Professor Frits van Oostrom is a distinguished academic at Utrecht University , specializing in Medieval Studies within the Faculty of Humanities . His research spans Dutch literature, cultural identity, and historical canon formation. Primary email: f.vanoostrom@uu.nl Website: www.fritsvanoostrom.nl Research Focus : Van Oostrom's work explores the intersection of medieval literature and national identity , with significant contributions to understanding 14th-century Dutch texts and their cultural context. He has led projects like the Dutch Cultural Canon and created digital platforms such as www.entoen.nu and www.literatuurgeschiedenis.nl . Scientific Awards : NIAS Fellowship (2005) Secondary Activities include chairing the Programmabureau Geesteswetenschappen , co-curating the Festival Oude Muziek , and advising organizations like Genootschap Onze Taal and the Academie Gouden Ganzenveer .
Dr. Sanne Frequin is an Assistant Professor in Art History at Utrecht University within the Faculty of Humanities. Her work bridges traditional art historical research with digital methodologies. Academic coordinator of the Master’s program in Art History Board member of the Utrecht University Teaching Academy (T@UU) Coordinator of the Digital ArtLab Her research focuses on digital and 3D reconstruction of medieval and early modern art , particularly lost or damaged artefacts. Key projects include: The 3D reconstruction of Guy of Avesnes’ tomb Digital analysis of the Lindau Master’s panel painting Development of the #MedievalMe serious game She actively engages in science communication through: Radio appearances (NPO Radio 1’s De Wild in de Middag , OVT ) Collaborations with heritage institutions (Museum Catharijneconvent, KB National Library) Public projects like the Medieval Meme Machine
Lia Voerman is a Lecturer in Didactics of High Expectations at the Knowledge Center for Talent Development at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences since June 1, 2020. She holds a doctorate from Utrecht University (2014) with a thesis on teacher feedback in the classroom. Her research focuses on didactics, specifically how teachers can stimulate learning through activating interaction, questioning techniques, and effective feedback. She explores how teacher expectations influence student learning, motivation, and opportunities, with particular attention to educational equity and reducing achievement gaps. Her work examines how teachers communicate expectations through their behavior and how this affects students from diverse backgrounds. Her publications and research consistently address the practical application of educational theory, particularly through her development of Didactic Coaching. Her recent work has focused on high expectations in the classroom, the Pygmalion effect, and effective teaching strategies for online environments. Scientific Awards: Audience Award at the NRO-VOR Practice Award (2016) for 'Didactic Coaching' book co-authored with Frans Faber Lia Voerman advises teachers on implementing effective didactic approaches through her own company and serves as chairman of the Didactic Coaching Foundation. She also holds an advisory appointment at Utrecht University. Her inaugural lecture on October 7, 2021 focused on how teachers communicate expectations to students and how this influences learning outcomes. She leads research projects including 'Building Self-Regulated Learning Together (MOZAIC)' and has developed approaches to help teachers foster critical thinking in students through strategic questioning and specific feedback rather than general praise.
Dr. Julian Frommel is a tenured Assistant Professor in the Interaction/Multimedia group at Utrecht University's Faculty of Science. His research in human-computer interaction and human-centered AI investigates the benefits and harms of interactive systems with a focus on creating healthy, meaningful, and enjoyable digital experiences for users. He is actively involved in several research themes including AI Labs, Dynamics of Youth, Game Research, Governing the Digital Society, and Human-centered Artificial Intelligence. Frommel earned his doctorate degree (Dr. Rer.-Nat.) in computer science from Ulm University in Germany. Prior to that, he completed both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Augsburg University in Germany. Before joining Utrecht University, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, working with Dr. Regan Mandryk. His research focuses on assessing and modeling user states to predict when experiences go awry, leveraging games user and player experience research as a foundation for understanding digital experiences, implementing novel interaction concepts for solving problems inherent to new technologies, and studying social interactions between users to address human factors of negative experiences such as toxicity. He employs mixed methods with a strong emphasis on quantitative research and data-driven approaches. Frommel's recent publications demonstrate a clear focus on toxicity in gaming environments, player experience, and adaptive systems. His work spans virtual reality, esports, and traditional gaming contexts, with particular attention to how interactive systems can mitigate negative outcomes like harassment and toxicity. He has published extensively in top-tier venues including CHI, CHI PLAY, and IEEE Transactions on Games. Professionally, Frommel serves as Technical Program Chair for ACM CHI PLAY 2022 & 2023 and is a Review Editor for Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Technologies for VR. He is actively involved in building the academic community around game research and human-computer interaction. His approach to research integrates theoretical understanding with practical implementation of interactive systems. He has supervised numerous students through Master's projects and collaborates extensively with researchers in North America and Europe. His work on toxicity intervention systems, player state assessment, and game-based digital biomarkers represents significant contributions to the field. Frommel is affiliated with multiple research initiatives including Dynamics of Youth (DoY), Game Research, and Institutions for Open Societies (IOS). His 'Healthy play, better coping' research theme reflects his commitment to understanding how gaming experiences can positively impact mental health and well-being.
