Talking Impact with Dr Meredith Glaser

Dr Meredith Glaser from the faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, and director of programs at the Urban Cycling Institute (Image: Christa Romp).

Talking Impact is a series of conversations with lecturers and staff, students, innovators and entrepreneurs from the University of Amsterdam (UvA)’s Roeterseiland campus, about how their work makes an impact on society.

Who are you?

My name is Meredith Glaser and I am the Director of the Urban Cycling Institute and also post-doctoral lecturer and researcher in the urban planning group at the UvA (GPIO). I was born and raised on the California coast, but have been based in the Netherlands since 2010. I live in Amsterdam with my partner, our two incredible daughters, 6 bicycles, and no car. 

What's the impact of your work?

Cycling is increasingly on the political agenda in cities worldwide to help solve many challenges around sustainability, health, inclusion, and the economy. But urban planners, government officials and their stakeholders struggle to translate available cycling research into actionable knowledge, to navigate mobility innovations, and to find appropriate best practices. Plus, student and professional education programs specific to cycling and its integration into current policy and practice paradigms are in demand – our 4 on-line courses attract over 17,000 global students, our 3-week summer program fills up too quickly every year, and our unreleased masters program with Wuppertal and Lund is already gaining traction.

Our objective at the Urban Cycling Institute is that by working together with universities, governments, industry, practitioners, and students we can facilitate a positive feedback loop between science and practice, and generate new knowledge that directly improves critical decisions that impacts citizens and the sustainability of their communities.

Do you have entrepreneurial plans?

I have never called myself an entrepreneur, but I do see a demand for the specific expertise we offer: using cycling as a lens to explore the many facets and challenges on the road to sustainability. The Urban Cycling Institute started with a small seed grant in 2015, and since then (the seed grant ended) our expertise is sought on a regular basis to teach, research, advise, and translate Dutch cycling knowledge with parties all over the world. Formalizing the Institute - embedded in the UvA - could offer a scale-up scenario. 

What's the promise of REC-Impact? 

It’s not a coincidence that we are situated in Amsterdam - a city well-known for its very high cycling rates and matured cycling environment. Because of this history of experience with bicycling policy, we think Amsterdam – and the UvA – is in a unique position, with an obligation to build on and share this knowledge and practice with the world. So our mission is to offer academic research and teaching but also practical knowledge, using the city of Amsterdam as a playing board to explore these issues head on. REC-Impact can facilitate this mission! And with the UvA as a Fietsambassadeur, there is a great deal of synergy to leverage. 

What does valorisation mean to you? What do you like about it?

To me, valorisation is the process of generating societal impact from academic research (and perhaps teaching as well). To engage in valorisation, research needs to be closely connected to on-the-ground practice and policy. This is where academics and practitioners can unlock innovation.

I get excited about the opportunity to participate in transformative change and to make an impact on tough societal challenges. Because of the complex and intertwined dilemmas cities are facing today, and their ambitions of achieving sustainable, resilient, inclusive, healthy communities, I think valorisation is – and should be – an important duty of urban and transportation planning research. 

Where can we meet you? 

For the time being, I’m on the 4th floor of REC C – but maybe sometime soon located at the new home of REC-Impact!