Working as a Junior Researcher

Turning research into practice 

Upon graduating from the Master’s programme at IHS, Diona joined the University of Amsterdam as a Junior Researcher. In this role, she is part of Just Streets, is an international Horizon Europe project  exploring how urban streets can become safer, more inclusive, and more enjoyable for everyone. 

As part of the project, Diona is responsible for developing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on justice in urban mobility, overseeing the process from start to finish. Her work includes designing the syllabus, approaching stakeholders for contributions, and coordinating with the technical partners responsible for production. The courses translate academic ideas into accessible learning materials for students and professionals. Alongside this work, she contributes to reports and guidebooks that bring together lessons from the project’s different pilot cities. This involves looking beyond individual cases and identifying insights that may also be useful to cities working on similar challenges elsewhere.

Reflecting on her work, Diona explains: “My current work is related to what I learned at IHS; how safety, inclusiveness and happiness in cities can be improved and how they can be made into better places for different groups of people.”

From neighbourhood walks to international events

Diona’s interest in cities extends beyond her university role. For the past eight years, she has been involved in a volunteer-led urbanist organisation in China. The wider network brings together more than 1,000 volunteers who translate international urban knowledge into Chinese and make it accessible to a broader public. 

Over time, the organisation sought to move beyond sharing information online and encourage people to engage with their cities more directly. Inspired by Jane’s Walk, the volunteers began organising guided neighbourhood walks in Chinese cities. The walks invite participants to experience familiar places from a different perspective. Rather than simply looking at the built environment, they may be asked to listen, touch and observe, while considering how a neighbourhood is experienced by children, older people and other groups. The team also started organising walks beyond mainland China, with activities in Hong Kong and Singapore. And this summer, they had their first event outside Asia, in London, where Diona participated as a guest speaker in a panel discussion. 

Documenting seven years of walking the city

After organising dozens of walks, the volunteers decided to document their approach in a more structured way. A team of around 12 contributors spent two years developing a book and practical toolkit, with Diona leading one of the chapters. Published earlier this year, Jane’s Walk: A City Walking Visual Guide to China brings together experiences from seven years of walks across 12 cities, involving around 2,500 participants. The book explores how walking can offer a different way of experiencing and understanding cities, encouraging people to pay closer attention to their surroundings and to how different groups experience urban spaces. It has sold several thousand copies since its release.

Walking at your own pace

In her interview, Diona also reflects on the challenges of navigating the job market after graduation. As many graduates know, finding the right opportunity can take time, and she stresses that the outcome of a job application is not necessarily a reflection of someone’s ability. Timing, circumstances and whether a particular position is the right fit can all play a role. She therefore advises not to take rejection personally or compare one’s job search too closely with that of others.

The search may take longer than expected, but that does not mean the right opportunity will not come.

Diona on finding your own pace: 
“Be patient and be kind to yourself. Finding a job can be a long journey, and timing and luck also play a part.”