KNAW Early Career Award

Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences and Law

Lonneke Lenferink
Assistant professor, University of Twente, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Lonneke Lenferink studies grieving and symptoms of disturbed grief in adults and children. Her research focuses on people who experience the loss of a loved one due to natural causes, but also bereavement in exceptional circumstances, for example a loved one’s disappearance or death by homicide, a traffic accident, in the downing of flight MH17 or the COVID pandemic. Lenferink has introduced original perspectives and new research methods to the field. For example, she is the first in her discipline to adopt a methodology in which participants keep track of their thoughts and feelings with a view to assessing and treating prolonged grief in everyday life. She also explores the interaction between grief in parents and in their children. She has shared the results of her studies on the public website www.rouwbehandeling.nl, which she developed in cooperation with the Netherlands’ Victim Support Fund.
 
Tine Molendijk
Associate professor, Netherlands Defence Academy, Faculty of Military Sciences
What psychological damage might military personnel suffer if their moral or ethical convictions are violated? Tine Molendijk studies the social and psychological impact of violence and moral dilemmas in the armed forces. The essence of her work is to better understand how war and military operations impact people’s lives, in part by reflecting on the moral, psychological and social implications of all forms of violence, from superhuman resilience to inhumane destructiveness. Molendijk’s research is helping to reveal the true cost of war.  
 
Alberto Quintavalla
Assistant professor, Erasmus University, Erasmus School of Law
Alberto Quintavalla studies the impact van artificial intelligence (AI) across the entire spectrum of human rights. He also researches the environmental risks associated with AI. Integrating these key areas of study with the law has led him to valuable insights concerning the European and wider international context. He does this by connecting the theoretical and practical aspects of EU policy, an essential factor in effective legislation and policymaking that addresses AI, environmental issues and human rights. He also makes his insights accessible to legal scholars, rendering his work invaluable to academics and legal practitioners alike.

Humanities

Trude Dijkstra
Assistant professor in the History of the Book, University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Humanities
What role did printwork play in early encounters between Europe and Asia? Trude Dijkstra has developed an innovative approach to studying printwork in seventeenth-century Europe. By combining the history of the book with the history of medicine and science, Dijkstra examines the role of printwork in cultural encounters and intellectual history. Her research reveals how knowledge was disseminated and gradually embedded in different cultures,  leading to groundbreaking new insights into the intercultural encounters between China and Europe in the early modern period. Dijkstra's innovative ideas push the boundaries of her field of study, the History of the Book.
 
Anna Moles
Assistant Professor of Mediterranean Archaeology and Human Osteoarchaeology, University of Groningen, Faculty of Arts
What impact does massive social change have on individual lives and groups of people? Examples from history include a conquered people’s integration into the Roman Empire and the advent of Christianity. To answer this question, archaeologist Anna Moles investigates human skeletal remains, combining methods common in the natural sciences with archaeological and historical data. She specialises in the archaeology of the Mediterranean, and more specifically Ancient Greece, but she has also studied the Dutch Middle Ages and the Mayans. Her research spans the natural sciences and the humanities and offers an historical perspective on current social issues, such as the relationship between health, diet, age, gender and social standing.
 
Marthe Stevens
Assistant professor, Radboud University, Department of Ethics and Political Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Hub on Digitalization and Society (iHub)
From health apps on smartphones to pupil tracking systems in primary schools, digitalisation is seemingly unstoppable in the fields of healthcare and education. Marthe Stevens studies the use of new technology in society. Her research combines insights from Philosophy of Technology, Science and Technology Studies (STS) and critical data studies to reflect on the impact of technological innovations on society. Her work helps researchers better understand how digitalisation works, but it also shows the general public the risks involved in allowing Big Tech to amass too much power. Stevens’ efforts help promote responsible digitalisation and limit the influence of Big Tech on our lives.

