Mariëtte Huizinga

Mariëtte Huizinga is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Science at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She also serves as Vice Dean of Education at the same faculty, focusing on enhancing student and teacher development through critical, interdisciplinary approaches. Her research centers on executive function development across childhood to young adulthood, particularly its ties to educational outcomes.

Academic Qualifications: PhD in Developmental Psychology (University of Amsterdam, 2006); Master's in Developmental Psychology (University of Amsterdam, 1999).

Research Interests: Executive function, cognitive processes in goal-directed behavior, teacher-student interaction, and educational neuroscience. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education and inclusive societies.

Key Contributions: Over 88 publications, including studies on self-regulation in preschoolers, neural substrates of risk-taking in adolescents, and predictors of academic persistence. Notable collaborations span cognitive neuroscience and educational policy domains.

Awards: Recipient of the 2018 grant for innovative educational practices in special needs education. Active in academic service, organizing symposia on cognitive development and educational strategies.

Grants/Projects: Co-leads research on predicting learning in special education (2022–2026) and initiatives promoting human flourishing through education (2017–2020).