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Prof. Dr. Vanessa M.A. Heyvaert

Geologist
Vanessa Heyvaert
Contact
E-mail:
Phone:
+32 (0)2 788 76 51
Additional links
Research interests

I am a Quaternary geologist and sedimentologist. A significant part of my research focusses  on the reconstruction of the Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution of coastal and fluvial plains and natural hazards. Present research activities include  the understanding of regional as well as local driving forces (e.g. relative sea-level change, neo-tectonics, sediment budget…) of coastal change and the study of human impact on rivershifting and megafan development. Moreover, I am studying the sedimentary record of natural hazard events and  in particularly tsunami.  I have worked in the Middle East (Iraq, Iran), Asia (Japan, Thailand) and the Eastern Mediterranean region (Syria).

Key Publications
V. M. A. Heyvaert, Walstra, J. , Verkinderen, P. , and Weerts, H. , “The role of human interference on the channel shifting of the Karkheh River in the Lower Khuzestan plain (Mesopotamia, SW Iran)”, Quaternary International, vol. 251, pp. 52-63, 2012.
V. M. A. Heyvaert and Baeteman, C. , “A Middle to late Holocene avulsion history of the Euphrates river: a case study from Tell ed-Der, Iraq, Lower Mesopotamia.”, Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 27, pp. 2401-2410, 2008.
V. M. A. Heyvaert and Baeteman, C. , “Holocene sedimentary evolution and palaeocoastlines of the Lower Khuzestan plain (southwest Iran)”, Marine Geology, vol. 242, pp. 83-108, 2007.
Key Projects

- QuakeRecNankai: Paleo-tsunami and earthquake records of ruptures along the Nankai Trough, offshore South-Central Japan (2014-2018, Belspo funded Brain project, co-Pi).

- TsunamiRecAndaman: Tsunami Records along the Andaman Sea (2016 - 2017, GSB, Chulalongkorn University & UGhent funded project, co-Pi).

- H3o The Campine area project (2015 - 2017, Albon - Flemish governement funded project, co-Pi)

- The study of the impact of antropogenic activities on the geomorphological evolution of distributary river systems and fans in arid settings (2012 - present, GSB funded project, Pi) .

- Palaeoenvironmental investigation of the Shizuoka coastal plain: the role of tsunamis as driving mechanisms of coastal evolution. (JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship,  2007, Pi)

-Palaeoenvironmental investigation of the Lower Khuzestan coastal-fluvial plain, SW-Iran, Persian Gulf (IUAP Project V & VI, 2002-2006 & 2007-2011, PhD student & Postdoc).

- Geoarchaeological reconstruction of the Euphrates plain in the surroundings of the archaeological sites Tell-ed Der and Sippar, Iraq (IUAP Project V, 2002-2006, PhD student).

Supervises:

- Ms. Laura Lamaire (PhD Student): 'Earthquake-induced deposits in the Fuji Lakes’.

 

Professional experiences

01/12/2013 > ongoing: Senior researcher

RBINS

01/03/2007 > 30/11/2013: Postdoctoral Researcher

RBINS

01/10/2013 > ongoing: Visiting Professor

UGhent, Department of Geology and Soil Sciences

01/02/2007 > 01/11/2007: JSPS Postdoctoral Researcher

Nagoya University, Japan

01/07/2002 > 28/02/2007: PhD student/researcher

RBINS
Academic training

01/10/2002 > 15/02/2007: PhD in Geology

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Coastal and fluvial sedimentology

01/10/2001 > 01/09/2002: Msc, in sciences in Physical Land Resources - option engineering geology

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

01/10/2001 > 01/07/2002: Msc, in Environmental Sciences

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

01/10/2001 > 01/07/2002: Master's degree, Environmental specialist - level A

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

01/10/1998 > 01/07/2001: Msc, in sciences in Geography

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

2017

S. Kluiving, Bebermeier, W. , Howard, A. , and Heyvaert, V. M. A. , “Human-environment interactions in the Holocene”, CATENA, vol. 149, pp. 447-448, 2017.

