Lotte Levelt MSc

Practice what you preach

Lotte Levelt MSc. Is a fulltime PhD candidate at the Center for Entrepreneurship, Governance and Stewardship. Her research focuses on sustainability and international development, with a particular focus on Degrowth: What do degrowth business models look like? How will we define value in a post-growth society? She gets inspired by idealist colleagues and students who think outside the box!

Levelt studied Governance, Economics and Development (BSc) at Leiden University’s Honours College, followed by a Research MSc (cum laude) in International Development Studies at the University of Amsterdam.

During and after her studies she worked for the Ministry of Infrastructure & Environment (2017-2018), and completed her thesis with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2020). Besides ministries, Levelt worked for several Dutch and International NGOs (e.g, Effective Altruism Netherlands and Learning Enterprises, Reach and Teach).

Between 2020-2023 Levelt was a lecturer in social sciences and sustainability (Programs: Bèta-Gamma and Future Planet Studies) for the University of Amsterdam. Here, she completed the BKO (Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs) and she was a member of the Program Committee (Opleidingscommissie).

Her research interests include: sustainability and degrowth, global inequalities, policymaking in international development, rethinking economics, interdisciplinarity, circular economy and mixed-method research.

Her mission is to contribute to a more sustainable and egalitarian future, through research and education.   

Interests

Levelt likes to cycle, sing in a choir, fitness, do yoga, music, traveling and the beach.

Relevant publications

• Levelt, L., & Pouw, N. (2022). Speaking truth to power: Exploring a Ministry’s evaluation department through evaluators’ and policymakers’ eyes. Evaluation, 28(3), 379–395. 
• Cédric N.H. Middel, Joreintje D. Mackenbach, Tobias Kuijt, Lotte Levelt, Jacqueline E.W. Broerse & Tjerk Jan Schuitmaker-Warnaar, “Unravelling the Persistent Problem of Unhealthy Diets: A System Analysis of the Dutch Food-retail System” (under review, first round)