Resumé

Education

1953-1959 Primary School, Lichtenvoorde, the Netherlands
1959-1964 Winterswijks Lyceum, Winterswijk, HBS-B
1964-1965 Astronomy, Utrecht University
1965-1973 Physical Geography, Utrecht University
Main topics studied:
Geomorphology and Quaternary Geology.
Other fields studied:
Geology, Cartography, Biology, and Human geography.
1982 Promotion to Doctor (title: Dr.) of Mathematics and Physics at Utrecht University; Ph.D. Thesis: De genese van het landschap in het zuiden van de provincie Utrecht - een fysisch-geografische studie. With a summary in English. Ph.D. Thesis Utrecht University, Utrechtse Geografische Studies 25: 256 pp. Promotor: Prof. Dr. J.I.S. Zonneveld.
In 2005, a reunion of the Winterswijks Lyceum (now the Driemark) was held in the old HBS-building.

Past jobs

1968-1973 Student-assistent of physical geography (2 days per week)
1971-1972 Teacher of geography at Rijksscholengemeenschap Breukelen (1 day per week)
1973-2005 University teacher and researcher of physical geography and Quaternary geology, Utrecht University
1975-2005 Member, secretary and President of the Examination Board
1985-2005 Associate Professor ('universitair hoofddocent') at Utrecht University
1994-1996, 2004 Head of the department of physical geography
2005 Formally retired, but still active
In 2005, I retired from my formal duties at Utrecht University. At the same time, the copyrights of the Laaglandgenese database were transferred to the Faculty of Geosciences. Here the contracts were signed with the Dean of the Faculty of Geosciences. Picture taken by A. van der Kallen.

Present position

Associate professor of Physical geography and Quaternary geology (retired, but still active, and still having a room and facilities at the University).

The examination committee, chaired by Prof. Dr. E.A. Koster, during a MSc. diploma session in the Aula of Utrecht University. In this historic room the State of The Netherlands was founded in 1579.
Geertjan Vis (middle), after he received his MSc. diploma from Dr. H.J.A. Berendsen (right). Mother looks happy.

Teaching

Physical geography of the Netherlands, Geomorphological and geological mapping of the Rhine-Meuse delta (Laaglandgenese field course), Quaternary Geology, Applied Quaternary geology

Research

The evolution of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene Rhine-Meuse delta, The Netherlands. See Rhine-Meuse delta studies, and Laaglandgenese database.

Supervised undergraduate and MSc. students

1565 undergraduate students in the Laaglandgenese field course

87 field assistents and 3 laboratory field assistents

236 MSc. theses

Ph.D. Students

Former Ph.D. students of the Fluvial Group.

(Co-)adviser of the following Ph.D. students

Member of the promotion committee of external Ph.D. students

Awards

The Netherlands is not a country with a great tradition in awards. Nevertheless, I received a few:

The Van Waterschoot Van der Gracht medal was
awarded to Henk Berendsen in 2005

In 2003, Esther Stouthamer and Henk Berendsen received honorable mention as best paper of the year 2001 by the Journal of Sedimentary Research for their paper: Avulsion frequency, avulsion duration, and interavulsion period of Holocene channel belts in the Rhine-Meuse delta (The Netherlands). Journal of Sedimentary Research, Vol. 71, No. 4, p. 589-598.

The Van Waterschoot Van der Gracht-penning was awarded to Henk Berendsen by the KNGMG on March 11, 2005. According to the rules this prestigious award is granted to a person that has gained an outstanding reputation in science, society or education, associated with (applied) Earth Sciences in the Netherlands. He received the award for his publications on 40 years of research in the Holocene Rhine-Meuse delta, and for his contribution to the education in Earth Sciences through his four books on physical geography. I was the second physical geographer in history to receive the award, that exists since 1951.

From my former student-assistants I received a golden corer on April 24, 2005. Although an informal decoration, the gesture was much appreciated.

Lectures

I gave numerous lectures in the Netherlands and abroad, in the cities listed below.

Main subjects: Geological evolution of the Rhine-Meuse delta, Quaternary Geology, Regional landscape evolution, Climate change, Drilling and sampling techniques.

International

National