2016

M. Dusar, Pieters, M. , Vanhaelst, S. , Declercq, M. , Goethals, H. , Deceukelaire, M. , and Heyvaert, V. M. A. , “Pleistocene gravels on the Belgian offshore investigated for composition and provenance, towards a reassessment of the transport models”, in Geologica Belgica 5th International Meeting, Mons, Belgium, 2016.
V. M. A. Heyvaert, Vernes, R. W. , Deckers, J. , Bogemans, F. , Deceukelaire, M. , Dulk, M. Den, Doornenbal, H. C. , Dusar, M. , Hummelman, J. , Kiden, P. , Lanckacker, T. , Menkovic, A. , Meyvis, B. , Munsterman, D. K. , Reindersma, R. N. , Veen, J. H. ten, van de Ven, T. J. M. , Walstra, J. , Westerhoff, W. E. , and Witmans, N. , “Towards a cross-border hydrogeological model: harmonized data integration within the H3O-projects”, in Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2016, vol. 18, pp. EGU2016-16156-2.
T. Lanckacker, Menkovic, A. , Walstra, J. , Deckers, J. , Witmans, N. , Meyvis, B. , Dusar, M. , Bogemans, F. , Vernes, R. , VanderMeulen, M. , Dekoninck, R. , Verhaert, G. , Slenter, C. , Heskens, E. , and Heyvaert, V. M. A. , “H3O - a better understanding of Campine cross-border Cenozoic stratigraphy”, in Geologica Belgica 5th International Meeting, Mons, Belgium., 2016.
E. Garrett, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Fujiwara, O. , Brückner, H. , Yokoyama, Y. , Riedesel, S. , Miyairi, Y. , Shishikura, M. , and De Batist, M. , “Sedimentary imprints of tsunami and storm deposits on the Shizuoka coastline, south central Japan.”, in Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2016, vol. 18, pp. EGU2016-12791.
T. Lanckacker, Menkovic, A. , Walstra, J. , Deckers, J. , Witmans, N. , Meyvis, B. , Dusar, M. , Bogemans, F. , Vernes, R. , VanderMeulen, M. , Dekoninck, R. , Verhaert, G. , Slenter, C. , Heskens, E. , and Heyvaert, V. M. A. , “H3O – a better understanding of Campine cross-border Cenozoic stratigraphy”, in Geologica Belgica 5th International Meeting, Mons, Belgium., 2016.
E. Garrett, Fujiwara, O. , Garrett, P. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Shishikura, M. , Yokoyama, Y. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , Brückner, H. , Nakamura, A. , De Batist, M. , and Team, T. QuakeRecNa, “A systematic review of geological evidence for Holocene earthquakes and tsunamis along the Nankai-Suruga Trough, Japan”, Earth-Science Reviews, vol. 159, pp. 337-357, 2016.
V. M. A. Heyvaert and Walstra, J. , “The role of long-term human impact on avulsion and fan development”, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol. 41, pp. 2137-2152, 2016.
K. P. Woodbridge, Parsons, D. R. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Walstra, J. , and Frostick, L. E. , “Characteristics of direct human impacts on the rivers Karun and Dez in lowland south-west Iran and their interactions with earth surface movements”, Quaternary International, vol. 392, pp. 315-334, 2016.