Medical, Biomedical and Health Sciences

Jonne Doorduin
Technical physician and assistant professor, Radboud University Medical Centre, Department of Intensive Care
Jonne Doorduin studies respiratory disorders and artificial ventilation in the intensive care unit and in patients with neuromuscular disorders. One of his key findings is that respiratory muscle strength in patients with congenital neuromuscular disorders can differ markedly from muscle strength in the limbs. This means that frequent checks on respiratory function are essential for these patients. Doorduin’s knowledge of both medicine and technology allows him to develop innovative ideas that can be applied in clinical practice. One example is his use of ultrasound to track respiratory muscles. Doorduin has also drawn attention to his field, for example by joining forces with the Dutch Association for Neuromuscular Disease to inform patients with neuromuscular and respiratory disorders.
 
Suzanne Fustolo-Gunnink
Researcher, Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Clinical Epidemiology and Medicine, Amsterdam
Suzanne Fustolo-Gunnink studies how best to undertake platelet transfusion in preterm infants. Some premature infants have a platelet deficiency, which can be treated by administering platelet transfusions to prevent bleeding. Fustolo-Gunnink has shown that, surprisingly, low platelet counts in transfusions lead to better outcomes than higher counts. Her findings have led to changes in the treatment strategy for this vulnerable group of patients. Fustolo-Gunnink as since set up an international network that undertakes research across Europe and develops guidelines. She also leverages complexity theory in connecting experts in a range of disciplines to work together on practical methods for application in medical research and guideline development.
 
Kak Khee Yeung
Vascular surgeon, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, VU University Amsterdam
Kak Khee Yeung combines clinical expertise with groundbreaking medical research on aortic aneurysms. An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the body’s main artery, the aorta. The bulge can rupture, unfortunately leading to death in more than eighty per cent of cases. It is not currently possible to predict whether an aneurysm will rupture and there are no drugs available to treat a ruptured aneurysm. Yeung’s research focuses on finding biomarkers (quantifiable indicators) in the body that can predict disease progression in patients with an aortic aneurysm. She explores many different methods in her research, from establishing a national biobank containing the vascular tissues and cells and clinical data of thousands of patients to creating in-vitro 3D models and using artificial intelligence for imaging.

Natural Sciences and Technology

Christian Büll
Assistant professor in Biomolecular Chemistry, Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials
Christian Büll has developed an innovative method for producing and studying human mucins, large proteins covered with complex sugar molecules known as glycans. Mucins protect the lining of the intestines and various other organs and play a key role in the interaction with the gut microbiome, a collection of bacteria and microbes that live in the intestines. Until now, it was difficult to study these molecules because their complex structure made them hard to replicate. Büll discovered that glycans form special patterns that are recognised by certain immune cells. His discovery allows researchers to examine how these structures transmit information to our immune system and in doing so, influence our health. Büll hopes to develop biologics with this technology that will interact with the gut microbiome and the immune system to improve human health.
 
Antoni Forner-Cuenca
Associate professor, Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Antoni Forner-Cuenca studies the storage and conversion of electrochemical energy. He is interested in the design, engineering and application of new functional materials and systems, in particular electrodes, i.e. materials that conduct and transduce electricity in electrochemical systems and processes. One of Forner-Cuenca’s most important breakthroughs was the creation of special porous electrodes, materials with tiny holes that conduct current and facilitate more efficient chemical conversion. He developed a new technique to produce these electrodes, something that had previously been impossible. Forner-Cuenca is committed to applying the findings of his fundamental research in real-world applications for energy storage and conversion.
 
Tijs Karman
Assistant professor in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials
Tijs Karman thought it must be possible to use microwaves to prevent the loss of molecules in molecular collisions. A microwave is an electromagnetic radiation. Kareman’s theory is now being used in research into molecules cooled down to near absolute zero. He himself studies these ultracold molecules at a temperature of around 1 nanokelvin. At nanokelvin temperatures, particles in a substance move so slowly that the effects of quantum mechanics become noticeable, making it possible to gain full control over the molecules. These findings are being used in quantum technology applications and in advanced physics research.

