The most effective intervention is one in which the people targeted by a policy act in line with its objectives. This webinar explores how ‘Actability’ (the capacity of citizens to act) is embedded in policy implementation.

Speakers

Kitty Saunders

Talk title: Extreme heat, drought and wildfires – Behavioural science in public health messaging

Bio: Kitty is a Senior Policy Fellow at the Centre for Behaviour Change, UCL working with Behavioural Research-UK and is seconded long term to the Government Office for Science. Her role bridges the gap between behavioural research in academia and policy, she leads translation and communication of findings for policy audiences and supports behavioural researchers to develop policy-relevant academic work. She also conducts rapid response research, on wide reaching topics including the 2024 riots in England and Wales, and summer risks including heat, drought and wildfire. She is an expert in rapid response research, emergencies, mental health, and trauma and abuse.

Mattijs Lambooij

Talk Title: Actability in the Netherlands – scientific perspective

Bio: Dr. Mattijs Lambooij is Senior Researcher at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and Associate Professor of Health Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam. His research focuses on innovation, implementation, and behavioural change in healthcare and health policy.

Koen van der Swaluw

Talk title : Actability in the Netherlands – policy perspective

Bio: Dr. Koen van der Swaluw is Associate Professor in Behavioral Health Economics at Radboud University. He combines this role with a position as Senior Policy Advisor for Knowledge and Strategy at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) in the Netherlands. His research explores how health policies can better reflect realistic patterns of human behaviour. At the ministry, he contributes to high-level policy advice, ensuring that decisions are informed by robust scientific evidence and cutting-edge behavioral economic insights.