Josje Bouwmeester is an Assistant Professor in Spatial Planning at Utrecht University's Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning. She has published in journals, including Urban Studies, Land Use Policy, and Cities. Josje received her PhD in Geography from the University of Bern in July 2024, where her dissertation investigated the impact of negotiations between planning authorities and landowners on housing provision in urban densification projects in the Netherlands and Switzerland. 

Her research focuses on urban governance and land policy strategies to advance urban sustainability. Her current research agenda includes understanding how complex property structures affect urban redevelopment, the impact of land policies on sustainable housing, and the role of informality in spatial governance. Her professional affiliations include her role as the PhD coordinator for the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights.