Eric Koomen

Eric Koomen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Spatial Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His research focuses on land-use change analysis, spatial modeling, and policy support, with applications in urban planning, environmental impact assessment, and sustainable development. He coordinates courses like 'Land-use change' and 'Urban Environment Lab', and leads the Urban Environment Lab at Amsterdam University College. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly urban and environmental sustainability. Koomen has authored/co-authored over 250 publications and advised international organizations like the World Bank.

Education: PhD in Spatial Economics (2008), Master in Physical Geography (1992).

Research Interests: Urban densification, agricultural land-use change, climate adaptation, and spatial policy tools. His work spans the Netherlands, Vietnam, Mexico, and China.

Key Awards: VOGON research award (2021), SIMETRI (2018). He leads projects on sustainable urban strategies and logistics development, funded by grants such as AESUS (2012) and NWO Adaptation Pathways (2017).

Teaching & Supervision: Supervised 6 PhD theses and multiple MSc/BSc projects. Develops GIS curricula globally, including workshops in Kenya and Bhutan.

Labs/Teams: Urban Environment Lab (AUC), Spatial Economics Research Group (VU), collaborating with Geodan Next on policy-oriented spatial analysis.