Charlotte E. Knowles
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Groningen, Faculty of Philosophy

In her research, Charlotte Knowles combines feminist philosophy with existentialism and phenomenology, focusing on deep-seated issues in gender dynamics. Why do women sometimes vote for politicians who hold misogynist views? Why do they participate in activities that emphasise their submissive role? Knowles employs existential and phenomenological perspectives to examine the very core of such questions, which centre around notions of freedom and autonomy – but also fear of the same. Her work produces innovative and productive insights that offer a better understanding of the ‘complicity’ of women in gender issues.

Alisa van de Haar
Assistant Professor in Historical French Literature, Leiden University, Faculty of Humanities

Van de Haar investigates multilingualism in the early modern Low Countries by studying literary publications, archival material and other sources. She has qualified the widespread scholarly view that nationalist sentiment led to French influences being expunged from Early Modern Dutch and shown that, in fact, French was widely spoken in this period and regularly served as a source of inspiration for Dutch. In other research, she offers an innovative outlook on the relationship between migration and language in which language differences are viewed not only as an obstacle to integration, but also as an opportunity for both migrants and receiving communities.

Jeroen Dera
Assistant Professor of Dutch Literature, Radboud University Nijmegen, Faculty of Literature

Dera studies the way literature is taught in the Netherlands, focusing on the perspectives of both teachers and students. He takes an interdisciplinary approach to this topic that combines methods drawn from literature studies and the social sciences. One of his findings is that students regularly choose to read books that do not match their actual literary preferences because they are influenced by teaching methodologies, their teachers and online platforms. Dera also supervises research examining #BookTok, online 'reading challenges', and the role of reading in youth culture, and in doing so is at the forefront of efforts to better understand emerging reading phenomena. Dera's in-depth analyses and practical methods deliver comprehensive and relevant resources for education.

Mariëlle Wijermars
Assistant Professor in Cyber-Security and Politics, Maastricht University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 

Mariëlle Wijermars examines information governance in authoritarian states such as Russia, focusing specifically on digital platforms. Her expertise spans the visible and invisible mechanisms affecting such information flows. Wijermars' research is innovative in approaching digital platforms as political actors. She does this by analysing platform companies' user policies and algorithms and the role they play in the political discourse of non-democratic states. This basic premise allows her to explore the array of mechanisms through which the circulation of information can be influenced.

Lianne Cremers
Assistant Professor, Visual Medical Anthropology, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Organization Sciences & University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Department of Anthropology

Lianne Cremers studies how protracted crises interact with and impact human wellbeing. Her research combines anthropology, disaster management and organisation studies and is notable for focusing on the experience of vulnerable groups. For example, she took a fresh look at patient adherence to a medication programme in Khayelitsha, South Africa, highlighting that patients' failure to adhere to drug treatment is often rooted in complex personal considerations. In other studies, Cremers has promoted public engagement in policymaking, for example in the impact of COVID-19 on young people, and integrated creative communication methods, including film and art exhibitions. Her original, creative approach connects science and society.

Elanie Rodermond
Associate Professor in Criminology, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Law / Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement

Elanie Rodermond was the first in the Netherlands to examine all Dutch terrorism suspects and their life-course and careers prior to their committing acts of terrorism. Her research borrows methods from the fields of criminology and law. Her findings show, among other things, that perpetrators of terrorism have more in common with common criminals than previously thought. She cautions against setting up special counter-terrorism units because they can hamper resocialisation and, in some cases, even reinforce radical ideas. Rodermond also focuses on female perpetrators (a group often neglected in research), online extremism and intervention strategies.

Jorge Domínguez Andrés
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Radboud university medical centre

Domínguez Andrés examines the human body's various immune responses to infection, focusing in particular on immunology, vaccines, infectious diseases and evolution. For example, he studied the metabolite dimethyl itaconate, a substance produced by our bodies in response to infections that curbs inflammation and boosts the immune system. In another study, he showed that improved immune responses triggered by exposure to certain infections can in fact be transmitted to successive generations. His investigation of the influence of evolutionary processes on the human immune response may lead to new approaches to disease management and prevention.

