Rik Crutzen is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, specializing in health promotion and digital interventions. His research focuses on leveraging technology to improve health behaviors across diverse populations, including adolescents, older adults, and immigrant communities. He leads projects in the CAPHRI research group for Promoting Health & Personalised Care. Research trends include: Digital health innovations (e.g., helplines, apps, algorithms) Chronic disease management (post-COVID-19, dementia risk) Health equity in immigrant populations (cervical cancer, maternal care) Behavioral interventions (physical activity, sleep, STI prevention) Systematic reviews and mixed-methods studies He has supervised 22 academic works and contributed to datasets on activity patterns and sleep-activity correlations. His work spans public health policy, health education, and technology integration.
Prof. Dr. Dennis Herhausen is a Full Professor of Marketing and Head of the Marketing Department at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s School of Business and Economics. Previously, he held positions as Associate Professor at KEDGE Business School, Visiting Professor at the University of St. Gallen, and Assistant Professor at the University of St. Gallen. His research focuses on digital communication, customer journeys, multichannel management, and social media strategies, with publications in top-tier journals like the Journal of Marketing and Journal of Marketing Research. His work addresses critical issues such as online firestorm mitigation, complaint de-escalation, and gig economy communication. He has been awarded multiple prestigious prizes, including the 2021 CBSIG Consumer Research Award and the 2019 William R. Davidson Award. Education: PhD in Marketing from University of St. Gallen (2011) Teaching: Courses on Customer Experience Management, Survey Research Methods, and Thesis Guidance Research Interests: His work explores digital marketing strategies, customer-centric innovations, and the dynamics of online platforms. Recent studies address topics like business-to-investor marketing signals, privacy orientation measurement, and machine learning biases in marketing. He actively contributes to editorial boards of journals including Journal of Marketing and Journal of Interactive Marketing. Awards: 2021 CBSIG Consumer Research in Practice Award 2021 Retail & Pricing SIG Best Paper Award 2021 SERVSIG Best Services Article Award 2020 William R. Davidson Award Grants & Editorial Work: His research has been funded by national/international grants, and he serves on multiple editorial boards. Notable datasets include studies on online retailer strategies and virtual brand sabotage responses.
Maureen Sie is a Full Professor of Philosophy of Moral Agency at the Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences , Tilburg University, and director of the Tilburg Center for Logic, Ethics, & Philosophy of Science (TiLPS) . She specializes in philosophy of action, moral psychology, and meta-ethics , with a focus on moral responsibility, free will, self-control, and the adaptive unconscious . Her work bridges empirical findings in neuroscience and behavioral sciences with philosophical theories of agency and ethics. Her recent publications analyze implicit bias, moral hypocrisy, and emotions as foundational to moral practices , including their role in societal phenomena like #MeToo. She has received a prestigious NWO grant (2009-2014) to study how unconscious influences affect moral agency. She also chairs organizations like the Dutch Research School of Philosophy (OZSW) and the International School for Philosophy (ISVW) , emphasizing public engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration. Key Research Themes : Moral responsibility and neuroscience Celebrity as moral exemplars Implicit bias and social categorization Emotional foundations of ethics Critique of free will as illusion Notable awards include the LOT Grotevragenprijs (2023) . Her projects, such as the GROWTH project on distributed agency , explore legal and ethical dimensions of collective responsibility in AI contexts.
Thom de Vries is an Associate Professor at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Economics and Business, based in the HRM & Organizational Behavior department. He also serves as Program Director for the Master of Science in Human Resource Management and holds a lecturer position in Industrial Engineering Management. His expertise focuses on organizational resilience, team boundary spanning, and infrastructure management. He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration (cum laude) from the University of Groningen (2015), with prior experience as a Business Researcher at TNO and academic leadership roles in program committees. Education highlights include: Ph.D. in Business Administration (cum laude), University of Groningen (2015) Res. M.A. and M.A. in Business Administration (cum laude), University of Groningen (2011, 2009) B.A. in Public Administration, Thorbecke Academie (2007) Research interests emphasize team dynamics in complex environments, particularly: Resilience and adaptability in critical infrastructure organizations Boundary spanning across teams/organizations Design of multiteam systems for complex tasks Disruption management in supply chains Notable projects include the NGinfra-funded ConCorCom initiative studying coordination during infrastructure challenges, and NWO grants exploring resilience and decision-making under uncertainty. His work has earned awards like the Academy of Management Best Paper Award and multiple teaching recognitions. Grants include: NGINFRA/NWO: ConCorCom (Context, Coordination, Competencies) NWO VENI: Team Boundary Spanning in Disruptions NWO: Resilience-Efficiency Balance in Planning Teaching roles span disciplines including Organizational Behavior, Survey Research, and Experimental Design across faculties. He actively supervises research master students and contributes to executive education programs.
