Jonathan Olsen

Dr. Jonathan Olsen is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow's School of Health & Wellbeing, where he leads the Mobility in the Urban Environment workstream within the Places and Health Programme. As a health geographer, his research examines spatial epidemiology and population health, particularly how urban environments influence health outcomes and inequalities.

His core research interests include:

• Spatial patterning of health disparities
• Impact of urban infrastructure on active lifestyles
• Environmental influences on mental wellbeing
• GPS-based mobility analysis

Recent publications demonstrate strong focus on neighborhood accessibility, green space equity, and policy evaluation of 20-minute communities. Research consistently examines how built environments moderate health behaviors across socioeconomic groups.

Dr. Olsen currently supervises doctoral candidates including Micaela Calderon Huachi (health policy simulation) and Amy Stevenson (urban climate resilience). His significant grant portfolio includes:

• NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Social Determinants (2022-2027)
• UKRI-NHMRC Better Parks, Healthier for All? (2020-2024)
• MRC Places and Health Programme (2020-2025)

He leads the Mobility and Health workstream developing novel geospatial methodologies to evaluate urban policy impacts. The team collaborates internationally on studies linking environmental exposures with health outcomes using GPS tracking and spatial analysis.