Iris is an Associate Professor at the Innovation Studies Group, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University. She has a broad interest in the geography and governance of innovation. In her research, she combines insights from economic geography, public policy and network theory. Her current work focuses on new forms of research and innovation policy, in particular, the governance of innovation policy for societal challenges and transformative change.
Iris is a member of the Mission-oriented Innovation Policy Observatory at the Copernicus Institute, through which she regularly engages with policy stakeholders and practice to establish a collective understanding and enhance the effective use of challenge-based and transformative innovation policies aimed at solving complex societal problems.
Currently, Iris and colleagues are involved in the REWIRE project (Leveraging new collaborations for circular agriculture missions; funded by NWO; 2024-2028) and the INTRANSIT project (Innovation Policy for Industrial Transformation, Sustainability and Digitalization, Research Council of Norway, 2019-2026). Iris also is an Executive Committee member of Eu-SPRI, the European Forum for Studies of Policies for Research and Innovation, and regularly serves as an advisor for (inter-)national organisations such as the OECD or national ministries.
Her research is interdisciplinary, involving both quantitative and qualitative methods, and applied to various fields and sectors. Iris holds a PhD in Economic Geography from the WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, (2016), a master's degree in Economics (WU, 2010) and a master's degree in Political Science (University of Vienna, 2012). Iris was awarded the Early Career Grant of the Regional Studies Association (RSA). She also acts as Editor-in-Chief for the journal Review of Regional Research.
At the Copernicus Institute, Iris is responsible for the PhD coordination.
View my Google Scholar profile for recent publications.