Maaike van den Haak

Maaike van den Haak is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her research focuses on evaluating digital communication, particularly in health risk comprehension, usability testing methods (e.g., think-aloud protocols), website localization, and translation studies. She leads the NWO-funded project ‘You are at Risk’ (2013–2017) with Dr. Olga Damman, investigating how laypeople interpret online health risk information.

Education:

• Drs. in English Linguistics (2000, VU Amsterdam)
• PhD in Applied Communication Science (2008, University of Twente)

Research Interests:
- Health Communication: Developing clear health risk communication strategies.
- UX/Usability: Validating usability testing methodologies.
- Translation & Localization: Bridging cultural nuances in translation, especially for digital content.
- Discourse Analysis: Studying textual and subtitling effects on audience perception.

Grants:

• NWO Aspasia (2016): Funded professional UX training with Norman Nielsen Group.
• NWO Begrijpelijke Taal (2013–2017): Supported health risk communication research.

Advising & Teaching: Supervises BA/MA theses on translation, usability, and discourse analysis. Teaches courses such as Website Localization, Usability Testing, and Academic English Writing.

Collaborations: Works with VU Medical Center (VUMC), translation agencies, and usability companies to bridge academic and practical applications.