Jason Roos is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. He holds a PhD in Business Administration (Marketing) from Duke University and a BA from the University of Washington. His research bridges marketing, econometrics, and behavioral science, focusing on causal inference, structural modeling, and digital consumer behavior. PhD in Business Administration (Marketing), 2012, Duke University BA in Business Administration, 2005, University of Washington His research interests include causal inference, Bayesian econometrics, experimental methods, internet and new media, entertainment goods, and digitization. He investigates how information, learning, and adaptation affect consumer choice, particularly in digital and entertainment contexts. His work develops advanced econometric methods to improve causal inference from experimental and observational data. His recent publications, appearing in journals like Marketing Science , Management Science , and Journal of Marketing Research , explore topics such as compliance promotions, internet news consumption, movie demand, and advertiser learning. The articles reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend, combining marketing theory with rigorous quantitative methods and digital data. He is a recipient of the INFORMS Society for Marketing Science (ISMS) Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Competition award. His research has practical implications for marketing strategy, digital platform design, and public policy. He supervises PhD students and contributes to the academic community through teaching and research mentorship. He maintains an active research agenda, with ongoing work on digitization of communities, fake news exposure, and experimental design. He is also engaged in public discourse on academic freedom and labor rights via social media.
Johannes Pfau is an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University, specializing in the intersection of video games, artificial intelligence, analytics, and data science. He is part of the Interaction/Multimedia group within the Information and Computing Sciences department. His academic journey includes a Doctor of Engineering degree (Computer Science) from the University of Bremen and a Master of Science degree in Cognitive Science from Osnabrück University. Pfau's research focuses on applying AI and data science techniques to video games, with particular emphasis on Deep Player Behavior Modeling (DPBM), player-driven analytics, and the psychology of play. His work often involves direct collaboration with the gaming industry to implement and evaluate innovations. He runs Wingman, the largest endgame analytics platform for Guild Wars 2, which has sparked numerous tools and studies based on behavioral data and close engagement with player communities. His research spans multiple domains including game analytics, player behavior modeling, applied games, and the psychology of play. Analysis of his recent publications shows a strong trend toward player-centered approaches to game design and analytics, with increasing focus on cultural dimensions of gaming, player performance optimization, and the application of advanced data mining techniques to understand complex player behaviors across diverse game genres. Best Paper Finalist: Dungeons & Replicants: Automated Game Balancing via Deep Player Behavior Modeling Honorable Mention: Player-Driven Game Analytics: The Case of Guild Wars 2 Best Paper: A Data-Driven Design of AR Alternate Reality Games to Measure Resilience Student Game Competition Runner-Up: The Reversed Turing Test Pfau has advised multiple PhD students including Zhaoqing "Jimmy" Teng, Ioannis Bikas, and Sai Siddartha Maram. His teaching portfolio includes developing and teaching the full course "AI-Driven Content Generation" at Utrecht University (2024-25), as well as contributing to courses on Gamification and Applied Games, Scientific Methods for Computing Science, and guest lecturing at UC Santa Cruz and University of Bremen. His industry collaborations span major game companies including ArenaNet (Guild Wars 2), NCSoft (Aion, Lineage II), Daedalic Entertainment, and Riot Games (League of Legends).
Peter Knees serves as Associate Professor at the Faculty of Informatics, TU Wien, Austria, and held a Visiting Assistant Professor position at Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Music during Fall 2022. With nearly two decades of active contributions to academic research, he maintains significant standing in international scholarly communities. His educational foundation includes a Master's degree in Computer Science from TU Wien and a PhD in Computer Science from Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria. Professor Knees' research centers on music search engines and music recommender systems , with recent expansion into intelligent tools for music creation. His interdisciplinary work bridges multimedia information retrieval , text information retrieval , and digital arts , emphasizing user-centered design principles. As a key proponent of TU Wien's Digital Humanism initiative , he advocates for technology development that prioritizes human values and societal impact, challenging purely technical approaches through critical discourse on ethics and social responsibility in computing.
