Do you want to organise a public engagement activity? Discover what you can do!

Do you want to organise a public activity with the Public Engagement Seed Fund worth 10,000 euros? That is possible! Many researchers have done this before you. This spring three more applications were honored. Below you can read what Madelijn Strick, Rachel Gillet and Jody Metcalfe are going to do with the money.

Anouk Keizer - holding hands as comfort

Many scientific lab studies have shown that social touch, such as holding hands, has beneficial effects for both physical and mental wellbeing. But can people also be comforted by a robot? Would people be open to robots providing healthcare interventions on them? So-called care-robots are becoming an increasingly realistic option in the future. At Lowlands, Anouk Keizer will test this outside a regular lab setting, hoping to raise awareness and spark conversation for this topic in a playful way.

Madelijn Strick - Flirting with humor

This project investigates the role of humor in romantic attraction among 40+ singles during the Swipe Festival. Previous studies, among mostly young people, show differences between men and women in their appreciation of humor, but does this hold true in later stages of life? Participants complete tests and gain insight into their partner preferences. This study combines experimental psychology with citizen science, allowing participants not only to learn about dating, but also to become actively involved in scientific research on humor and attraction.

Rachel Gillet/Jody Metcalfe - The Talk Show Project

The Talk Show Project, co-founded by Stichting Ocan and Re/Presenting Europe, combines science and social engagement in a talk show setting during an event with and about Antillean communities in the Netherlands. On stage, they reflect, among other things, on : growing older in the Netherlands, thriving and studying in the Netherlands, and to what extent they feel they belong in society. The goal is to enrich public and social awareness, to stimulate critical reflection with and about the Antillean diaspora in the Netherlands, and to enrich research on this with insights from the community itself.