365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

  ✨ I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: my book proposal with Springer Nature has just been accepted! 📚 The book will explore how #ArtificialIntelligence can be used to do good in the world, combining scientific insights with practical steps we can all take to create positive change for people, planet, and prosperity. 🌍 For example, how AI can prevent road accidents, improve education, support peacekeeping, improve waste management, predict air pollution, and foster innovative research. And how these AI applications can be applied responsibly. 💡 What do you think of the working title: “How Artificial Intelligence can be used to do good – Scientific Insights and Actionable Steps for People, Planet, and Prosperity”? Please let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments! #AIforGood

  💚 I have some truly exciting news to share: another dream of mine has come true… actually two dreams at once! 📖 The first is that I’ve just published Volume 3 of my book A Guide to a Healthier Planet. Writing this new volume has been such a wonderful project for me, because it gave me the chance to dive even deeper into fascinating scientific facts about nature and #sustainability and to share them with you. ✨ The second dream is something I already thought of when I started writing the first volume: a book series. What once felt like just a crazy idea in my head is now real, with three volumes completed and available! 📗 This new book is especially close to my heart because it continues my mission "Sustainable", my mission of bridging science and everyday life. So much important research on #climateChange, #pollution, and #biodiversity loss never reaches the general public. My goal is to change that by turning these insights into stories and ideas that are not only e...

🌟 I’m excited to share some news! 🌐 One of the ways I give back to society is by supporting the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe with my knowledge in #cybersecurity, #sustainability, and #psychology. With this unique mix, I’m able to contribute to the Task Force on Digitalization in Energy, where we help policymakers make well-informed decisions for their countries. ✍️ Recently, I had the honor of serving as lead author on a UN paper that highlights a crucial but often overlooked factor in driving sustainable action: intrinsic motivation – the motivation that comes from within. ⚡ While we see incredible progress in digital technologies designed to optimize energy systems, the reality is that systemic change is still moving slowly. Many of the barriers are not technical, but behavioral and psychological. Among them, the role of intrinsic motivation has received far too little policy attention. 📖 Our paper explores how #intrinsicMotivation can make sustainable action...

❔ Yesterday, I was asked what the main problem is with being hacked. Being hacked shouldn't be taken lightly, as it can shake the very foundation of a business and even your personal life. 💡 As a #cybersecurist, I see daily why taking care of #cybersecurity is crucial. Here’s a quick overview of the risks: - 💰 Financial consequences: being hacked can cost a lot of money, for example because of fines or for paying off cyber criminals - 💔 Reputation loss: being hacked doesn't look good to customers, especially when their personal information has been stolen - ⚖️ Legal consequences: being hacked can for example go against contracts or break the law, which can result in fines and lawsuits - ⏳ Operations can be disrupted: working normally may not be possible anymore, which means that products and services cannot be offered timely, which can lead to losing customers and - in worst case - going bankrupt - 🔒 Sensitive information theft: hackers can be after sensitive inform...

  🛡️ As part of my Mission Unhackable, I support companies in improving their cybersecurity. As AI is on the rise quickly, many organizations adopt it as quickly as possible. But speed can be dangerous: ⚠️ Too often, the other side of the coin is forgotten: the risks. 🤖 That’s why I’m looking forward to my upcoming event, where I’ll show how chatbots can be hacked and how we can protect ourselves. 🙅‍♂️ Not to turn anyone into a hacker, but to raise awareness of what can go wrong, so that together we can improve protections. 👇 Join me on Thursday August 21st, 3 pm, to learn how we can make the AI revolution more secure for everyone. (The event will be in German) https://youtube.com/live/Pzat8uCjN1g

  💭 Do you feel that, as an individual, you can’t make a big difference? I’m sure this will change your mind. 🧹 Recently, I organized a local cleanup in our market square with my litter-picking friends. Our goal: to remove every cigarette butt we could find. After a few scorching hot days, the evening blessed us with perfect weather. 🚬 By the time we were done, we had collected 3,500 cigarette butts. 📰 A local journalist wrote a fantastic article about it, which was soon picked up by several other newspapers. Suddenly, our little cleanup was making waves far beyond our city. 💬 Hundreds of people reacted to the article and related social media posts. Even better, a few reached out to say they want to start the same initiative in their own cities. ❄️ What began with me, and then a handful of people is now inspiring many more to take action. That’s the snowball effect in action and proof that one person really can make a big difference. 🌱 So, if you’ve ever doubted that y...

🚆 Last week, I took a holiday to Andermatt, Switzerland. By train, deliberately avoiding flying. What I experienced was so thrilling, I’ll never forget it: 🏔️ Andermatt is a breathtaking alpine village, nestled between towering mountains. Some peaks still wore snow caps, others were fresh green or covered in bare rock. This was an active trip filled with hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Here are some highlights: 🧊 On the way to a climbing spot, we passed a glacier. Seeing it up close was both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking: I know these giants are melting fast due to climate change. ⛰️ I hiked to the summit of Piz Badus. As a Dutch person without mountain experience, I hadn’t expected going down to be so much harder than going up. It was challenging but an unforgettable adventure. 🐮 And then there was a curious cow who decided to cuddle me and join our hike, turning us from four walkers into five companions. Along the way, I also picked up trash I found. Small acts that...