Personal stuff

Meet my brother Robbert (and read his columns in the Delta), sister Annemarie, sister-in-law Ramya Ramaswamy, and brother-in-law Michael Gubanski

Short biography: born in Oegstgeest (25 November 1965); MSc Mathematics, University of Amsterdam (31 August 1990, cum laude); PhD Computer Science, University of Amsterdam (1 December 1994); postdoc, Utrecht University (January 1995 - December 1996); lecturer, University of Wales Swansea (January 1997 - June 1999); researcher, CWI (July 1999 - August 2000); head of the Embedded Systems Group, CWI (September 2000 - August 2004)

Since March 2001 I'm professor in Theoretical Computer Science at the Department of Computer Science of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, initially for one day a week; since September 2004 full-time, as head of the section Theoretical Computer Science

My close friend Niek Seelemeijer tragically passed away in April 2018; he is dearly missed and fondly remembered by many, as expressed in my in memoriam (in Dutch) at his funeral

Old friend Dirk Temme made some pictures of our skating trips on the IJsselmeer in February 1996, to Sweden in February 2000, and on the Oostvaardersplassen in January 2009

Alban Ponse, Gerard Alberts and me made a beautiful skating trip on De Weerribben in March 2018

I played chess at Paul Keres (2000-2009) in Utrecht, Caissa (1990-1996,1999-2000) in Amsterdam, Rhyddings (1997-1999) in Swansea in Wales, Watergraafsmeer (1987-1990) in Amsterdam, VAS/ASC (1985-1987) in Amsterdam, and SV Heerhugowaard (1978-1985)

I took part in ten half marathons: Jaarbeurs Utrecht 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, Heuvelrugloop 2013, Singelloop 2014, and Utrecht Science Park 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

My favourite band is Pavement; some favourite cd's are Growing Pains by James Harries, Good is in your Bones by Sukilove, Ano Neko by Dobet Gnahore, Spinvis by Spinvis, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot by Sparklehorse, A Certain Trigger by Maximo Park, Silent Alarm by Bloc Party, In a Bar, Under the Sea by dEUS, and Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) by Captain Beefheart; I also listen to classical music a lot, favourite composers are Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Bartok, Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Purcell

Some favourite movies: Volver, Biutiful, La Graine et le Mulet, Estomago, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Il Capitale Umano