Eveline van Leeuwen (1978) graduated in Land Use Planning (MSc) at the Wageningen University in 2002 and obtained a PhD in Economics at VU Amsterdam on the thesis entitled "Towns today : Contemporary Functions of Small and Medium-sized Towns in the Rural Economy" in 2008. She is now affiliated to Wageningen University as professor and chairholder of the Urban Economics group.

Eveline has a broad interest in economic and social interactions between places at the regioal and urban level and how these interactions impact wellbeing/happiness; economic activities and participation. In her research, she focusses on the integration of micro- and macro approaches in the field of regional science. Linking agent-based modelling and microsimulation, with macro models is an important common thread. This novel approach was rewarded with two best paper awards and resulted in several invited presentations.

Currently, Eveline and her group are working on how social and physical neighbourhood characteristics contribute to individual level decisions. They focus on sustainable energy consumption and the uptake of renewable energy, local participation and social networks, and healthy lifestyles.

In addition, at the regional level, a project on the opportunities for regional food systems and the preferences of urban consumers will start early 2018.