Job Zomerplaag is a Ph.D. researcher affiliated with both UNU-MERIT and Maastricht University. In addition to his academic work, Job actively connects science, policy, and society through storytelling, community organizing, and facilitating public events.
His research focuses on the governance of sustainability transitions, particularly the role of local communities and public-civic partnerships in sustainable urban development. He is interested in the social dimensions and implications of decarbonization, the energy transition and the circular economy, incorporating both historical and contemporary perspectives. His research is supervised by Prof. René Kemp and Dr. Maja Ročak. Job's approach emphasizes generating connections and spanning different disciplines, with a strong focus on storytelling and community organizing. He is committed to translating academic knowledge into practical insights for society and policy. Alongside his Ph.D., Job coordinates and produces public events and multimedia projects at Studio Europa, a renowned center of expertise for research and debate on the future of the EU. He is frequently invited as an event host and moderator, sharing his insights with both expert audiences and the wider public. He serves as a jury member for the Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, awarded by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and is on the board of the arts collective TAAT. Before starting his Ph.D., Job worked as a journalist and communications strategist. He holds a Master's degree in Public Policy (cum laude), focusing on how governments can stimulate and support social innovation. He also completed an Erasmus Mundus Master's in Urban Studies (summa cum laude). During his undergraduate studies (cum laude), he majored in communication sciences and minored in urban geography. In 2021, he won the Kremers Incentive Award for his research on citizen participation in urban renewal projects. Job grew up near Maastricht but has lived and worked in various European cities such as Rotterdam, Utrecht, Brussels, Vienna, Copenhagen, and Madrid.