ESRIG scientist Sanderine Nonhebel amongst most talented women

Environmental scientist Sanderine Nonhebel has been nominated by the magazine for females Margriet for '60 over 60', a talent list of sixty people over the age of sixty compiled by the women's magazine.

At first she thought students were playing tricks on her. "I received an email from Margriet saying 'we nominated you, congratulations' and I thought it was a joke," says Nonhebel.

Talented women

But it was realy true. The women's magazine is launching something new this year: a list full of talented women over the age of sixty. And there Nonhebel is in the category 'science' next to women such as anthropologist Gloria Wekker and virologist Marion Koopmans.

Other categories also include former chairman of the House of Representatives Gerdi Verbeet, Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag and honorary chairman of the Red Cross Princess Margriet. “If you scroll through the list, there are very strong ladies in all categories,” says Nonhebel. "It's a mystery to me how I got in there, but they are very nice company."

Environmental effects of food

Nonhebel has been researching the environmental impact of food for more than three decades. Long before it was trendy to be vegetarian, she tried to make this clear to people. For example with the development of the 'carbon footprint' of food.

“We once calculated that for different types of food and then it really took off,” she says. Who doesn't know them by now, the graphs in the media that show you how much CO2 your toast with avocado costs, and how much water it takes to get it on your plate.

Big growth

Nonhebel has seen her working field grow enormously over time. “Thirty years ago, there was an international workshop for our field once every two years. There we were with twenty people, glad we didn't have to explain to each other that food production was not very clean. The last time that conference was held, we were 500 people from 40 countries.”

And that interest is good. 'Because if you want to change something about the diet, the consumer will have to know about it,' she says. 'I also see that as my contribution to society, for example that most people have eaten a vegetarian diet at some point.'

The list of nominees can be voted on until the end of the summer. We all of course are very proud on this. Therefore if you can please vote for our Sanderine Nonhebel!