prof. dr. ir. M. (Theo) Spek

Theo Spek has a more than thirty years experience in Dutch and European landscape research. His research is has a strongly interdisciplinary character combining cultural, ecological and earth scientific concepts and methodologies. He has also specialized on transdisciplinary approaches in which landscape knowledge is applied in modern day nature and landscape management, heritage management, rural planning en water policies.

He is the director of the Centre for Landscape Studies of the University of Groningen, whose research aims at the following five themes: 1. Colonization, reclamation and water management of w etland landscapes in the Northern Netherlands and along the Wadden Sea coast (800 -1600 AD); 2. Medieval and Early Modern landscapes, societies and economies of the Pleistocene sandy landscapes of the Low Countries; 3. Comparative and interdisciplinary research on castles, country houses and landed estates in past and present; 4. Landscape biographies as a tool for spatial planning and integral landscape management; 5. Historical ecology as a tool for nature and heritage management.  

At the University of Groningen Theo Spek is the director of an interdisciplinary master course on Landscape History, which has existed since 2008 and that has delivered a large number of landscape specialists since. Besides his university work he holds a number of board memberships and advisory positions in the fields op landscape research, landscape policy and landscape management.  

Member Advisory Committee National Parks The Netherlands; Member Jury Landscape Parks Flanders; Member Expert Group Cultural Heritage of the European Commission (DG Research & Innovation) expert/reviewer research projects Horizon 2020; ERC); Member Editorial Board Journal Rural Landscapes (Stockholm University Press); Member Scientific Board Wadden Academy; Member Advisory Board Landscape & Heritage Series, Amsterdam University Press