2015

E. Garrett, De Batist, M. , Brückner, H. , Fujiwara, O. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , Yokoyama, Y. , Boes, E. , Lamair, L. , Walstra, J. , Garrett, P. , and Team, T. QuakeRecNa, “The QuakeRecNankai project: reconstructing past earthquakes and tsunamis along the Nankai Trough, south central Japan”, in 4th International Tsunami Field Symposium, Phuket, Thailand, 2015.
V. M. A. Heyvaert, De Batist, M. , Brückner, H. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , Fujiwara, O. , Shishikura, M. , Yokoyama, Y. , Boes, E. , Garrett, E. , Lamair, L. , Miyairi, Y. , Nakamura, A. , and Yamamoto, S. , “The QuakeRecNankai project: Towards New Geological Evidence of Past Earthquakes and Tsunami Along the Nankai Trough, Japan”, in Geological Society Arthur Holmes meeting on Tsunami Hazards and Risks, London, UK, 2015.
E. Garrett, De Batist, M. , Boes, E. , Brückner, H. , Fujiwara, O. , Garrett, P. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , Lamair, L. , Riedesel, S. , Walstra, J. , Yokoyama, Y. , and Team, T. QuakeRecNa, “The QuakeRecNankai project: Palaeoseismic data for improved seismic hazard assessment along the Nankai Trough, Japan”, in 1st Pan Pacific Palaeoseismology symposium, Durham, UK, 2015.
E. Garrett, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Fujiwara, O. , De Batist, M. , Brückner, H. , Yokoyama, Y. , Walstra, J. , Riedesel, S. , Brill, D. , Miyairi, Y. , Obrochta, S. , and Team, T. QuakeRecNa, “Radiometric and luminescence dating of historical tsunamis and storm deposits from Shirasuka, south central Japan”, in XIX INQUA Congress, Nagoya, Japan, 2015.
V. M. A. Heyvaert and Walstra, J. , “Human impact and avulsion: a long-standing relationship”, in Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2015, vol. 17, pp. EGU2015-10578.
M. De Batist, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , Fujiwara, O. , Shishikura, M. , Yokoyama, Y. , Brückner, H. , Garrett, E. , Boes, E. , Lamair, L. , Nakamura, A. , Miyairi, Y. , and Yamamoto, S. , “New Geological Evidence of Past Earthquakes and Tsunami Along the Nankai Trough, Japan”, in American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, 2015.
E. Boes, Kempf, P. , De Batist, M. , Van Daele, M. , Vandoorne, W. , Fujiwara, O. , Garrett, E. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Yokoyama, Y. , Miyairi, Y. , Irizuki, T. , Moernaut, J. , Pino, M. , Urrita, R. , and Team, T. QuakeRecNa, “On how to extract the paleotsunami history from a coastal lake record”, in 4th International Tsunami Field Symposium, Phuket, Thailand, 2015.
E. Garrett, Garrett, P. , Fujiwara, O. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Shishikura, M. , De Batist, M. , and Yokoyama, Y. , “Current status of palaeoseismic research along the Nankai Trough, Japan”, in Geological Society Arthur Holmes meeting on Tsunami Hazards and Risks, London, UK, 2015.
E. Garrett, De Batist, M. , Brückner, H. , Fujiwara, O. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , Shishikura, M. , Yokoyama, Y. , and team, T. , “Using coastal geology to improve hazard assessments along tectonically active coasts: current progress along the Nankai Trough, Japan”, in Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences Vulnerable Coastal Areas Multidisciplinary Workshop, Brussels, Belgium, 2015.
L. Lamair, Hubert, A. , Boes, E. , Yamamoto, S. , Garrett, E. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Fujiwara, O. , Yokoyama, Y. , and De Batist, M. , “Investigation of the Five Fuji Lakes and their potential of recording paleoearthquakes”, in BELQUA 2015 Annual Meeting, 2015.
E. Boes, Fujiwara, O. , Garrett, E. , Lamair, L. , De Batist, M. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Yokoyama, Y. , Miyairi, Y. , Irizuki, T. , Riedesel, S. , Brückner, H. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , and Team, T. QuakeRecNa, “Exploring the potential of Lake Hamana (Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) to hold a long and reliable sedimentary record of paleo-earthquakes and -tsunami along the Nankai-Suruga Trough.”, in Geological Society Arthur Holmes meeting on Tsunami Hazards and Risks, London, UK, 2015.
V. M. A. Heyvaert and Walstra, J. , “River channel avulsion and the role of human action in causing or preventing flood events.”, in XIX INQUA Congress, Nagoya, Japan, 2015.
E. Garrett, Fujiwara, O. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , De Batist, M. , Yokoyama, Y. , Brückner, H. , Garrett, P. , Boes, E. , and Miyairi, Y. , “Progress in paleoearthquake and paleotsunami research along the Nankai Trough following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake”, in XIX INQUA Congress, Nagoya, Japan, 2015.
L. Lamair, Hubert, A. , Boes, E. , Yamamoto, S. , Garrett, E. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Fujiwara, O. , Yokoyama, Y. , and De Batist, M. , “Late Holocene history of the Fuji Five Lakes (Japan)”, in XIX INQUA Congress, Nagoya, Japan, 2015.
E. Boes, Fujiwara, O. , Garrett, E. , Lamair, L. , De Batist, M. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Yokoyama, Y. , Miyairi, Y. , Irizuki, T. , Riedesel, S. , Brückner, H. , and Hubert-Ferrari, A. , “Exploring the potential of Lake Hamana (Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) to hold a long and reliable sedimentary record of paleo-earthquakes and -tsunami along the Nankai-Suruga Trough”, in XIX INQUA Congress, Nagoya, Japan, 2015.
E. Garrett, De Batist, M. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Hubert-Ferrari, A. , Fujiwara, O. , Yokoyama, Y. , Brückner, H. , Garrett, P. , and Team, T. QuakeRecNa, “Geological evidence for historical and older earthquakes and tsunamis along the Nankai Trough, Japan”, in European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 2015, p. 10271.
L. Lamair, Hubert, A. , Boes, E. , Schmidt, S. , Yamamoto, S. , Fujiwara, O. , Garrett, E. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Miyairi, Y. , and Yokoyama, Y. , “The last 300 years of sedimentation in the Fuji Five Lakes: the impact of natural disasters with a special focus on earthquakes”, in XIX INQUA Congress, 2015.
A. J. Howard, Kluiving, S. J. , Engel, M. , and Heyvaert, V. M. A. , “Geoarchaeological records in temperate European valleys: Quantifying the resource, assessing its potential and managing its future”, Quaternary International, vol. 367, pp. 42-50, 2015.
S. J. Kluiving, Engel, M. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , and Howard, A. , “Where Earth Scientists meet Cleopatra: Geoarchaeology and Geoprospection of ancient landscapes.”, Quaternary International, vol. 367, pp. 1-3, 2015.

