Michiel Hooykaas works at Naturalis Biodiversity Center (michiel.hooykaas@naturalis.nl) and is a guest researcher/lecturer at Leiden University. He has a background in biology and science communication and did PhD research at the Science Communication and Society department on species literacy and the cultural portrayal of animals.

More information about Michiel Hooykaas

Research and outreach

Michiel Hooykaas is interested in people's perception of biodiversity. Biodiversity continues to be lost worldwide, and to halt this decline it is important that the general public is aware of the diversity of life. Hooykaas introduced the new concept of species literacy, which includes broad and deep knowledge about species. With his research he established that Dutch citizens have limited knowledge of the animals that live in their immediate environment. The patterns that were uncovered when studying cultural representations of animals reflected the biased knowledge patterns. It therefore appears that many people are currently missing out on valuable experiences with biodiversity. In his projects, Hooykaas looks for ways to connect people with biodiversity, so that they can open their eyes to the natural world and a relationship between people and biodiversity can arise that is mutually enriching.

Teaching

Michiel Hooykaas has been teaching biology students at Leiden University since 2012. In the past, he coordinated various courses in the Biology program, including a module on popular scientific writing, a book project and courses focused on the diversity and morphology of animals. Nowadays he coordinates the BSc biology course Biodiversiteit Dier, which focuses on the tree of life of the animal kingdom. As Coordinator of Higher Education at Naturalis, Hooykaas is involved in strategizing education and coordination.