Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Meredith Glaser

Meredith holds a PhD from the University of Amsterdam. Meredith’s research focuses on policy innovation, knowledge transfer, and capacity building for accelerated implementation of sustainable transport goals.

Director of Learning

Dr. George Liu

George’s work explores how ideas from urban design can guide the creation of healthy and attractive environments that encourage cycling as a practical and delightful mode of daily transport. His previous research at the University of Toronto includes a study of cycling patterns in the suburban communities. George received his PhD from Technical University Eindhoven

Researcher

Valeria Leyva Reyes

Research Fellow

Bárbara Oliveira Soares

Bárbara’s research focuses on how to advance inclusion and equity in cycling in Amsterdam. The research aims to identify policies and measures that will alleviate exclusion and further diversify cycling participation in the city. Bárbara holds a MSc in Urban and Regional Planning and second MSc in Urban Geography from the University of Amsterdam

Staff writer

Kevin Posey

Research Apprentice

Desmond Lartey

Desmond’s current research  focuses on enhancing capacity building for active travel in African cities and exploring the role of participatory GIS. He brings knowledge from landscape design to understand climate governance, sense-making and decision-making. He holds a Masters of Science in Landscape Architecture and Planning from Wageningen.

Senior Research

Dr. Erik van Marissing

Erik holds a PhD in urban geography from Utrecht University. His research focuses on social cohesion, citizen participation and the role of both formal and informal meeting places. Erik uses qualitative methods, such as open interviews, storytelling, mental maps, film and photography

Senior Researcher

Dr. Dylan Power

Dylan Power is an active travel researcher with a PhD from the South East Technological University in Ireland. Dylan’s research interests include multidisciplinary approaches to active travel promotion, systems approaches to public health, and policy analysis.

Research Associate

Dr. Itsi Alveano

Itsi holds a PhD in Public Policy with a focus on child development and has worked at the intersection between urban development and childhood. She is a long-time advocate for the children’s “right to the city” especially for active mobility

Lead Facilitator

Dr. Inés Alveano Aguerrebere

Inés leads the Urban Cycling Institute’s Spanish-speaking Masterclass. She is passionate about the links between the shape of cities and social well-being, with a background in psychology, public health and political science. She writes for local journals in Michoacan, Mexico, and has ventured into the production of videos on mobility: interviews and a short film that was selected finalist at a Ecofilm festival (2018)

Video Producer & Researcher

Jedwin Mok

Intern

Roshan Patel

Roshan is studying Human Geography and interested in the interrelationships between people, place, and environment. At the Institute, he is studying cross-overs between mountain-biking and daily cycling for transport. He is also the Student Ambassador for Planning the Cycling City summer course and contributing to several other projects

Intern

Jessica Rosenqvist

Jessica has a background in Earth and Environmental Sciences, and is originally from Sweden and Japan. Jessica’s work at the Urban Cycling Institute delves into gender and mobility.

Intern

Dáša Vodvarkova

Dáša, a linguistics and cultural mediation graduate with a Master’s degree from Paris-Sorbonne, has cultivated a diverse perspective through living in the Czech Republic, France, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Her extensive exposure to varied urban cycling infrastructures across Europe has sparked a deep curiosity to unravel the choices that have shaped the current state of European cycling infrastructures. Motivated by a passion for a healthy lifestyle, sustainability, and mindfulness, Dáša now drives communications strategy and community administration.

Intern

Viviana Tiffany Cucco

Viviana is currently studying to obtain a MSc in Sustainable Urban Mobility Transitions. Though currently in Helsinki her years in the Netherlands for her bachelor’s degree have sparked an interest for cycling and understanding how cultures shape its meaning. Her research is particularly focused on Italian culture due to her origins.

Research Apprentice

Michela Grasso

Michela Grasso is an urban and regional planning student at the University of Amsterdam, where she previously studied political science and International Development Studies. 

Intern

Louise Raclet

Louise, a graduate in Sustainable Development and Urban Management, is passionate about fostering urban environments that promote sustainable mobility. Drawing from her research on car dependency in Luxembourg City and uncovering cycling history in Coventry, she advocates for soft modes of transportation. Inspired by Rotterdam’s cycling infrastructure, she advocates for cycling as a lifestyle choice, aiming to inspire others to embrace this shift towards sustainable mobility. 

Visiting Scholar

Prof Dr Inah Okon

Inah is Associate Professor at University of Calabar, Nigeria, and an accomplished researcher in sustainable urban and regional development, GIS and quantitative methods. He founded the Green Pedal Development Foundation, a non-profit that promotes sustainable and inclusive urban mobility. As a Visiting Scholar, his research will investigate institutional logics for urban mobility across the Nigeria and African diaspora in the Netherlands.

Intern

Shefali Bharati

Shefali is doing her masters in Urban Studies at the University of Amsterdam. She also holds an MA in New Media and Digital Culture and is interested in the intersection of Urbanism and Media Platforms. She seeks to develop communication tools and methods for a people-centered approach to creating sustainable mobility solutions.