About Joana van Nieuwkoop

Joana van Nieuwkoop is senior advisor/researcher in the field of wave modelling and hydraulic boundary conditions in the Coastal Structures and Waves Department of Deltares. She holds a master's degree in civil engineering, specialising in coastal hydraulic engineering and fluid mechanics from Delft University of Technology. She has 20 years of work experience. Besides Deltares, she worked for several years for the Witteveen+Bos engineering consultancy and the University of Exeter in the UK.

Wave research is of great importance for the design and assessment of our flood defences and to ensure lasting protection against flooding, both in the Netherlands as abroad. Her fascination with waves began during her graduation project for which she investigated the generation of landslide tsunamis, both in a wave basin and with a numerical model. After graduation, she delved into another type of wave: wind waves. From the influence of vegetated foreshores on wave reduction to the penetration of long swell waves into estuaries. Her main drivers are enabling better wave predictions, using innovative methods and applying her knowledge in multidisciplinary projects.

She is currently leading the development and improvement of the Dutch operational wave models in the North Sea for the Dutch government (Rijkswaterstaat). In this role she has been exploring ways to use (measurement) data to enhance the speed and accuracy of wave models, e.g. by using data assimilation and AI methods. In addition, she has been involved in various measuring campaigns, giving expert advice on innovative measurement techniques for waves.