at TU Delft, with expertise in hydrodynamics and sediment transport. He earned his BSc in Civil Engineering in 2013 and his MSc in Hydraulic Engineering in 2016 (both with honors). His major areas of study included computational fluid dynamics, coastal engineering, and sediment dynamics.

Bob joined Deltares’ Marine & Coastal Systems department in February 2017. He specialises in sediment management and Nature-Based Solutions, focusing on fine sediments, dredging strategies, and coastal ecosystems (e.g., mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass). As a consultant and researcher, he leads projects on modeling and data analysis. He has experience in the Netherlands (Wadden Sea, Ems estuary, Scheldt estuary) and abroad (Indonesia, Guyana, Suriname, Singapore, Vietnam, United States, Australia, Oman, Kuwait).

Bob has worked on a variety of notable projects, including:

• Sediment and Ecological studies in the Wadden Sea: Focused on understanding fine sediment dynamics, improving dredging strategies, restoring seagrasses and improving salt marsh management.
• Mangrove Restoration in Indonesia: Part of a Nature-Based Solutions initiative to restore mangroves and enhance coastal protection.
• Environmental Impact Assessment in Singapore: Conducted assessments for the Mandai Mangrove & Mudflat area.
• Green-Grey coastal Infrastructure in Guyana and Suriname: Combined mangrove restoration with coastal protection infrastructure.
• Program Manager at EcoShape: coordinating the coastal portfolio for the Building-with-Nature III program

These projects highlight Bob’s focus on system understanding and his expertise in sediment management, ecological restoration, and numerical modeling.