Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Dr. Kim Poldner serves as Professor of Circular Business at The Hague University of Applied Sciences and holds the endowed professorship in Regional and Circular Economic Development at the University of Groningen since January 2024. Her academic journey includes a PhD from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, focusing on sustainable entrepreneurship in the textile industry. Before entering academia, she established herself as a pioneer in sustainable fashion by founding the Netherlands' first eco-fashion store in 2005 and launching the Eco Fashion World platform. At Wageningen University & Research, she founded the Circular Fashion Lab, which brings together scientists and designers to create innovative materials and redefine textile supply chains. Her research spans circular business models, sustainability transitions, and regenerative leadership, with her work appearing in prestigious journals including Business & Society and the Journal of Cleaner Production. Her practical experience includes curating a green wardrobe exhibition "Wear I Am" in 2017, featuring her upcycled wedding dress. She advocates for transforming consumer behavior and education around textiles, promoting digital fashion as a sustainable alternative, and emphasizing that the transition to a circular economy requires not just technological innovation but a fundamental shift in values.

Dr. Emiel F.M. Wubben serves as Associate Professor of Strategic Management at Wageningen University and Research Fellow of WASS, bringing extensive expertise in business transitions toward sustainable and circular economies. After earning his doctorate in Economics from the Tinbergen Institute at Erasmus University Rotterdam in 1993, he served as Assistant Professor at Rotterdam School of Management until 2001 before joining Wageningen University

Dr. Alistair Beames serves as a Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Operations Research and Logistics group at Wageningen University & Research, where he specializes in sustainability assessment and circular economy logistics. After completing his PhD in Applied Biological Sciences from Ghent University and MSc in Environment and Resource Management from Vrije University, he has established himself as an authority in environmental impact assessment and sustainable supply chain management. His current research focuses on the logistics challenges and opportunities in transitioning to circular economy business models

Dr. Gert Jan Hofstede serves as a Personal Professor in Artificial Sociality at Wageningen University & Research, where he combines his unique background as a population biologist with expertise in social simulation and cultural studies. Born in 1956 in the Netherlands, he completed his education as a population biologist and earned his PhD in production planning, later developing a distinguished career in Information Systems. His research focuses on understanding the generic dynamics of human social behavior through simulation gaming and social simulation methods. As the founder of SiLiCo and a prominent figure in Complex Adaptive Systems research, he integrates knowledge from multiple fields to create practical applications. His work is driven by the conviction that human behavior, while complex, is not unpredictable but rather inadequately understood. Currently affiliated with the Urban Economics Group as of 2023, he continues to advance the field of artificial sociality, using agent-based modeling and simulation to explore social behavior patterns. His contributions extend to teaching in various MicroMasters programs and MOOCs, including "Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach," where he brings his expertise in social simulation and complex systems to bear on contemporary challenges. His recent work includes significant publications on artificial sociality, agent-based modeling, and social status dynamics, establishing him as a leading voice in computational social science and cultural evolution studies.

Dr. David Strik serves as Associate Professor in Environmental Technology at Wageningen University & Research, where he specializes in biorefinery approaches and circular economy solutions. After completing his MSc in Environmental Sciences at Wageningen University in 1999, he earned his PhD in Anaerobic Digestion from BOKU University in Austria in 2004. His research focuses on using micro-organisms in engineered open-culture bioreactors to convert organic, bioplastic, and CO2 waste streams into valuable products. His group investigates bioprocesses, control mechanisms, microbial communities, carbon and electron fluxes, and microbial-electrochemical interactions. Through collaborations with various science groups and spin-off companies like ChainCraft and Plant-e, he contributes to establishing the 'Carboxylate platform' and advancing microbial chain elongation processes. His work combines fundamental research with practical applications, incorporating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA), and system engineering studies to evaluate technology implementation potential. As an environmental technologist, he continues to explore and contribute to knowledge creation, education, and valorization of biorefinery approaches that foster the circular economy while supervising multiple PhD candidates in various aspects of environmental technology and bioprocessing