Maarten Renkema is an Assistant Professor at the University of Twente, specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its intersection with Human Resource Management (HRM) , Healthcare , and Organizational Innovation . His research explores how AI transforms work design, employee autonomy, and HRM practices in formalized contexts. Key Research Themes: Algorithmic HRM and Digitalization Human-AI Collaboration in Healthcare Self-Managing Teams and Organizational Structures AI Literacy in Education Scientific Awards: Best Dissertation Award (2019) from the Dutch HRM Network Research Trends: His recent work focuses on AI adoption in HRM, ethical implications of algorithmic management, and redefining professional roles in AI-integrated environments. Articles from 2024-2025 highlight practical applications of AI in healthcare workflows, employee-driven innovation, and the evolving responsibilities of HR professionals. Collaborations: Active in cross-sector partnerships, including projects on AI literacy frameworks and talent management in sports. Regularly contributes to professional discourse through invited talks and media commentary on AI's societal impact.
Paul Moritz Wiegmann is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), where he is part of the ITEM group. He currently serves as President of the European Academy of Standardisation (EURAS). His academic career includes visiting research positions at TU Berlin (2014 & 2015), Yonsei University, Seoul (2018), and the University of California, Davis (2023). Paul holds a PhD from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, alongside additional degrees from Erasmus University and the University of Warwick. His educational background emphasizes interdisciplinary training, reflected in his research and teaching. His research focuses on the role of standardization in innovation ecosystems, particularly how explicit and implicit rules enable value creation and capture. He employs mixed-methods approaches, including case studies, grounded theory, choice experiments, and conjoint analysis. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, addressing societal challenges like sustainability and smart technologies through collaborative frameworks. Notable awards include the Industria Education Award 2022-2023 for Best Teacher Talent (2023) and the ISPIM Dissertation Award 2020 (2020). These recognize his contributions to both education and research in standardization and innovation. In advising and grants, Paul has supervised 30 works (names not listed) and leads the Measuring societal impact of standards project (2021–2022). He also coordinates the FIQCS: FIeldlab Quantum Cryptography Solutions for Safe Society initiative (2023–2028). His activities include organizing conferences like EU-SPRI 2025 and delivering invited talks on topics ranging from standardization governance to quantum technologies. Paul teaches courses such as Methodology for IE research and Patents design rights & standards exploration course , reflecting his expertise in standardization and research methods. He contributed to the Standardization literature database (2024), an interdisciplinary review, and engages in media discussions on topics like AI adoption in SMEs and quantum threat mitigation in public safety.
Michael Levin is a Distinguished Professor at Tufts University in the Department of Biology within the School of Arts and Sciences. He serves as Director of both the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University and the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology. His laboratory investigates the intersection of developmental biology, artificial life, bioengineering, synthetic morphology, and cognitive science. Allen Discovery Center at Tufts Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology Tufts/UVM: ICDO Harvard Wyss Institute Stibel Dennett Consortium for Brain and Cognitive Science The Proteus Institute MIT Science and Technology Center EBICS Levin's research focuses on understanding diverse intelligence in evolved, designed, and hybrid complex systems. His lab combines developmental biophysics, computer science, and behavioral science to study how cognition scales up from cellular competencies to organism-level behaviors. A key specialty is developmental bioelectricity—the study of how somatic electrical networks store, process, and act on information to control large-scale body structure. His team creates tools to read and edit the bioelectric code guiding proto-cognitive computations in the body. Levin's publications reveal a strong focus on bioelectricity, morphogenesis, and non-neural cognition across multiple model systems including Xenopus, planarians, and synthetic living constructs. His recent work explores collective intelligence as a unifying concept across biological scales, the development of microfluidic devices for measuring electrical connectivity, and optical estimation of bioelectric patterns in living embryos. His research spans fundamental developmental mechanisms to potential biomedical applications in regeneration and disease treatment. As an editor, Levin serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Bioelectricity and Founding Associate Editor of Collective Intelligence. He has mentored numerous post-doctoral fellows and graduate students who have gone on to establish their own research programs. His lab has received significant attention for creating novel biological machines (xenobots) and demonstrating that cells can store and transmit behavioral memory outside the brain. The Levin Lab maintains several significant research initiatives including the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts, the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, and collaborations with the Wyss Institute at Harvard. The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining wet lab experiments with computational modeling to investigate how living systems achieve goal-directed behavior and pattern formation.
