Sophie van Rijn has a permanent position as Associate Professor at the Institute of Child and Education Studies, Leiden University. Her research expertise lies in the area of neurocognitive development in relation to behavioural outcome, using measures such as cognitive tests, parent interviews, eyetracking, brain-imaging and neurobiological parameters.

More information about Sophie van Rijn

Short CV

Sophie van Rijn has a permanent position as Associate Professor at the Institute of Child and Education Studies, Leiden University. Her research expertise lies in the area of neurocognitive development in relation to behavioural outcome, using measures such as cognitive tests, parent interviews, eyetracking, brain-imaging and neurobiological parameters. She obtained her MSc degree (cum laude) in Psychology from the University of Amsterdam (2001), and her PhD degree (cum laude) in Neuropsychology and Psychiatry at Utrecht University in 2007. 

In 2007, she was awarded a personal VENI grant (€ 208,000) from NWO, and in 2011 she was awarded a grant (together with Prof. Hanna Swaab) of € 250,000 for research on autism. In 2013 she received the Gratama Science Prize. In 2016 Sophie van Rijn recieved a VIDI grant (€ 800,000) from NWO for her research on Neurodevelopmental risks in young children with an extra X or Y chromosome.

She has published over 75 articles in high-impact journals (average impact factor 5.3). Furthermore, she has international collaboration links with researchers in the USA, Belgium and the UK. 

CV Sophie van Rijn (2022)

Research

Social skills, social cognition, emotion perception, emotion regulation, executive functioning, language/communication, theory of mind, autism, Klinefelter syndrome, Trisomy X, aggression, psychosis, thought disorder.

Awards

• Gratama Science Prize 2013, for young scientists who distinguish themselves by their innovative, socially relevant and challenging research (€ 25,000)

Grants

• 2016: VIDI grant (personal grant, € 800,000), Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO
• 2013: Leiden University support grant for talented female scientists (€ 15,000 )
• 2011: Research grant  Autism Center (€ 266,000), co-applicant Prof. Hanna Swaab
• 2008: VENI grant (personal grant, € 208,000), Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NOW

PhD candidates

• Marcia Brandenburg: 'Brain development in children with an extra X chromosome as compared to children with autism: evidence from MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)'
• Marit Bierman: 'Language and the organisation of thought: risk for psychopathology in children with an extra X chromosome'
• Gemma Zantinge: 'Emotion regulation in young children with autism: neurobiological mechanisms'
• Jantiene Schoorl: 'Cognitive and neurobiological parameters of affective aggression and predictors of effectiveness of interventions (NWO FES Brain and Cognition Programme)'
• Nienke Bouw: Early development of social cognition in children with Sex Chromosome Trisomies (SCT)
• Kimberly Kuiper
• Evelien Urbanis

Publications

Activities