Audrey van der Meer

Audrey van der Meer is a Professor of Neuropsychology at NTNU’s Department of Psychology within the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences. She holds an MSc in Human Movement Sciences (Psychology and Philosophy) from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (1988) and a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Edinburgh (1992). Her research focuses on developmental neuroscience, infant perception, and brain plasticity, with a particular emphasis on visual motion perception and prospective control in infants and children. She co-directs the Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory at NTNU, investigating neurodevelopmental principles in early childhood to improve learning outcomes and prevent developmental issues in infants aged 0-3 years.

Her work combines EEG studies with behavioral analyses to explore topics like handwriting’s cognitive benefits, neural responses to looming stimuli, and motor stimulation effects on preterm infants. Key areas include the role of optic flow perception in spatial navigation, handwriting’s impact on brain connectivity, and early detection of developmental disorders through EEG biomarkers. Collaborations with husband Ruud van der Weel and teams like Seth Agyei and Stefania Rasulo have produced influential studies on infant cognition and motor control. Her research bridges ecological psychology and neuroscience, emphasizing real-world applications in education and clinical practice.

• Education
  • MSc in Human Movement Sciences (Psychology & Philosophy), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (1988)
  • PhD in Experimental Psychology, University of Edinburgh (1992)
• Research Themes
  • Infant visual perception and neural development
  • EEG biomarkers for neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Prospective motor control in early childhood
  • Handwriting vs. typing effects on learning
  • Optic flow perception in infants
• Lab Affiliation
  • Director, Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory (NTNU)