Dr. Petra Van Dam

Biography

Petra J.E.M. van Dam is a Full Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where she holds the Chair in Water and Environmental History, co-financed by the university and the Schilthuisfonds. She specializes in the environmental, socio-economic, political, and cultural aspects of the relationships between humans, animals, and water landscapes. Her research aims to promote environmental awareness to contribute to the transition towards a sustainable world, with a particular emphasis on water's essential functions, safety, and scarcity. Van Dam actively engages in international environmental history and is a co-founder of the Environmental Humanities Center at VU Amsterdam. As a co-editor of the international journal Environment History and founding editor of the book series 'Water, Culture and History', she focuses on significant projects such as 'Coping with Drought: Environmental History of Drinking Water and Climate Adaptation in the Netherlands' funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. Van Dam’s extensive background in historical projects includes several research initiatives concerning the water cycles and represented history in the Dutch context from 1550 to 1950. Additionally, her work has been acknowledged with various research grants and fellowships, highlighting her contributions to scientific research in the field.

Research Interests

Experience