Marleen Kunneman
Assistant Professor, Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Centre

Kunneman explores how patients and their care providers cooperate in creating implementable care plans that fit in seamlessly with what patients need. She chairs the Making Care Fit Collaborative, an international partnership that she herself founded in conjunction with patients, informal caregivers, researchers, healthcare designers and policymakers. Her research shows that the focus of doctor-patient collaboration is often on following proper procedures at the expense of the human aspects of care, leading to situations in which clinicians 'deliver care' without actually 'caring'. 

Anique Bellos-Grob
Assistant Professor, Medical Imaging, University of Twente, Faculty of Science and Technology

Bellos-Grob focuses on Multi-Modality Medical Imaging in urogynaecology. In her research she makes use of 4D ultrasound and a tilting MRI scanner to examine pelvic floor complaints in patients both while they are lying down and in an upright position, an entirely new diagnostic approach. Her double appointment at the University of Twente and ZGT Clinic in Hengelo/Almelo puts her in direct contact with women who are the focus of her research and allows her to test the expertise she is developing in Twente in clinical practice. For example, she is employing the new methodologies to improve the diagnosis of various pelvic floor complaints (prolapse and full ruptures) and to optimise existing treatments, for example with the appropriate pessaries.

Christian Herff
Assistant Professor Computer Science, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University

Herff conducts research on brain-computer interfaces and neuroprosthetics, and seeks to link natural and artificial intelligence. His work encompasses the development of algorithms for invasive electrophysiology (the study of the electrical properties of cells and tissues), which he has used to create a speech neuroprosthesis that converts brain signals into high-fidelity audio. This innovation may allow people unable to speak due to brain damage produce sound by imagining themselves talking. 

Inge de Graaf
Associate Professor, Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research 

De Graaf is interested in the future availability of freshwater, a challenge exacerbated by the growing world population and climate change. Using an innovative model linking groundwater-surface water interactions, she has shown that groundwater abstraction has a major impact on nature and that it is particularly important to better understand the interaction between groundwater levels, agricultural irrigation and rivers. De Graaf’s research highlights the challenge involved in using sustainable methods to ensure food security on a global scale.

Antonija Oklopčič
Assistant Professor, Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Science

Oklopčić has designed a new method for observing planets, such as Mars, that are in the process of losing their atmosphere. Her approach is innovative because she not only developed her method theoretically but has also tested it experimentally. Oklopčić has also developed a new theoretical model for exoplanet atmospheric escape to explain the changes that take place in planets after their birth. In doing so, she has opened up new fields of research and forged pathways for other techniques to study atmospheric loss in exoplanets.

2022

• Marrigje Paijmans
• Janric van Rookhuijzen
• Ingrid de Zwarte
• Eddie Brummelman
• Sanne Kruikemeijer
• Bart van der Sloot
• Sophie Veldhuizen van Zanten
• Annemieke Witteveen
• Masoud Zamani Esteki
• Kathryn Barry
• Francesca Grisoni
• Bas Overvelde

2021

• Donya Alinejad
• Stefan Barakat
• Chiara Beneduce
• Martine Hoogman
• Kim Kampen
• Jonathan Mijs
• Tessa Quax
• Alberto Ravagnani
• Jorien Treur
• Lukas M. Verburgt
• Marthe Walvoort
• Lachezar Yanev

2020

• Vigjilenca Abazi
• Hieab Adams
• Roseriet Beijers
• Shari Boodts
• Ylona van Dinther
• Tineke Lenstra
• Maurits Meijers
• Jorik Nonnekes
• Hanno Sauer
• Michiel Veldhuis
• Michael Walter
• meLê yamomo

2019

• Romy Gaillard
• Marieke Hendriksen
• Berthe Jansen
• Namkje Koudenburg
• Tim Korevaar
• Geert Litjens
• Dong Nguyen
• Stephanie Rap
• Said Rodriguez
• Gijs Schumacher
• Carolien Stolte
• Niko Wanders