Dr Nico Booij

Nico Booij has played a major role in the development of spectral models for the coastal region. He completed his PhD thesis in 1981 about parabolic refraction-diffraction models; the main topic of the thesis is the extension of these models with the influence of currents.
Together with Leo Holthuijsen he developed HISWA in the 1980's, a partially spectral, partially parametric model which can be considered as the first computational model that was able to provide realistic results for wave fields in the coastal zone.
Later when computers became more powerful the two authors of HISWA started the development of SWAN which was the first operational fully spectral wave model for coastal areas.
Booij has retirerd from Delft University but he has remained active in the development of wave modelling. He is now using his expertise to improve wave modelling capabilities in consulting firms all over the world.

His main hobbies are collecting picture postcards of the Netherlands, trains and trams and the history of water management in Holland.
He can be reached via e-mail address: n.booij@digital-hydraulics.com.