Russell Spears is a Full Professor in Social Psychology at the University of Groningen, Netherlands. His primary affiliation is the Department of Social Psychology within the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences. He holds an Endowed Chair position and has held professorial roles at Cardiff University, the University of Amsterdam, and other institutions. His research focuses on social identity processes, intergroup relations, and system justification theory. Education: BSc (Hons) from the University of Bristol (1978-1981), PhD from the University of Exeter (1981-1985). Professional experience includes roles as an ESRC Professorial Research Fellow (2009-2012), and professorships at the University of Cardiff (2003-2011) and the University of Amsterdam (1995-2008). Research Interests: Social identity theory, intergroup discrimination, system justification, collective action, and the psychological dynamics of social inequality. Notable contributions include studies on group-based resistance, prejudice, and the role of education in social stratification. Key Awards: Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2006), Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (2010), and the Kurt Lewin Mid-Career Award (EASP, 2011). Publications span over 300 articles, with recent work examining misalignment in higher education, post-conflict radicalization, and gender-based resistance strategies. He has collaborated on projects addressing systemic inequality and political alienation linked to educational categorization.
Cindy L. Poortman is an Associate Professor in the ELAN Teacher Development group at the University of Twente, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences. She is actively engaged in research and professional development initiatives focused on data-based decision making, assessment for learning, and sustainable educational innovation. Associate Professor, ELAN Teacher Development, University of Twente Research focus: teacher development, data use in schools, formative assessment, educational sustainability Active contributor to educational research with over 117 research outputs Her research interests center on improving educational practices through evidence-based approaches. She investigates how teachers can effectively use assessment data to inform instruction, develop professional competencies, and sustain educational improvements. Her work emphasizes collaborative models such as teacher design teams and professional learning networks. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in educational innovation, particularly in challenge-based learning, data-driven decision making, and the sustainability of interventions. Her work bridges research and practice, often involving school-based collaborations and professional development programs. EAPRIL 2015 Best Research and Practice Project Award (Datateam Projects team) Co-applicant on multiple research-practice partnership grants Erasmus Mobility Grant recipient (2016) Professional development in formative assessment prize (2018) Dr. Poortman has supervised multiple PhD and research students, including A. Imanbayeva, L. Pei, and C. Wolterinck. She has secured research grants and led professional development initiatives, including organizing international conferences on professional learning networks. Her work is deeply collaborative, involving partnerships with schools, policymakers, and international researchers. She is a key contributor to the Data Team® methodology and has developed tools for assessing the sustainability of educational interventions. Her research is applied in real-world educational settings, focusing on systemic improvement and long-term impact.
Dr. Tom Aben is a Researcher at Tilburg University's Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM), specifically within the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management. His work focuses on the intersection of digital transformation, supply chain management, and data governance in complex organizational settings, with particular emphasis on collaborative networks and critical infrastructure management. Dr. Aben's research interests center around purchasing and supply management (PSM) in multi-party networks, data sharing solutions, and collaborative governance approaches. He investigates how organizations can effectively manage digital transformation in critical infrastructure contexts, with particular attention to contract design, trust-building mechanisms, and network governance structures. His work often addresses societal challenges through collaborative approaches across public and private sectors, contributing to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable infrastructure and innovation. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on how digitalization transforms traditional buyer-supplier relationships and necessitates new governance approaches. Aben's research shows particular expertise in data sharing within critical infrastructure networks, examining how organizations jointly develop data clauses and navigate the challenges of information asymmetry in digital environments. His work has significant implications for both academic theory and practical implementation of collaborative governance models. Dr. Aben has received recognition for his contributions to the field, including: Nomination for the 2021 Tilburg University Impact Award for the NWO/NGinfra LONGA VIA project Nominee for the Best PhD Dissertation Award in 2023 Currently, Dr. Aben is actively involved in the VIA AUGUSTA research project (2022-2026), which focuses on leveraging System-of-Systems approaches to infrastructure management. Previously, he contributed to the Longavia project (2018-2022) examining legal and organizational aspects of data-driven innovations in infrastructure management. He has also organized academic events such as the workshop 'Moving Towards Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: Challenges and Opportunities of 'Joint' Action' in December 2024, demonstrating his leadership in advancing knowledge in his field. His research spans multiple sectors including critical infrastructure management, healthcare, and public administration, with a particular focus on Dutch contexts but with implications that extend internationally. Dr. Aben frequently collaborates with researchers including Wendy van der Valk, Luc van de Sande, and David Wodak, indicating strong research networks both within Tilburg University and with external partners.
Louise Elffers is a Professor at the Centre for Applied Research on Education at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and holds a Special Professorship in Inequality of Opportunity in Education at the University of Amsterdam. Her work focuses on educational systems, equity, and accessibility. Universities: Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, University of Amsterdam Secondary Roles: Director of the Knowledge Center Inequality, Chairman of the Education Council, Member of the State Commission on Demographic Developments 2050 Her research examines educational inequality , shadow education , and accessibility of higher education . Recent work includes national studies on preacademic programs and teacher practices in selective systems. Scientific Awards : NRO Toegankelijk Hoger Onderwijs (2020) Volkskrant Best Book Award shortlist (2022) Sociologische Bril nomination (2023) Elffers serves on multiple educational advisory boards and has secured significant national research grants. She regularly contributes to policy discussions and public media on educational equity.
