Dr. Pomme van de Weerd is an Assistant Professor in the department Development and Education of Youth in Diverse Societies (DEEDS). Her research centers on educational tracking and detracking, within the broader theme of equal opportunities in education. She is particularly interested in the ways social relations between students and status hierarchies develop in mixed-ability classrooms (also known as heterogeneous or comprehensive education). 

Dr. van de Weerd is conducting  ethnographic research in a school with mixed-ability classrooms, in which students who are assigned different tracks (vmbo, havo, vwo) learn together. Heterogeneous education (in the Netherlands known as the ‘brede brugklas’) is seen as a way to address the challenges of inequality and social segregation in the Dutch educational system. While the positive effects of mixed-ability or heterogeneous education on educational equity are well-documented, its impact on social relations among students remains less understood. Dr. van de Weerd’s research aims to fill this gap by exploring how delayed selection affects the formation of social ties and the meanings students attach to different educational tracks.

Using qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, she examines the day-to-day dynamics within a delayed tracking school, offering insights into how this approach may reshape social hierarchies and foster more inclusive educational environments. Her work bridges the gap between educational policy and classroom practice, contributing to a deeper understanding of how to create equitable learning opportunities for all students.

In 2020, Pomme van de Weerd obtained her PhD from Maastricht University with a dissertation entitled 'Nederlanders and buitenlanders: A sociolinguistic-ethnographic study of ethnic categorization among secondary school pupils.' This dissertation builds on methods and frameworks from sociolinguistics, anthropology, and interactional analysis to analyse expressions of diversity among youth in Venlo, the Netherlands.