Ralph Meulenbroeks (Ph.D.  MSc.) combined conservatoire double-bass studies with a university physics degree, graduating ‘cum laude’ in both. He finished his Ph.D. in plasma physics at Eindhoven University of Technology and worked as a researcher at Shell, Océ, and FOM (Fundamental Research of Matter). 

He worked as a physics teacher in secondary education andobtained his Master of Education in 2012 (cum laude). As of 2015, he is working as in the field of science education at Utrecht University, becoming an associate professor in this field in 2021. He also works as a career coach and has given many keynote and other lectures and workshops on intrinsic motivation. He has initiated several projects aimed at tackling the shortage of secondary school teachers in het Netherlands (beta4all, studentinzetopschool, and bèta-lerarenkamer) and has a very popular YouTube channel. 

On September 1st, 2024, Ralph was appointed chair of the UU's Freudenthal Institute. 

He also studied viola da gamba with Jaap ter Linden. He has been soloist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra with such conductors as Sir Roger Norrington, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Ivan Fischer. He made many cd-recordings and was awarded the Edison classical audience award , the Netherlands’ most prestigious recording award.

Ralph has a very broad scope of fascinations ranging from macrobiotic food and t’ai chi to history, astrophysics, and aviation. He has a private pilot’s licence.