- Research Associate in Innovation and Mobility
- Email: toon.meelen@ouce.ox.ac.uk
About
Toon joined the Transport Studies Unit in October 2018 on the Vehicle-to-Grid Oxford (V2GO) project.
In his PhD research at Utrecht University, The Netherlands, Toon examines the role of users in upscaling sustainable innovations, for the cases of car-sharing and electric vehicles. He holds a bachelor and master degree (cum laude) in Science and Innovation Management from Utrecht University.
Current Research
Toon has two main research interests:
- The upscaling of innovations in socio-technical transitions. Toon wants to understand how large-scale changes in the mobility system occur. Hereto he works on car-sharing and electric vehicles and uses theoretical perspectives from the sustainability transitions and human geography fields.
- The role of users in socio-technical transitions. Toon looks at various roles users take up in transitions beyond simply buying an innovation. Here he encounters, amongst others, user-innovators, users who adapt an innovation to their daily practices and users who actively resist innovations.
Teaching
Prior to joining TSU, Toon was a teaching assistant on multiple courses related to innovation and sustainability at Utrecht University. Here he was also involved in the supervision of bachelor and master theses.
Outreach
Toon has written about his research in a newspaper and on blogs. He has also spoken about his sharing economy research at a festival.
Publications
Journal Articles
- Meelen, T., Truffer, B. and Schwanen, T. (2019) Virtual user communities contributing to upscaling innovations in transitions: The case of electric vehicles. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 31: 96-109.
- van der Kam, M.J., Mellen, A.A.H., van Sark, W.G.J.H.M. and Alkermade, F. (2018) Diffusion of solar photovoltaic systems and electric vehicles among Dutch consumers: Implications for the energy transition. Energy research and Social Science, 46: 68-85.
- Böcker, L. and Meelen, T. (2017) Sharing for people, planet or profit? Analysing motivations for intended sharing economy participation. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 23: 28-39.
- Meelen, T., Herrmann, A.M. and Faber, J. (2017) Disentangling patterns of economic, technological and innovative specialization of Western economies: An assessment of the Varieties-of-Capitalism theory on comparative institutional advantages. Research Policy, 46(3): 667-677.
- Meelen, T. and Farla, J. (2013) Towards an integrated framework for analysing sustainable innovation policy. Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 25(8): 957-970.