Dr Alberto M Zanni

I have joined the OU in 2021 as an Associate Lecturer and became a Part-time Lecturer and Staff Tutor in 2025. I also work for the University of Kent and the Free University of Bolzano/Bozen (Italy).

Previously, I worked at SOAS - Cedep (Centre for Environment, Development and Policy), the University of Kent, (Department of Economics), Loughborough University (Transport Studies Group - School of Civil and Building Engineering) and at Imperial College London (Wye Campus) where I obtained my PhD in Economics. 

I have an MSc in Agri-environmenal economics from the University of Montpellier I and ENSAM (Ecole Nationale Superieure Agronomique Montpellier) and a first degree in economics from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy). 

At the OU, I have been working on DD226 (Economics in Practice) and DD309/320 (Doing Economics). I am also part of the module team of DD125 (You and your personal finance). 

I am a transport and environmental economist and I have worked on a diverse portfolio of policy-relevant research and consultancy projects, in highly multi-disciplinary teams. I have looked at ways to reduce a range of environmental externalities from both personal and freight transport, at how the ‘users’ element of the transport and mobility systems can adapt to climate change, and explored people’s preferences for complex environmental assets.

More specifically, my work has looked at the following topics, among others: freight carbon emissions in London, public acceptability and potential behavioural effects of environmental and transport policy schemes, valuation of noise externalities from transport sources, extreme weather impact on transport infrastructure and demand, surface access to airports and airports expansion, the potential of alternative fuel and fuelling infrastructure for freight usage, demand for new transport services, determinants of cycling, travel to school, economic valuation of different elements of street design.

I am currently working on preferences for rural landscapes, the transport system in the Maldives Islands and sustainable travel to and within small islands in the Mediterranean. 

I have also been involved in practical transport projects and, in 2021, was awarded the Individual Contribution to Sustainable Transport Award by Modeshift (an agency of the Department for Transport) for my commitment to a school street scheme.