Being Smart about Cycling Futures

Anna Nikolaeva is an Assistant Professor in Urban Planning at the University of Amsterdam, where her research encompasses various themes related to urban mobility and human geography. Her current focus areas include inclusive mobilities, gendered mobilities, and the intersections between low-carbon transitions and social justice. With a PhD thesis centered on Amsterdam Airport Schiphol as a multifunctional public space, Anna has also contributed to significant research projects, including a global comparative study on the futures of mobility. She teaches courses in Social Geography and Planning, supervises theses at multiple academic levels, and actively participates in the Urban Cycling Institute and Centre for Urban Studies. Her work emphasizes the importance of knowledge production in planning processes and advocates for a more equitable approach to mobility transitions.

George Liu is a cross-appointed researcher at the University of Amsterdam and Eindhoven University of Technology, specializing in urban design and cycling infrastructure development. His research focuses on analyzing how urban design principles can create environments that promote cycling as a practical mode of daily transport, drawing from an extensive database of over 200 design manuals worldwide. He has made significant contributions to cycling education through co-producing online courses like "Unraveling the Cycling City" and "Designing the Cycling City." As part of the Smart Cycling Futures project, his work examines the evolution of bicycle infrastructure design globally, with particular emphasis on adapting European "cycle highways" concepts to North American contexts.

Marco te Brömmelstroet is a distinguished Professor of Urban Mobility Futures at the University of Amsterdam, where he leads groundbreaking research on the future of urban transportation. As the founding academic director of the Urban Cycling Institute, he examines the complex relationships between mobility, cities, and society, using Dutch cycling culture as a lens for understanding urban development. His work focuses on uncovering the underlying assumptions in mobility planning and identifying alternative paths for sustainable urban transportation. Through his critical yet constructive approach, he challenges traditional mobility paradigms while developing innovative solutions for urban planning. His research and teaching contribute significantly to understanding how different mobility systems shape public spaces and influence social interactions in urban environments.