Who are the winners of the Psychology Prizes of 2024?
Psychology teacher of the year is Evelien Broekhof. The Master Thesis Awards are for Yanna Naeije and Arian Memarpouri. Mirjam Wever wins the PhD Paper Prize; Jip Aarts wins the PhD Wild Card: Academic Citizenship. Congratulations!
Psychology Media Presentation 2024
Also in 2024, our colleagues from the Institute of Psychology were visible in the media in various ways. Check out their appearances in Dutch media, from NRC to the Podcast psychologist. Psychology Media Presentation 2024
Education Prize
Evelien Broekhof from Developmental and Educational Psychology has made a transformative impact on the Bachelor’s program in Psychology, particularly through her coordination of the courses Develop-mental Psychopathology and Interpersonal Professional Skills (IBV). Her tireless work as an active member of the BOC reflects her commitment to enhancing the quality of education for both students and our Institute of Psychology.
Her unwavering dedication is morethan evident in the way she fosters a more inclusive and impactful learning environment, ensuring that students are well-equipped totackle societal challenges with empathy and critical thinking. Students consistently describe Evelien as approachable, deeply committed, and passionate! Her courses are frequently highlighted as the best-organized in the program.
2-year Research MSc Thesis Prize
Arian Memarpouri from the Cognitive Neuroscience research master won the Research MSc Thesis Prize, with the thesis titled “Differential effects of cognitive load and deep brain stimulation on dual-task performance in Parkinson’s patients”. Arian was praised by the jury for its innovative methods, analyzing movement traces in Parkinson patients with and without application of deep brain stimulation, a common treatment for Parkinsonian tremors.
1-year MSc Thesis Prize
Yanna Naeije from Health and Medical Psychology won with the thesis “Dating and Sexuality After Surviving Cancer as an Adolescent and Young Adult. A Mixed Methods Study." The thesis examines the impact of cancer and its treatment on sexuality and dating amongst adolescents and young adults, showing that cancer treatment affected both sexual satisfaction and sexual dysfunction. Yanna's supervisor gave the thesis a grade of 9, praising Yanna's creativity and writing style.
Paper Prize
Mirjam Wever from Clinical Psychology won the PhD Paper prize for her paper titled "Neural and affective responses to prolonged eye contact with parents in depressed and nondepressed adolescents." This paper, published in Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience by a team of reserachers from Leiden and reserachers from Utrecht University, impressed the jury with its complex analyses and clear presentation.
Wild card: Academic Citizenship
Jip Aarts (Health, Medical and Neuropsychology ): Jip has exemplified academic citizenship through his exceptional commitment to service, inclusivity, and community engagement. As the PhD representative of the HMN unit, he has advocated for the interests of fellow PhD students and initiated a buddy system to support newcomers. His efforts have extended well beyond the institute, including educating families about how MS can impact neuropsychological functioning, thereby fostering greater understanding and support within the MS community.
