dr. EAC (Elyze) Storms-Smeets

Dr. Elyze Storms-Smeets (1975) is a historical geographer and senior heritage adviser. She studied human geography in Utrecht and Durham (U.K.), specializing in historical geography. She obtained her PhD at the University of Leeds on the subject 'Landscape and society in Twente and Utrecht; a historical geography of Dutch country estates, c. 1800-1950 ". Elyze has been working at the Gelders Genootschap, Arnhem, as a senior adviser on heritage and landscape since 2007. There she started with projects such as Kastelenboek Gelderland, Gelders Arcadië and De oude kaart van Nederland. That work has grown into research and advice to governments and owners with regard to the past and future of heritage throughout the Netherlands. In 2018 she was project leader of the project on vacancy and re-use of heritage ensembles in the National Landscape of South Limburg. She is currently participating in the international project Innocastle on the conservation and development of castles, country houses and estates. From September 2012 to 2017 she was assistant professor of Historic Country Houses and Estates at the University of Groningen. Elyze is a member of the Landscape History Committee of the Limburg Historical and Antiquarian Society (LGOG) and a board member of the Limburg Castles Foundation.

At Wageningen University & Research, Elyze works as a special associate professor. This appointment is an initiative of the municipality of Westerveld and Wageningen University & Research, who are working together on the establishment of a special chair for the scientific development of methods around "Cultural Heritage and Participative Spatial Planning". For the chair co-funding comes from the Heritage Deal program. For the first two years, Elyze will be appointed as special Associate Professor, and then - through an additional scientific track record - special Professor.