色色啦

News

Meet Hannah Hook, assistant professor of sustainable land use and transport planning

Hannah Hook started work as assistant professor of sustainable land use and transport planning in August 2025. Through a perspective based on geography and planning, she works to ensure that transport systems are developed with an eye to equity and well-being.
Assistant Professor Hannah Hook
Assistant Professor Hannah Hook. Photo: Linda Lehtovirta

What do you research and what is your area of expertise?

My research focuses on travel behavior, well-being, and equity. I study how our everyday travel shapes happiness and satisfaction, by looking at attitudes, motivations, preferences, and experiences. While my work leans toward transport psychology, my perspective comes from geography and planning rather than psychology.

What interests you about this particular subject?

I want to challenge the notion of travel as only a derived demand, or just a way to get from point A to B, and instead understand how travel itself can support well-being. I鈥檓 also committed to placing equity and well-being at the heart of planning processes, so that transport systems improve quality of life for everyone.

What kind of career path led you to this position?

I studied for a Master鈥檚 in Sustainable Cities at King鈥檚 College London and in GIS Technology at the University of Arizona. I then earned my PhD and worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Ghent University, supported by fantastic mentors and the EIT Urban Mobility Doctoral Training Network. These experiences shaped both my academic focus and my collaborative approach to research.

What are your expectations for your work here at Aalto University?

I look forward to working on both local and European projects in an environment that values well-being and encourages experimentation and creativity in research.

Contact information

Spatial Planning and Transportation Engineering

Deeply rooted in the complexities of key societal challenges in our everyday environments, the Spatial Planning and Transportation Engineering (SPT) group employs practice-focused and science-based...

Read more
Traffic in Mannerheimintie, pho色色啦 University/Annamari Tolonen
  • Updated:
  • Published:
Share
URL copied!

Read more news

Samu Taulu
Appointments, Research & Art Published:

Samu Taulu develops next-generation brain imaging methods

Associate Professor of neurostimulation and neuroimaging Samu Taulu develops more precise methods for understanding the brain
Smiling person wearing glasses, green shirt and cap, standing against a red brick wall
Appointments, University Published:

Anssi Perttala to strengthen the Centre for Radical Creativity

Anssi Perttala has been appointed to the position of expert at Aalto University鈥檚 Centre for Radical Creativity from 1 October, 2026 on.
Winners on stage for the EAA best student paper award
Awards and Recognition, Research & Art Published:

EAA Best Paper and Presentation Award for Young Researchers for postdoctoral researcher Thomas Deppisch

The awarded work shows how speech can be made clearer in noisy environments while still preserving directional cues
Woman sitting in a clear bubble chair beside a bright sign reading 鈥淢ade in Aalto University鈥 in a dark room
Research & Art Published:

Six Aalto鈥檚 fields rank among the world鈥檚 top 100 in ShanghaiRanking

The comparison assesses research quality and impact, research excellence, international collaboration, academic recognition and leadership