ir. Rhys Evans

Rhys Evans is a PhD Candidate in the Environmental Geography group at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). His research focuses on the spatial determinants of nature restoration and rewilding in Europe to understand why restoration takes place in some locations but not others and where future restoration could provide the greatest benefits.

Through his PhD, Rhys contributes to the Horizon Europe WILDCARD and NatuRISE projects. A broader motivation for his research is to strengthen the evidence base for investment in nature-based solutions and ultimately help make such interventions more bankable.

Rhys has an interdisciplinary background in data science, policy analysis and geospatial analysis. He holds an MSc in Engineering and Policy Analysis from Delft University of Technology and a BSc in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence from Maastricht University. He also studied Systems Design and Management at Keio University in Tokyo. Before joining VU Amsterdam, he worked on climate risk, geospatial analysis and climate adaptation with UN-Habitat in Lao PDR. His MSc thesis, conducted at the Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM), used exploratory modelling and analysis to investigate Dutch passenger rail policy under deep uncertainty.

Expertise

Geospatial analysis; complex systems modelling; quantitative policy analysis; exploratory modelling and analysis.

Education

2025: MSc Engineering and Policy Analysis, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands

2023: Graduate Exchange, Systems Design and Management, Keio University, Japan

2021: BSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Maastricht University, the Netherlands

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