Alumni Profile: Ben Zevenbergen

A return to Green Templeton

In September 2025, I attended Green Templeton College’s alumni barbecue and dinner. The Autumn weather was perfect and the gardens were as beautiful as ever, reminding me of the time I spent there between study breaks, after lunch, or following squash training and gym sessions.

We were greeted by the wonderful Green Templeton alumni staff. After catching up and mentioning that I am now based in the Netherlands, they suggested I help to establish a Dutch chapter for the alumni group.

An opportunity for reconnection

I was honoured and delighted to support this. It offered a renewed connection to the college, which I have missed dearly. It has been around ten years since I left Oxford. No matter where I went, or how great the experiences were afterwards, I have missed the college’s sense of community: the friendly faces, the familiar spaces, the epic tower, and the beautiful gardens.

The alumni weekend was a fantastic experience. It reminded me just how excellent Green Templeton’s kitchen staff are and brought back many happy memories. We were lucky to have lunch in the historic Observatory tower, followed by coffee to recharge before returning to DPhil writing.

Sport, study and student life

Returning to Green Templeton brought back a lot. I lived close to college and could use the gym regularly. The squash training, sometimes twice a week, and matches against other colleges were a highlight. So was captaining the GTC football club for a season. We began enthusiastically, investing in elaborate kits and training suits, only to discover we were fairly average compared with other colleges. We certainly looked better. For us, that was half the battle.

I preferred studying in the Per Saugman Room. It was cosy, and you could make the space your own. It was also near the lunchroom. I remember the many music evenings hosted by the two Principals during my time. These showcased the wide range of talent among students, and helped build a strong sense of community.

I was fortunate to host several workshops and panels in my field of study, sometimes as part of the Human Welfare Conference and sometimes independently. I always appreciated the international atmosphere of the college and the way people were genuinely kind and supportive. This spirit carried into the fun times we had – whether on college grounds or while exploring Oxford with people I met in the library or at lunch.

Reflections and career since DPhil

Green Templeton helped prepare me for what came next. I was surrounded by people from different backgrounds, studying topics only loosely related to mine (DPhil Information, Communication and Social Sciences, 2013). Just by hearing them talk about their work, I gained perspective on my own research and goals. The college brings together people with good intentions who are starting to put them into practice. Seeing others do this inspired my own thinking.

At the Oxford Internet Institute, I completed a DPhil on the ethics of computer science research. I went on to a three-year postdoctoral position at Princeton University, focusing on the philosophy and ethics of artificial intelligence. There, I co-organised a number of workshops inspired by the community-led, interdisciplinary events I first experienced at Green Templeton.

This led to a role at Google in California, where I spent five years working on what it means to be an ethicist at a major technology company. I drew on the moral compass I had developed during my time at Oxford, particularly through my interactions at Green Templeton. My work focused on how to centre human dignity and protect vulnerable populations in technology design. This is a difficult task and requires effective interdisciplinary collaboration – something Green Templeton and the Oxford Internet Institute prepared me well for.

A new chapter in the Netherlands

I have now returned to the Netherlands, where I am originally from. I hope to establish a company working at the intersection of emerging technologies, science, philosophy, ethics, law and public policy. It will combine consulting, research, public speaking and event organisation.

As part of this next chapter, I hope to organise events for Green Templeton alumni based in the Netherlands, as well as those passing through who would like to connect. Please do not hesitate to reach out – and I hope to see you at a future Green Templeton alumni dinner soon.

Whilst at Green Templeton, Ben undertook a DPhil in Information, Communication and Social Sciences in 2013.