Researchers

prof.dr. Sabine Severiens
Urban education issues
The main theme in my work is educational equity, with a particular focus on teaching in diverse classes and strengthening professional capacity in that area. I have also led several research projects in the area of student-learner mentoring.
prof.dr. Roel van Steensel
Reading and literacy
I conduct research into reading development, from early childhood through secondary education, with a focus on children at risk of educational disadvantage. I focus on the role of school and family.
dr. Marieke Meeuwisse
Accessibility of (higher) education
I conduct research on the academic careers of various students in higher education. My research focuses on the learning environment, particularly the quality of student interaction with peers and teachers, sense of belonging, academic motivation and success.
dr. Lonneke de Meijer
Professional (identity) development of students and teachers
My work and research are at the interface of educational sciences and organizational psychology. I study, for instance, how schools as organizations can be effective. I also conduct research into the professional development of both students in higher education and teachers in primary and secondary education; also, what they may need as (future) professionals in an urban environment.
dr. Lesya Ganushchak
Reading and Learning
The main theme of my research is development of reading comprehension and technical reading in typically developing children and children with dyslexia. I also have several research projects on the underlying mechanisms of judgments-of-learning (metacognition), taking into account working memory, cognitive load, and attention.
dr. Kim Ouwehand
Educational psychology/educational studies
In my research, I look at the influence of different aspects of learning environments on cognitive performances. For example, the way information is presented (e.g. which senses are involved, the use of colour and layout). In addition, I have also investigated the working conditions of teachers in the Netherlands and how they relate to their job satisfaction and professional self-confidence.
Sabrina Alhanachi, MSc
Educational sciences & diversity in education
The main theme in my work is culturally responsive teaching, with a particular focus on teaching in culturally diverse classrooms and strengthening teachers’ culturally responsive competencies through professional development. I focus among others on the role of the school, professional development in professional learning communities and equality in education.
Aike Dias-Broens, MSc
Educational sciences and diversity
In my PhD project, I research students' perceived sense of belonging in higher education, specifically focusing on generational status in higher education and students' ethnicity. I am particularly interested in how suitable the measurement of a sense of belonging is for a diverse student population.
drs. Paul de Maat
CED-Groep Rotterdam, outside doctoral candidate
I am conducting research into affirming and undermining reading motivations among students in primary and secondary education. Particular attention is paid to factors that determine undermining reading motivations and mechanisms for turning these into affirmative reading motivations. Because reading motivation is an integral part of literacy, research on these topics is relevant to promote equity in education and career.
drs. Claudia Gomes
Student identity in the transition year
I am researching psychosocial factors (such as a sense of belonging and self-efficacy) that affect study progress in the transition year from secondary to higher education. For my PhD, I focus on the development of a student identity within a heterogeneous student population and how it relates to study progress during the transition year.
dr. Marjolein Zee
Educational pedagogy, teacher-student interactions and relationships; self-efficacy; self-regulation
My research examines the impact of affective relationships between teachers and individual students with diverse backgrounds, behaviors, and learning needs on effective education. I focus on the influence of these relationships on motivation, academic performance, and self-regulation skills. Additionally, I provide tools and professional development interventions to teachers experiencing difficulties in their relationships with specific students (see relationshipresearch-uva.uk).
dr. Sanne van Herpen
Access to higher education, student transition into higher education
My main research theme is accessibility of higher education, with a special interest in how students’ school career paths are influenced by their learning behaviour, the quality of interaction with significant others like teachers, family and peers, and their academic achievement.
Tessa Visser, MSc.
(In)equality in the transition to secondary school
In my research, I look at the transition to secondary school. Are the CITO results always correct? And what role do gender, migration background and socio-economic background play in this? In addition, I study the effectiveness of an intervention focusing on children in grade 8 who could use extra support before they transition to secondary school.
Ayşegül Karaca-Atik, MSc.
Higher education & career development
In my PhD project, I investigate the role of 21st-century skills in building a sustainable career with a specific focus on social sciences graduates. Also, I conduct research into how these skills needed for sustainable career development of social sciences graduates can be taught in higher education settings.
Pieter van Lamoen, MSc.
Transition to higher education
In my PhD-project, I study diversity and inequality in the transition from secondary to higher education, with a focus on first-generation students and students with a migration background. More specifically, I am interesting in the role of social interactions during the transition period and ways in which universities can organize inclusive support for first-year students.
Romina de Lima-van Gent, MSc.
Family literacy programs and early language development
My research is focussed around family based interventions to stimulate language development of young children. I specifically investigate activities that fit the needs and abilities of families where parents have lower educational attainment.
Iliass El Hadioui
Sociology of education, Urban sociology, Youth and Education in an urban environment, Evidence-informed work, Philosophy of science
Upbringing and education in an urban environment on the themes of super-diversity, social inclusion and equity.