Our Team

Meet our team. COLUMN brings together nine partners
from eight countries on three continents

Gertjan Plets

Project Leader

Gertjan Plets is Associate Professor of cultural history and heritage at Utrecht University. As the Project Leader he is responsible for overall project coordination, covering technical, scientific, legal, financial, and administrative aspects.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9858-3464

Myrthe van Groningen

Project Manager

Myrthe van Groningen is project manager at Utrecht University. Myrthe oversees all project activities, encompassing dissemination and exploitation.

Work Package Leaders

Work Package leaders ensure timely progress within their packages by creating work plans and related documentation. They build bridges between the different tasks and ensure the transfer of knowledge.

Markéta
Křížová

Markéta Křížová is professor of Ibero-American Studies at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University. Markéta is PI and leader of WP4 Tracing Colonial University Histories.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1914-3477

Siona
O’Connell

Siona O’Connell is professor at the University of Pretoria. As a renowned scholar and documentary maker, Siona bridges scholarly and art/creative methodologies. Siona is PI and leader of WP5 Heritage Practices and Terms of Engagement.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5773-1969

Maria Giovanna Belcastro

Maria Giovanna Belcastro is professor at the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna and she is director of the Museum of Evolution in Bologna. Maria Giovanna is PI and leader of the Cluster Collections (WP6-7).
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8932-8509

Nick
Shepherd

Nick Shepherd is an Associate Professor of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Aarhus University, and an Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria. Nick is PI and leader of the Cluster (WP8-9).
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3378-7076

Richard
Calis

Richard Calis is Assistant Professor in Cultural History at Utrecht University and is specialized in the history of science and intellectual history He is PI of the Cluster Gardens (WP10-11) together with Mette Bruinsma.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4627-9564

Mette
Bruinsma

Mette Bruinsma is Assistant Professor Cultural History at Utrecht University. She is specialized in the history of science and University history. Together with Richard Calis she is PI of the Cluster Gardens (WP10-11).
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5256-1470

Peter Billie
Larsen

Peter Billie Larsen is researcher at the Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development Institute as well as the Department of Sociology at the University of Geneva.  Peter is PI and leader of the Cluster Intangible Legacies (WP12-13).
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8908-1788

Bernadette
Biedermann

Bernadette Biedermann is researcher at University Graz. As an art historian and museologist, she also part of the managing team of the University Museum of Graz is currently the coordinator of the Coimbra group on university heritage. She is PI for the reviewing and reflecting on our interventions (WP 14-16).
https ://orcid.org/0000-0001-5042-6008

Sterre
Berentzen

Sterre Berentzen is project manager at Studio Louter. Studio Louter is an exhibition concept designer. In COLUMN, the studio assumes a central role in converting the project’s findings into material that can be repurposed by the heritage sector.

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