Foundation Geo Promotion
Connecting students to the working field!
Welcome to the website of Geo Promotion.
Foundation Geo Promotion annually organizes an event that gives the opportunity for students to explore the field of spatial sciences. Our main goal is to connect students to the working field. Your future has our interest. Geo Promotion has organized events concerning the topics of geography, spatial planning, water management, demographics and many more. On this website you can find more information about the upcoming event(s), our board, previous themes and how to get in contact with us.
Last year, we had a very succesful Geo Promotion edition!
You can view the pictures here and the aftermovie here!
This year's conference theme:
Energy for Everyone: ‘An inclusive energy transition towards a futureproof living environment’
The shift to renewable energy is about more than just carbon neutrality—it’s about creating a sustainable, equitable living environment. During the Geo Promotion Congres the different sides of the energy transition will be highlighted, also in relation to the social aspects, which are often overlooked. While people support green initiatives, local resistance (“Not In My BackYard”) persists due to concerns about nearby projects like wind turbines. Policies that offer incentives or compensation have helped, but challenges remain, particularly around energy equity.
Many vulnerable communities face higher pollution and limited access to affordable, energy-efficient housing, while rising costs for green buildings add to these disparities. Global energy needs also vary significantly, making universal policies difficult. To succeed, the energy transition must include all voices, also those of the communities most impacted.
The 2025 Geo Promotion Congress on the 6th of March, hosted by the University of Groningen’s Faculty of Spatial Sciences, will gather experts and students to discuss these challenges. The goal is to explore sustainable solutions and inspire attendees to learn about inclusive, future-proof energy strategies.
We hope to see you there!
This year's conference location:
Martiniplaza Groningen
As the organizers of the Geo Promotion Conference, we are thrilled to announce that this year’s event will be held at Martiniplaza, the biggest event location in the northern Netherlands. With all amenities in-house, Martiniplaza is the perfect venue for the Geo Promotion Conference, offering multiple workshop rooms, a plenary hall, and a comfortable atmosphere.
Keynote speaker
Gerrit Hiemstra
The first speaker of the Geo Promotion conference 2025 is Gerrit Hiemstra!
Gerrit graduated from Wageningen University as an Agricultural Engineer. During his career he has worked for KNMI and you might know him as the former weather presenter at the NOS, the Dutch public broadcasting channel.
Next to his meteorologic background, he gained expertise in the fields of climate innovation and sustainability. Last year, he received an honorary doctorate at the University of Groningen for his achievements as an expert on the effects of climate change.
Next to this, he is one of the co-founders of Oarshûs, a friesian company focused on building future proof houses. Gerrit Hiemstra is also the founder of Weather Impact, an international engineering firm in the field of weather and climate.
During his keynote, Gerrit will talk about the relevance of the energy transition and give his perspective from building future proof houses.
Keynote speaker
Mariëlle Feenstra
The second speaker of the Geo Promotion Conference 2025 is Mariëlle Feenstra!
Mariëlle Feenstra graduated from the University of Twente with a Master’s degree in International Relations. After working for 15 years as a policy advisor for different municipalities in the Netherlands, she got back to the University of Twente and got her PhD in Gender & Energy Policy and became Doctor of Philosophy. She is co-founder and Scientific Director of 75inQ, an institute focused on a more inclusive energy transition. Next to that, she just started as ‘senior advisor European energy policy’ at Enexis where she looks at the European energy prospects. Her contribution as a gender-energy pioneer have been acknowledged both in academia and in practice by invitation to participate in policy formulation activities for the European Union and the United Nations. During her keynote, Marielle will touch upon the underexposed faces of the energy transition. She will dive deeper in the aspects of the energy transition that are often left unmentioned like energy poverty and the equality within the energy transition.
Keynote speaker
Jimme Zoete
The third speaker of the Geo Promotion Conference 2025 is Jimme Zoete!
The transition to sustainable energy is an enormous challenge. Especially because it has to happen in many different sectors. For example, homes have to get off natural gas, mobility is switching from fossil fuels to clean ones and the industrial sector has to become more sustainable.
Jimme, alumnus of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, started as a planner at Witteveen+Bos 11 years ago. After his first wind farm project, things got out of hand and since he has worked exclusively on energy projects.
His keynote takes us through the spatial challenge of the energy transition, the most important lessons and challenges, and makes the energy transition tangible by translating it into projects.
Partners of the Geo Promotion Conference 2025
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Our history
Previous conference themes
Participants
Conferences Hosted
The Board
39th Board of Foundation Geo Promotion
The board of Foundation Geo Promotion takes care of the organization of the yearly event. This team of students aspires to offer students with an interest in spatial sciences a fantastic day. This year the board of Foundation Geo Promotion consists of:
Chairman: Jurre Meijles
Secretary: Anne Pents
Treasurer: Jiska Post
Commissioner Internal Relations: Diana Stein
Commissioner External Relations: Jesper Leuwerink
Committee of Recommendations
We would like to introduce you to
Committee of Recommendations
Dr. Margo van den Brink
Dijkgraaf Roeland van der Schaaf
Dr. (MSC) Nanco Dolman
Dr. Ir. Francien van Soest
Dhr. Yves de Boer
Drs. Bas Eenhoorn
Drs. Mark Frequin
Emiel Reiding
Prof. dr. Tialda Haartsen
Prof. dr. Gert de Roo
Prof. dr. Elmer Sterken
Prof. dr. Jaqcues Wallage
General
The Geo Promotion Foundation was founded in 1986 by students of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences from the University of Groningen. Over the years Geo Promotion has organized several events such as symposia, seminars, and colloquials for the faculty. These activities all have a geographic, spatial, or real estate background.
Statutory Task
The foundation goes under the name Stichting Geo Promotion and is located in the city of Groningen.
The foundation aims to stimulate interest and involvement in the geographic and spatial sciences worldwide, thus providing more knowledge from the geographic scientific field.
KvK-number
41011610
Contact
Foundation Geo Promotion
Postbus 800
9700 AV Groningen
stichtinggeopromotion@gmail.com