2014

V. M. A. Heyvaert, Walstra, J. , and Mortier, C. , “Long-term interactions between man and the fluvial environment - case of the Diyala alluvial fan, Iraq”, in Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2014, vol. 16, pp. EGU2014-11047.
J. Walstra, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Mortier, C. , Parsons, D. , Verkinderen, P. , and Woodbridge, K. , “Human impact on alluvial fan development: can human niche construction provide a conceptual framework for long-term landscape evolution?”, in Programme & Abstract Book, 3rd International Landscape Archaeology Conference, Rome, 17-20 September 2014, 2014, pp. 39-40.
V. M. A. Heyvaert, Walstra, J. , and Mortier, C. , “Long-term interactions between man and the fluvial environment – case of the Diyala alluvial fan, Iraq”, in Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2014, vol. 16, pp. EGU2014-11047.
V. M. A. Heyvaert, Bogemans, F. , Busschers, F. , Cohen, K. , Gibbard, P. , and Walstra, J. , “First field campaign report linking the Scheldt to Rhine Thames Land project”. 2014.

2013

M. D. Jones, Djamali, M. , Stevens, L. , Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Askari, H. , Norolahie, D. , and Weeks, L. , “Mid Holocene environmental and climatic change in Iran”, in Ancient Iran and its neighbours: Local developments and long-range interactions in the 4th Millennium BC, C. A. Petrie Oxford, UK: British Institute for Persian Studies and Oxbow Books, 2013, pp. 26-35.
V. M. A. Heyvaert, Verkinderen, P. , and Walstra, J. , “Geoarchaeological Research in Lower Khuzestan: State of the Art”, in Susa and Elam. Archaeological, Pilological, Historical and Geographical Perspectives, K. De Graef and Tavernier, J. Leiden: Brill, 2013, pp. 493-534.
X. Devleeschouwer, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , Louwye, S. , Piessens, K. , and Smith, T. , “Moving plates and melting icecaps - Processes and forcing factors in geology, 4th international Geologica Belgica meeting, September 11-14, 2012”, Geologica Belgica, vol. 16, pp. 208-210, 2013.

