New Year's Reception 2025: the power of diversity and collaboration
‘Let us not forget the power of genuine engagement,’ dean Sarah de Rijcke stressed at the New Year's Reception on 7 January 2025, which was also attended by Rector Magnificus Hester Bijl and addressed the Faculty of Social Sciences.
In her New Year's address, De Rijcke cited John Berger's 1972 book Ways of Seeing and the Netflix series Queer Eye. Both the book and the series teach us the importance of really looking, listening and understanding. ‘As social scientists, we have a unique ability - and responsibility - to keep observing, listening and understanding without rushing to judgment. In these times of political polarisation and global challenges, this is more crucial than ever. Our fundamental understanding of human behaviour, social structures, political systems puts us at the forefront of addressing pressing social issues. How can we use our insights to bridge gaps and promote understanding?’ When the pressure is high, it is important that we continue to focus on connection, says Hester Bijl. It is precisely together that we stand strong as an academic community, and we can be proud of our openness, transparency, and our connection with our region and the world.
Community involvement and visibility
In her speech, Hester Bijl dwelt, among other things, on the challenges posed by cuts in higher education, the 450th anniversary of Leiden University and the progress of the Academia in Motion programme, which seeks wider recognition of academic achievement. Community engagement, open science, good leadership and transparency; all these are not an afterthought, but necessary to keep the university vital and relevant.
Hanneke Hulst, chair of the Faculty Academia in Motion (fAiM) programme, shared the projects that will be taken up within the faculty in 2025:
- Open Science: further define and showcase Open Science through best practices from our faculty
- Empower Yourself: support in creating a narrative CV
- An exchange programme for subjects such as academic skills and statistics for teachers
These projects were selected from a multitude of input gathered during the fAiM caravan that made an inspiring route along all the institutes in the faculty last year. De Rijcke: ‘Despite uncertainties, we are sticking to our strategic vision for the future of social sciences in Leiden, of which the Academia in Motion programme is an important part.’
Master's thesis awards ceremony
Six winners were called on stage by Kristiaan van der Heijden, vice dean of education, to receive their master's thesis award. Van der Heijden: ‘The award recognises scientific quality, social relevance, readability, but also creativity.’
The winning theses:
- Elleke Schreur (MSc Global Ethnography) - Investigated how gender influences homelessness trajectories in The Hague and what patterns can be identified in them.
- Heleen de Lange (Research Master Education and Child Studies) - Analysed how eye-tracking data quality and algorithms influence measures of implicit Theory of Mind in toddlers and adults.
- Yanna Naeije (Master Health and Medical Psychology) - Investigated the impact of cancer on dating and sexuality in young adults, focusing on body image and need for specific care support.
- Arian Memarpouri (Research Master Cognitive Neuroscience) - Studied how cognitive load and deep brain stimulation affect motor and cognitive performance in Parkinson's patients and highlighted the importance of personalised treatment.
- Nina Schmal (MSc Political Science) - Investigated the impact of development aid on conflict, where aid reduced violence in government-controlled areas but increased it in insurgent areas.
- Kelly Gort (Education and Educational Sciences) - Compared two online reading interventions with struggling readers in grades 4 and 5 and concluded that improvements were limited to practised tests.
The winners' achievements were celebrated with AI-produced posters on display in the university building. They also received a framed mini-version as a lasting memento. From this year, the university-wide nomination will rotate annually among the institutes, with this year's nomination falling on Elleke Schreur.
