Karlijn van den Broek

Dr. Karlijn van den Broek is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Heidelberg, focusing on Environmental Psychology, Mental Models, and Environmental Literacy. She co-leads the MultiTip project, developing M-Tool for standardized mental model mapping in natural resource management. Her work bridges Behavioral and Cultural Studies with interdisciplinary sustainability research.

Education:

• PhD in Environmental Psychology, University of Bath (2016)
• MSc. Social Psychology, University of Groningen (Cum Laude, 2012)
• BSc. Psychology, University of Groningen (2011)

Research Interests

• Investigating mental models in environmental decision-making
• Advancing inclusive research tools for non-literate stakeholders
• Exploring energy literacy and behavioral drivers of energy conservation
• Linking climate change emotions to mental health
• Improving policy communication through data visualization

Publication Trends include interdisciplinary applications of environmental psychology to fisheries, energy policy, and climate science, with a focus on stakeholder engagement, behavioral interventions, and cognitive processes in sustainability contexts.

Scientific Awards

• Selected participant in the Postdoc Academy for Transformational Leadership, funded by the Robert Bosch Foundation

Collaborations span the Environmental Economics team at Heidelberg, Lake Victoria stakeholders, and cross-institutional projects in sustainability science.