Dr. Maarten Van Ham

Biography

Maarten van Ham is a professor of Urban Geography at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, holding this position since 2011. He was previously a professor of Human Geography at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. His research focuses on the changes in cities and neighborhoods and how neighborhood characteristics affect people's lives, with significant societal relevance. His work often questions the implications of urban renewal discussions in disadvantaged areas and the socio-economic effects of neighborhood mixing. Van Ham's research also emphasizes the relationship between housing and neighborhoods, looking into how these environments shape individuals' daily experiences. He is particularly interested in the causes and consequences of residential mobility and neighborhood change. Additionally, he is engaged in various projects that utilize longitudinal data to explore these dynamics, enhancing the comparative analysis across countries. Van Ham studied economic geography at Utrecht University, where he earned his Ph.D. with honors in 2002. He has been affiliated with the Max Planck Institute in Berlin and various research institutions in Utrecht and Amsterdam. He served as the director of the Centre for Housing Research at the University of St Andrews for six years. Van Ham has published extensively in leading journals and authored several books on neighborhood dynamics, establishing himself as a highly cited scholar in his field.

Research Interests