Adapt! core team
In Adapt!, researchers from Utrecht University, Leiden University. Radboud University, and the University of Twente are working together to gather more knowledge and expertise on the adaptive capacity of societies in times of crisis.
Core Team
Prof. dr. Beatrice de Graaf
As a Distinguished Professor at Utrecht University, De Graaf has established herself as a leading worldwide authority on two research tracks: the contemporary study of conflict and terrorism, and historical security research.
Prof. dr. Kees van den Bos
Kees van den Bos is Professor of Social Psychology and Professor of Empirical Legal Science at Utrecht University. Van den Bos’s unique contribution lies in the integration of the social psychology of conflict with the empirical study of law. His focus is unravelling the complex dynamics and operative mechanisms involved in social conflict, civic and institutional (dis)trust, and radicalisation, extremism and terrorism.
Prof. Dr. Arjen Boin (Leiden University)
Arjen Boin is Professor of Public Institutions and Governance at Leiden University’s Department of Political Science.
Arjen Boin is also managing partner of Crisisplan, an international crisis management consultancy. Through his work at Crisisplan, Boin has the unique opportunity to apply his academic knowledge to concrete cases of international crisis management.
Prof. Dr. Lotte Jensen (Radboud University)
Lotte Jensen is Professor of Dutch Culture and Literature at the Faculty of Arts at Radboud University Nijmegen.
As a philosopher and expert on Dutch culture, Lotte Jensen focuses on subjects such as disasters, national identity formation and historical literature. She is the director of 'Dealing with Disasters, a research group which studies cultural responses to disasters in the Netherlands.
Prof. Dr. Ellen Giebels (University of Twente)
Ellen Giebels is Professor of Psychology of Conflict and Security at the University of Twente
In her research, Ellen Giebels focuses on human reactions and social interactions in risky situations. In 2015, Giebels was part of the research team that officially evaluated the functioning of the Dutch government after the MH17 disaster.
Prof. Dr. Rik Peels (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Rik Peels is a Professor in the Faculty of Religion & Theology and the Faculty of Humanities at the Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam.
Over the last few years, Peels increasingly addresses issues at the intersection of theoretical, conceptual, and normative issues on the one hand and empirical issues on the other, such as topics related to polarisation, misinformation, and fundamentalism. Peels’s passion for this strand of research has resulted in him leading an ERC Starting Grant named Extreme Beliefs (2020–2025).
Dr. Scott Douglas (Utrecht University)
Scott Douglas is Associate Professor of Public Management at Utrecht University.
In the past years, Douglas has focused on evaluating collaborations between governments and community organizations working on complex challenges such as radicalization, obesity, and adult illiteracy. In his research, he specifically focusses on the bright side, examining how smart collaborations have made progress on seemingly intractable issues.
Prof. Dr. Paul van Lange (VU Amsterdam)
Paul Van Lange is Professor of Psychology at the VU Amsterdam.
As a Professor of Psychology, Paul van Lange adopts an interdisciplinary approach with an emphasis on psychology, evolution and economic decision-making, and uses a variety of methodologies, including cognitive, affective, neurological and behavioral measures.
Affiliated researchers
| Dr. Ozan Alakavuklar | Associate Professor Organisation Science at Utrecht University School of Governance (Utrecht University) |
| Dr. Michelle Bal | Assistant Professor Social and Behavioural Sciences (Utrecht University) |
| Prof. dr. Daniel Balliet | Full Professor Social Psychology (VU Amsterdam) |
| Dr. Karwan Fatah-Black | Assistant Professor History (Leiden University) |
| Dr. Marjolijn Haasnoot | Associate Professor Geosciences (Utrecht University) |
| Dr. Marlot Kuiper | Assistant Professor of Public Management at Utrecht School of Governance (Utrecht Univesity) |
| Dr Sanneke Kuipers | Associate Professor at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (Leiden University) |
| Prof. Mr. Dr. Elaine Mak | Professor of Jurisprudence at Utrecht University School of Law (Utrecht University) |
| Prof. Dr. Anne Meylan | Assistant Professor Theoretical Philosophy (University of Zurich) |
| Dr. Le Anh Nguyen Long | Assistant Professor Public Administration (University of Twente) |
| Prof. Dr. Paul Nieuwenburg | Professor in Political Science and Political Philosophy at the Institute of Political Science (Leiden University) |
| Dr. Miriam Oostinga | Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Security (University of Twente) |
| Dr. Ozan Ozavci | Assistant Professor of Transimperial History (Utrecht University) |
| Prof. dr. ir. Jeroen de Ridder | Professor of Epistemology and Metaphysics (VU Amsterdam) |
| Prof. Dr. Daan Scheepers | Professor of Psychophysiology of Groups (Utrecht University) |
| Dr. Anneke Sools | Associate Professor of Narrative Change Research (University of Twente) |
| Prof. Dr. Jacquelien van Stekelenburg | Professor of Social Change and Conflict (VU Amsterdam) |
| Dr. Marij Swinkels | Assistant Professor of Public Governance and Management (Utrecht University) |
| Prof. Dr. Joshua Tybur | Professor of Psychology and Infectious Disease (VU Amsterdam) |
| Dr. Bjorn Wansink | Associate Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences (Utrecht University) |
| Prof. Stavros Zouridis | Professor of Public Administration (Tilburg University). |
