Dr.ir. Taede Tillema professor of Transport Geography by special appointment

Per May 1^st, 2018, dr.ir. Taede Tillema is appointed professor by special appointment in Transport Geography at the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen. The chair was established by the Foundation for the Promotion of Spatial Sciences and is supported by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

Tillema (1979, Delfzijl) will contribute to education and research in the field of transport geography, focusing on mobility and accessibility with an emphasis on areas around and outside the city. The chair falls within the Economic Geography department of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences.

Tillema: 'Innovations in transport, such as self-driving vehicles, e-bikes and ‘Mobility-as-a-Service’ concepts, influence the mobility and accessibility of both cities and areas outside. They can also influence spatial layout and therefore the places where households and businesses undertake their activities. Currently, a lot of research into mobility and quality of life problems is focused on the city. My research will also contribute to the insight into mobility and the perceptions of accessibility in areas outside of the city. Do differences between the city and the areas outside the city increase or decrease? And for which groups? In doing so, I strive for a good connection between research and (evidence based) policy. Knowledge that will contribute to important choices for our society.'

About Taede Tillema

Tillema is expert in the field of mobility, infrastructure planning and spatial planning. He has been working as a researcher at the Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM), part of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, since 2013. He combines the professorship with his work at KiM.

Tillema studied Civil Engineering and Management at the University of Twente and obtained a PhD at Utrecht University for research into the effects of price policy in traffic and transport. He then worked successively as a postdoc at Utrecht University (relationship between ICT developments and physical mobility) and as a senior researcher within the 'Sustainable Road Infrastructure' collaboration project of Rijkswaterstaat and the University of Groningen.

• More news from the Faculty of Spatial Sciences