معرفی
Dr. Mandy van der Gaag is an Assistant Professor in Developmental Psychology at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on identity development, career decision-making, and early school leaving prevention, employing dynamic systems theory and person-centered methodologies. She leads projects such as u-can-act, which develops tools to study and prevent early school leaving in vocational education. Her work integrates quantitative and qualitative approaches, exemplified by the Landscape of Identity Model and the Groningen Identity Development Scale (GIDS-L2). She has published extensively on intra-individual developmental processes and has received the BSS Science for Society Impact Award for her contributions to reducing early school leaving.
Key projects include the u-can-act initiative, funded by NRO, which uses digital platforms to track student-mentor interactions and inform prevention strategies. Her theoretical contributions bridge identity theory with practical applications, emphasizing emotional experiences and contextual influences. She collaborates with educational institutions and policymakers to translate research into effective interventions.
- Education: PhD in Developmental Psychology (2017), University of Groningen
- Research Interests: Identity exploration, motivation dynamics, longitudinal methodologies
- Awards: BSS Science for Society Impact Award 2019
- Labs/Teams: Heymans Institute for Psychological Research, u-can-act Project Team
Her work emphasizes bridging academic research with real-world educational challenges, particularly in fostering supportive mentorship and early intervention systems for at-risk youth.
