Prof.dr. Ingmar Franken
Ingmar Franken is a full professor of Clinical Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the head of the Centre for Substance Use and Addiction Research (CESAR). His research focuses on addiction and substance use, emphasizing the integration of neurocognitive research with clinical and societal applications. He employs various research methods, from advanced neuroscientific techniques to real-life studies. Franken is involved in significant scientific projects, including the Generation R cohort study and the "Growing Up Together in Society (GUTS)" research programme. He also leads the Healthy Start Convergence initiative, addressing youth crime and addiction in collaboration with partners like Erasmus MC, TU Delft, youth workers, the municipality, and Antes Zorg. Apart from his academic roles, he coordinates the master's block on Addiction (4.1K) and mentors master's students. His work is underpinned by a commitment to bridging the gap between experimental research and practical applications, and he has received prestigious grants, including the VENI and VIDI grants from the Dutch NWO. Additionally, Franken serves as the main editor of two Dutch professional handbooks, "Psychopathology" and "Handbook of Addiction."
Prof.dr. Hanan El Marroun
Hanan El Marroun is a full professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She has a background in epidemiology and neuroscience. Her research interest is mainly focused on the vulnerable developmental periods and substance use. Her research therefore focuses on substance use exposure in the first 1000 days and in adolescence. She has presented at multiple national and international scientific meetings and has successfully secured funding for supporting her research, such as the prestigious Aspasia Grant, the Dutch Brain Foundation, the Brain and Behavior Foundation, NARSAD Young Investigator grant, the European Union (Horizon) and Stichting Volksbond Rotterdam.
Dr. Ruth Van der Hallen
Ruth Van der Hallen is an assistant professor in Clinical Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She has a PhD in Experimental Psychology and PhD in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Theory. Her research is focused on "Resilience in face of mental health challenges". As a research and clinical psychologist, she investigates how each of us deals with adverse circumstances and aims to further our understanding of mental health. Her research typically includes children, adolescents as well as adults, clinical and non-clinical pathology and a diverse range of research methods (longitudinal, cross-sectional, citizen science, interventional, network analysis). Topics of interest include individual differences, coping, trauma, suicide prevention, well-being, psychopathology, lying, secrecy, VR/AR technology, e-health, interventions, open science, network analyses and SEM. Alongside her position at EUR, she specializes in one-on-one psychodynamic psychotherapy with adults that present with personality pathology, issues related to gender or sexual identity, (sexual) trauma, suicidal ideation, and loss.
Dr. Femke Truijens
Femke Truijens is Assistant Professor Clinical Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her research is focused on meaningful measurement in clinical research and practice – specifically the validity and interpretation of measurement data given the meaning-making processes involved when patients score self-report measures. Her research incorporates qualitative and mixed research methods, validity theory, hermeneutic theory, and philosophy of science. Furthermore, she plays an active role in the ongoing debate on recovery as paradigm for clinical practice. In teaching, she coordinates the master course on Severe Mental Illness in Urban Context, in which contextual, recovery-oriented and narrative-based approaches are central. Previous teaching was focused on diagnostics and assessment, psychotherapeutic techniques, qualitative and quantitative research methodology, philosophy of science, and scientific/clinical ethics and reflexivity. She is founder and chair of the Qualitative Research Collective GGZ (KOG). Finally, she is psychotherapeutic practitioner in her private practice for gifted adults.
Dr. Linda P. Dekker
Linda Dekker is an Assistant Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where she teaches in the fields of Clinical Psychology and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. She is passionate about imparting theoretical knowledge and clinical skills to future psychologists, with a special focus on Sexuality and Relationships. In addition, she is a dedicated researcher currently exploring vulnerabilities related to sexuality and how to address them. Her research involves investigating risk factors for individuals experiencing sexually inappropriate behaviour, such as sexting, and developing novel treatment approaches for autistic youth, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
In 2020, she co-founded the Rotterdam Autism Consortium (R.A.C.) in collaboration with colleagues and clinical partners. Within R.A.C., research was conducted on the impact of COVID-19 on families with children on the autism spectrum, supported by a ZonMw Grant. Furthermore, she is one of the founders of the Erasmus Love Lab, an interdisciplinary platform dedicated to research on sexuality and love. Linda has established numerous international collaborations and presented her work at various national and international (scientific) conferences. In the academic year 2022-2023, she served as a Visiting Research Scholar at Tufts University, supported by a Ter Meulen Scholarship.
Dr. Minita Franzen
Minita Franzen is an assistant professor in Clinical Psychology within the Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her current research focuses on the assessment, prediction, and treatment of prolonged grief as well as of (social) anxiety. To this end, she uses various research methods, including Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA)/Experience Sampling Method (ESM) and Virtual Reality (VR). She is also involved in research on suicide prevention among university students and developing lecture series aimed at teaching children and adolescents about (the treatment of) anxiety. Her PhD research was about interpersonal characteristics of bullied individuals and their increased risk for developing depression which she also studied using EMA/ESM and VR. Besides her academic work, she is also a clinician trained in cognitive behavioural therapy and has worked with adults presenting with a variety of complaints (e.g., (social) anxiety, depressions, panic, and trauma). She also supervises research projects of Dutch health care psychologists (“GZ psychologist”) in training to become clinical psychologists. Her teaching responsibilities include coordinating “4.2 CP CBT 1: Assessment”, "4.3 CP CBT 2: Therapeutic Techniques", and "3.4 C Affective Disorders", and being EUR-coordinator of the BAPD and LOGO certificates, in addition to supervising both research and practical internships.
Sashank Nyapati
Sashank Nyapati is a senior lecturer of Clinical Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam. His current teaching activities include teaching most courses and practicals, as well as supervising theses in the 3rd year B.Sc. and M.Sc. Clinical Psychology specialisations. He (co-)coordinates the CBT practicals in block 2 (assessment) and 3 (treatment). He is a PhD candidate at the UMC Utrecht in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Leiden. His research examines the role of worldviews in psychotherapy using qualitative and mixed methods. He is also an anthroposophic psychotherapist in his private practice (India).