2012

V. M. A. Heyvaert, Kaniewski, D. , Sintubin, M. , Szkornik, K. , Verstraeten, G. , and Walstra, J. , “Studying the driving forces of landscape change in the surroundings of the Late Bronze Age harbor town Halla Sultan Tekke, Cyprus”, in Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2012, vol. 14, pp. EGU2012-9413.
J. Walstra, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , and Verkinderen, P. , “The role of rivers in ancient societies, or how man transformed the alluvial landscapes of Khuzestan (SW Iran)”, in Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2012, vol. 14, pp. EGU2012-9519.
J. Walstra, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , and Verkinderen, P. , “Using Historical Imagery and GIS for Reconstructing the Ancient Landscapes of Khuzestan (SW Iran)”, in Final Programme and Abstract Book, 2nd International Landscape Archaeology Conference, Berlin, 6-9 June 2012, 2012, p. 130.
V. M. A. Heyvaert, Szkornik, K. , Walstra, J. , Kaniewski, D. , and Nys, K. , “Studying the Influence of Landscape Changes on the Late Bronze Age Abandonment of the Harbour Town HST: Unravelling the Sedimentary Record of the Larnaca Salt Lake, Cyprus”, in Final Programme and Abstract Book, 2nd International Landscape Archaeology Conference, Berlin, 6-9 June 2012, 2012, pp. 70-71.
V. M. A. Heyvaert, Walstra, J. , Verkinderen, P. , and Weerts, H. , “The role of human interference on the channel shifting of the Karkheh River in the Lower Khuzestan plain (Mesopotamia, SW Iran)”, Quaternary International, vol. 251, pp. 52-63, 2012.

2011

J. Walstra, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , and Verkinderen, P. , “Mapping Late Holocene landscape evolution and human impact - a case study from Lower Khuzestan (SW Iran)”, in Geomorphological mapping: methods and applications, vol. 15, M. J. smith, Paron, P. , and Griffith, J. S. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier, 2011, pp. 551-575.

2010

J. Walstra, Heyvaert, V. M. A. , and Verkinderen, P. , “Assessing human impact on alluvial fan development: a multidisciplinary case-study from Lower Khuzestan (SW Iran)”, Geodinamica Acta, vol. 23, no. 5-6, pp. 267-285, 2010.

2008

V. M. A. Heyvaert and Baeteman, C. , “A Middle to late Holocene avulsion history of the Euphrates river: a case study from Tell ed-Der, Iraq, Lower Mesopotamia.”, Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 27, pp. 2401-2410, 2008.

2007

V. M. A. Heyvaert and Baeteman, C. , “Holocene sedimentary evolution and palaeocoastlines of the Lower Khuzestan plain (southwest Iran)”, Marine Geology, vol. 242, pp. 83-108, 2007.
C. Baeteman, Dupin, L. , and Heyvaert, V. M. A. , “Geo-environmental Investigation. The Persian Gulf Shorelines and the Karkheh, Karun, and Jarrahi Rivers: A Geo-Archaeological Approach.”, Akkadica, vol. 125/126, pp. 155-215; 1-12.
15/12/2016 to 31/12/2020

RESPONSE – Reactive transport modelling of point source contamination in soils and groundwater

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Metagenomics of Extreme Wave Events

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QuakeRecNankai

This project aims to reconstruct past earthquakes along the Nankai Trough, south central Japan. The project combines fieldwork, advanced sedimentological and geochemical analyses, innovative dating techniques, tsunami inundation modeling and hazard assessment, with government policy support and public outreach.
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H3O – The Campine

The general scope of this project is to solve existing connection problems between the Flemish and Dutch geological and hydrogeological layer cake models in the Campine Region by producing cross-border, up-to-date, three-dimensional geological and hydrogeological models of the Cenozoic deposits, based on existing (hydro-) geological data.
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IUAP Project: The Land of Sumer and Akkad

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IUAP Project: The Land of Sumer and Akkad

Reconstructing History and Environment of the Mesopotamian Plain.
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