Gwen Willeghems

Circular economy for me means dealing with both resources and people in a sustainable and dignified way.

Bio

Gwen Willeghems graduated with a master in Bio-science Enginieering, specialization 'Environmental Technology', from KU Leuven in 2005. She then enrolled in the International Master in Rural Development and studied at Ghent University and Agrocampus Rennes in the period 2005-2007. After graduation she moved to Pakistan where she did internships at UN WOMEN and the Delegation of the European Union. In 2009, she started working at that same EU Delegation as a program officer for Rural Development, Natural Resource Management, and Environment. In 2012, she returned to Belgium to pursue her PhD study at Ghent University. After finalizing her PhD at Ghent University, entitled ‘Inserting market effect in models supporting decisions in environmental policy’, she conducted research in the circular economy at HIVA (KU Leuven). Since 2019 she works for VITO/EnergyVille on the theme sustainability energy and energy markets.