Henning Radke is a Lecturer at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Faculty of Humanities, Department of German and Scandinavian Languages & Cultures. He works half-time for UvA teaching German as a foreign language and sociolinguistics, while also serving at the Germany Desk of the Duitsland Instituut Amsterdam (DIA), where he promotes Dutch-German academic exchange through scholarships and outreach programs. MA in European Languages (2013), Freie Universität Berlin BA in Dutch Philology and Communication Science (2010), Freie Universität Berlin His research focuses on multilingualism, language contact, and computer-mediated communication (CMC), particularly in diasporic contexts like the German-Namibian community. He investigates code-switching, non-standard varieties like Namdeutsch, and the role of digital platforms in preserving and evolving linguistic practices. His work spans Suriname, South Africa, and Ukraine, examining how language variation manifests across urban/rural and digital/face-to-face communication modes. Notable projects include the PHF teaching method (project-based learning, hybrid formats, flipped classroom) and studies on diaspora communities in Namibia and Suriname. He employs mixed-method approaches combining participant observation and CMC data analysis to explore sociolinguistic dynamics. DIA Scholarship Program development Student ambassador initiatives Preparatory workshops for Dutch students in Germany Henning also contributes to digital material development for German language education and is currently preparing a dissertation on German language variation in Namibia.
Roles: Lynda Hardman is a part-time Professor of Multimedia Discourse Interaction at the University of Utrecht's Interaction Technology group within the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences. She concurrently serves as a Research & Strategy Manager at the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in Amsterdam, leading the Human-Centered Data Analytics research group. She directs Amsterdam Data Science (ADS), fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and government in data science. Research: Hardman's work focuses on user-centric technologies, including augmented reality applications for neuroscience (e.g., Linked Brain Data), semantic web integration (LinkedTV, Fish4Knowledge), and interactive media systems. Her research bridges multimedia, AI, and human-computer interaction, emphasizing ethical digital humanism through initiatives like the Vienna Manifesto. Past projects include EventMedia, K-Space NoE, and MultimediaN/E-Culture, advancing automated media linking and user interface design. Leadership: As former president of Informatics Europe (2016-2019), she championed women's roles in informatics through the 'More Women in Informatics Research & Education' initiative. She also led EIT Digital's ICT-mediated Human Activity action line (2011-2012), promoting European ICT innovation. Publications: Her recent work explores AR tools for neuroscience literature analysis (DatAR), digital humanism frameworks, and bias in digital archives. These contributions highlight interdisciplinary approaches to technology's societal impact.
Anastasiia Belyaeva is an Assistant Professor in Communication Skills and Academic Writing at the Center for Strategy, Organization & Leadership at Nyenrode Business University. Her primary role focuses on developing students' critical thinking, communication effectiveness, and problem-solving skills for academic and professional settings. Previously, she served as an Assistant and Associate Professor at Zaporizhzhia National University, Ukraine, where she taught English for Business, Professional Purposes, and Academic Writing for over 15 years. Expertise: Business Communication, Language Pedagogy, Contrastive Linguistics Research Focus: Cognitive Semantics, Corpus Linguistics, Discipline-Specific Language Instruction Her teaching philosophy emphasizes equipping students with tools to navigate communication challenges in both academic and corporate environments. Belyaeva designs specialized classroom materials to bridge language competencies with professional applications in fields like graphic design and IT. She actively contributes to language education through blogs like AllProfessionalEnglish , focusing on interactive learning methods and coding for educators. Publications highlight her work in contrastive linguistics and corpus-based approaches, with notable contributions to journals like Nova filolohiya and Diacrítica . Her books provide structured curricula for graphic design students, integrating language skills with creative disciplines.
Dr. ir. Cynthia C.S. Liem is an Associate Professor in the Multimedia Computing department at Delft University of Technology, specializing in ethical and reliable AI frameworks. Her work bridges machine learning, human-computer interaction, and societal impact. Academic Rank: Associate Professor Department: Multimedia Computing School: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science Liem’s research focuses on Explainable AI , Algorithmic Transparency , and AI Ethics , emphasizing fairness in machine learning and societal implications of autonomous systems. Recent publications explore adversarial testing, energy-constrained counterfactuals, and critiques of unscientific AGI claims. Her most recent articles highlight trends in autonomous vehicle testing , AI explainability , and ethical algorithmic design , leveraging techniques like conformal prediction and differential evolution . Scientific Awards : SBFT 2023 Best Paper Award TU Delft Education Fellow WWW 2018 Challenge Winner 2024 Women in AI Netherlands Diversity Leader Award Liem serves as an advisor for DUO’s research ethics audits and frequently contributes to public discourse on AI’s societal role, appearing in national media outlets like Delta and Trouw . She also leads datasets on music representation learning and algorithmic recourse.
