Stefan Dekker

Stefan Dekker is director of NIOO-KNAW, the Netherlands Institute of Ecology. He is also professor Ecohydrology at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University. His main research lines are:
1.    To fundamentally understand the direct drivers of interactions between the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere. I hereby aim (i) to understand the resilience and water use of current and future forest types, including the role of forestation and deforestation and (ii)  to fundamentally understand how plants adapt to changes in carbon, nutrient and water resources, and how those processes can be upscaled 
2.    Understanding how indirect drivers impact the interactions between atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Indirect drivers play a major role in influencing direct drivers of biodiversity loss, ecosystem change and the ecohydrological processes. Therefore, socio-economic and demographic development, but also sustainable and technological innovations are important to include in future scenarios.

Stefan Dekker studied physical geography at University of Amsterdam and did his PhD at the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (UvA-IBED) on forest ecohydrology. After his PhD, Stefan was staff member at Utrecht University, the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. He supervised successfully 20 PhD students, was professor Global Ecohydrology and Sustainability and was visiting professor at Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Exeter University and Stockholm Resilience Center.

Dekker was director of education and director of research at the department of Sustainable Development between 2019 and 2025 and was head of the Environmental Sciences group at Open University from 2018-2019.