Holding the distinguished position of Associate Professor in the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, specializing in Clinical Psychology at the Amsterdam University Medical Center (VUmc) within the Department of Public and Occupational Health, she was a notable guest at our 2014 symposium titled ‘City as Nature Reserve.’ This initial encounter marked the genesis of an enduring partnership, as subsequent meetings further solidified our shared commitment to exploring diverse avenues of research and fostering collaborative efforts.   

‘Jolanda Maas always had an affinity with nature; as when she was younger she often visited all sorts of green spaces with her parents. This has led her to pursue her PhD on “vitamin G” (Green space as a vitamin). Her PhD focussed on the relation between the amount of green space in the living environment and health. It was a progressive topic at the time, as when she started the research in 2005, there were only two studies published on this topic.’

Excerpt of article written by by Caterina Fagiolari at https://moss.amsterdam/2023/07/25/interview-with-jolanda-maas/

Image: Jolanda Maas at the 2014 symposium / Ruth Hoek