The director of NIOZ is prof. dr. Henk Brinkhuis. He develops and implements the general and science policies for the institute and is responsible for the day-to-day management.
Prof. dr. Henk Brinkhuis took office as director of NIOZ on October 1, 2011. He is also part-time professor in Marine Palynology and Paleoecology at Utrecht University.
He earned a master's degree in marine geology and biostratigraphy / paleoceanography from Utrecht University, with a major subject in organic geochemistry at Delft Technical University. He received his doctorate in Eocene-Oligocene marine palynology, paleoecology and paleoceanography from Utrecht University.
Henk Brinkhuis has a strong taste for Phanerozoic extreme climate change, (paleo)oceanography and (paleo)ecology. He (co)authored over 125 peer-reviewed scientific publications and (co)supervised over 25 PhD students.
As a Dutch national representative, Henk is involved in the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP). He helped form many integrated national and international scientific education programs in paleoclimatology and -ecology, and served on numerous scientific advisory panels and committees.