Dr. Emilie Rademakers serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Utrecht University's School of Economics within the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance. Her research critically examines labor market transformations driven by technological advancements, with particular focus on economic inequality and structural shifts in employment systems. Her expertise spans labour market dynamics, economic inequality, technological change, and online search competition. She investigates how automation and robotization reshape job polarization through task overlap mechanisms, analyzing both historical patterns and future trajectories of work. Her IOS - Future of Work research within Utrecht's Institutions for Open Societies initiative connects theoretical models with empirical evidence on technological displacement and skill redistribution. Analysis of her 2019-2024 publications reveals consistent exploration of automation's labor market impacts, emphasizing resilience mechanisms through task similarity and structural transformation rather than simple job elimination. These works demonstrate methodological diversity across plant closure studies, job polarization frameworks, and macroeconomic analyses of technological diffusion. Scientific Awards: LEG Visiting Fellowship (2021) Dr. Rademakers has secured competitive funding including an H2020 Grant for studying technology's impact on labor market skills, and has supervised graduate research as evidenced by her 'Supervised Work' profile entry. Her grant activities focus on technological transformation in labor markets with policy-relevant implications. She actively contributes to Utrecht University's Institutions for Open Societies (IOS) initiative as a core member of the Future of Work research theme, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects examining robotization's societal impacts and participating in the UUSE Multidisciplinary Economics network.
Arjen Wals is a Personal Professor at Wageningen University & Research , specializing in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and transdisciplinary sustainability research. His work bridges academia, policy, and community action, focusing on transformative learning, climate change adaptation, and systemic societal challenges. Research interests include: Relational education and outdoor pedagogies Transdisciplinary knowledge co-creation Decolonization of sustainability education Role of AI (e.g., ChatGPT) in educational practices Whole school approaches to sustainability Key Projects: Supervising PhD research on regenerative farming, nature-based education, and business models for sustainability Leading initiatives like the 'Whole School Approach' to integrate sustainability across educational systems Co-designing river co-learning arenas for multi-stakeholder environmental governance Media Contributions: Regularly provides expert commentary on sustainability education, climate policy, and societal transitions in Dutch and international media. Advising: Mentor to 18 PhD candidates exploring themes like wild pedagogies, food systems governance, and climate resilience.
Prof. dr. Anke I. Liefbroer is a Professor by special appointment in Religion and Practice at Tilburg School of Catholic Theology, Tilburg University. She focuses on interfaith spiritual care, palliative care dynamics, and the intersection of psychiatry and theology. Her work emphasizes narrative approaches to spiritual well-being and the impact of religious diversity in healthcare settings. Her research explores chaplaincy practices, faith-concordance in therapeutic relationships, and the methodological challenges in studying nonreligion. She has led projects like PLOEG-2 (focusing on palliative care) and contributed to initiatives like the Interfaith Leadership Program Emoena. She serves on editorial boards (e.g., Tijdschrift Psyche & Geloof ) and advisory bodies like the Kenniscentrum voor levensbeschouwing en geestelijke volksgezondheid. Recent studies include analyzing fundamentalism conceptualizations, evaluating spiritual care interventions, and examining client-clinician dynamics in faith-diverse contexts. Her 2025 inaugural speech Met je ziel onder je arm addresses spiritual well-being in secular societies. She was awarded Tilburg University's Teacher of the Year (2023) for integrating academic and practical work. Key research themes include: spiritual care mechanisms, interfaith dialogue in healthcare, and the role of narrative therapy in palliative care. Over 50 publications span peer-reviewed articles, books, and edited volumes, with frequent contributions to Politics and Religion , Palliative Medicine , and Pastoral Psychology .
Prof. Henk Volberda is a Professor of Strategy & Innovation at the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Economics and Business, affiliated with the Amsterdam Centre for Business Innovation (ACBI). His research focuses on strategic renewal, business model innovation, sustainability, and organizational transformation. He has authored influential books such as Re-inventing Business and The Profit of Purpose , exploring how organizations balance profit with societal impact. Volberda advises on innovation strategies, leadership, and the role of purpose in modern enterprises. His work highlights the importance of adaptive leadership and strategic agility in dynamic environments. He has contributed to studies on Dutch innovation landscapes, including the SD400 sustainability rankings and analyses of corporate sustainability transitions. His research often bridges academic insights with practical business applications, emphasizing the interplay between innovation, governance, and societal responsibility.
