Who am I?
Born 23 October 1948. I spent my youth in Utrecht, I visited the primary school there, and I completed my secondary education in Nijmegen and Zeist. Thereafter, I studied Dutch Language and Literature at Utrecht University.
During my study, I worked as an assistant both at the University of Utrecht and at the Utrecht Teacher Training College. I moved to Enschede in 1976 and got a position at the University of Twente. I graduated in 1980, and I received my PhD in 1989 with a dissertation co-authored by Carel Jansen.
At present, I hold the chair of Technical Communication.
I married Miriam van der Drift in 1973. Our first son Rogier was born in 1977 and our second son Jeroen in 1980. Jeroen married Babette Polman in 2003, and their daughter and my granddaughter Mara was born in the same year. My second granddaughter Gioia was born in 2007.
Aside from my profession, I work as a volunteer in the catholic liturgy. I have written a number of texts for hymns, set to music by several composers. Furthermore, I am a Italy-enthusiast, and I like to spend my yearly holidays there with Miriam.