Maya Velis

Seminar: Ecosystems in an urbanising world: Challenges and opportunities for symbiosis

Maya Velis has worked for the Dutch Ministry for Infrastructure and Water Management since 2016. She has provided policy advice on issues ranging from renewable energy to the digital transformation in cities. In addition, her portfolio includes hands-on activities such as the coordination of a cross-border dialogue on the management of infrastructural assets. Her assignment has included a six-month secondment to the Dutch Consulate General in Chicago to be part of the economic diplomacy team. Previously, Ms Velis was affiliated with the UNESCO-IHE hosted International Groundwater Research Assessment Centre (IGRAC, Delft) and a renowned think tank on international relations (Institute Clingendael, The Hague).

Ms Velis holds a Masters in Environmental Science from Utrecht University (focusing on Water Science and Management), a Masters of Law from Leiden University (focusing on Constitutional Law an Public Administration), and a Diploma in Legal Studies from the University of Oxford. This dual background helps her understand how water relates to every aspect of our lives and how societies value and distribute water accordingly. She has been inspired to tackle environmental problems in a collaborative and interdisciplinary way ever since conducting field work in Luzon, Philippines in 2012 as part of an international study on adaptive water management.