Knowledge instruments to support decision making

Main research interest
After nearly 10 years of working for a waterboard in the Netherlands, I started as a (part-time) PhD student in 2009 and I plan to graduate in 2016.
Very generally phrased, I am interested in the role of science and technology in policy development. More specifically I have been studying the development and use of information systems to support decision making processes in water management. In my work I have started from different disciplines and I have been using different theoretical frameworks in order to come to a better understanding of the processes involved. My work ranges from studies in the field of policy analysis, to information systems design, and science and technology studies.

Projects
For the project ‘Changes’ (Changing Hydro-meteorological Risks as Analyzed by a New Generation of European Scientists)  http://www.changes-itn.eu/ , I am advisor for two wonderful PhD students, who are both expected to graduate in 2016. They work in the field of natural hazards, one on the role of visual information in the communication of risks of natural hazards and the other on the facilitation of the use of information gathered by volunteers for preventive maintenance of structures.

I have done research on a decision support system that was developed for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). This research forms part of the i-Five project that our section undertook together with French and German partners, and with several stakeholders in the three countries. Also part of project was a comparison of the implementation of the WFD in the three countries concerned. We investigated how the challenges of implementing this new European directive were dealt with in the various contexts. Analysing the different solutions provided valuable insights, although the solutions themselves cannot simply be transferred.

I am happy to have been a member of the EU-China research network on water governance (RiBaGo) http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/ribago/ enabling me to share and discuss results with researchers across Europe and China. A paper resulting from the work in this network is expected to be published in 2016.

As part of the Melia project, I was one of the organisers of an international seminar on IWRM in Mediterranean countries, in Venice, October 2010. I have also been the scientific editor of the volume of papers that is published on the basis of earlier workshops that Melia hosted.

In the second half of 2009 and first half of 2010, I was involved in a "Knowledge for Climate" project concerning an inventory of climate adaptation issues for the city of Rotterdam.

From 2009 to 2011, I was one of the organisers of a Junior TU Delft course introducing secondary school students to the Delft University of Technology. Each year a group of 25 students attended our course on floating cities.

As part of the European research programme FLOODsite, I developed a website on flood risk management, in 2008, specifically for secondary school students. It can be used by students themselves or their teachers.

Publications

Scientific papers
V. J. Cortes Arevalo, S. Sterlacchini, T. Bogaard, S.J. Junier, N. van de Giesen (Accepted) “Decision support method to systematically evaluate first level inspections of the functional status of check dams” Structure and Infrastructure Engineering

Junier, S.J. and E. Mostert (2014) “Decision support systems in environmental policy: process, validity and useful information” Environmental Science and Policy

Junier, S.J. and E. Mostert (2012). “The implementation of the Water Framework Directive in The Netherlands: Does it promote integrated management?” Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C 47–48(0): 2-10.

Mostert, E. and S.J. Junier (2009). “The European flood risk directive: challenges for research” Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 6(4), 4961-4988.

Edited volume
Junier, S., et al., Eds. (2011). Dialogues on Mediterranean water challenges: Rational water use, water value versus price and lessons learned from the European Water Framework Directive. Options Méditerranéennes, Series A: Mediterranean seminars. 

Selected conference papers
Charriere, M., S. Junier, et al. (2014). One exhibition, many goals. A case study on how to combine scientific questions with stakeholder views on effective communication of risks. AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts.

M.K.M. Charrière, S.J. Junier, E. Mostert & T.A. Bogaard (2012) Flood risk communication - Visualization tools and evaluations of effectiveness. Flood risk conference 2012 Science, policy and practice: closing the gap, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Junier, S. (2012) Development and Application of a Decision Support System for River Basin Management in the Netherlands. International Yellow River Forum, Zhengzhou, China

Junier, S. and E. Mostert (2011). Insufficient integration between sectors hinders reaching WFD objectives in the Netherlands. 25th ICID European Regional Conference; Deltas in Europe, integrated water management for multiple land use in flat coastal areas, Groningen, the Netherlands.

Junier, S., I. Borowski, G. Bouleau, E. Interwies, E. Mostert (2011). Implementing the Water Framework Directive: lessons for the second planning cycle. The Water Framework Directive: Action Programmes and Adaptation To Climate Change. P. Quevauviller, U. Borchers, K. C. Thompson and T. Simonart. Cambridge, RSC Publishing: 80-96.

Professional publications
Junier, S.J. (2011). Zorgen om uitvoering kaderrichtlijn water. H₂0 (3)
Junier, S.J. (2012) “Experts en expertise voor de implementatie van de KRW” in: Witter, V. ed. Besluitvorming in het waterbeheer, Waterschap de Brabantse Delta, Breda

Reports
Borowski, I., et al. (2010). Research Report No 3 & 4 of i-Five: Lessons learnt for the second implementation cycle of the WFD. Case Study Cross Comparison & the QuickScan method. www.i-five.eu

Junier, S.J. 2010. Research Report No 2.1 I-FIVE: Innovative instruments and institutions in implementing the Water Framework Directive. Dutch case study: the WFD Explorer. www.i-five.eu

Van Nieuwkerk, E., R. Trouwborst, et al. (2010). Klimaatverandering en het Rotterdamse Stedelijk watersysteem: Verkennende studie en agenda voor vervolg. Rotterdam.