As Head of Studies of Psychology I am responsible for the content of the PPLE psychology major. I also have meetings with students to advise (or brainstorm about) their career plans or master applications.

Within the academic core I teach the first year course Doing Research, an Introduction. Research methods and statistics usually don't make for the most popular subjects, but I make the classes appealing by discussing current issues and giving many examples of exciting research. Learning how to conduct research is elementary for university students. Not only because they need to know how to apply the techniques, but also so they will gain a critical eye towards results achieved by others and better understand academic debates. 

In the Psychology Major I teach the course Emotions and A Critical Look on Psychology’s Past and Future.  “Morbid curiosity” or why people are curious about very negative things, is the main focus of my research. 

What sets PPLE apart is both the depth and the breadth of the program. I am teaching at PPLE since the very beginning, and over the years the interdisciplinary approach of the PPLE program has also influenced my own thinking and the research research strategies that I apply in my work.

PPLE students are curious, interactive and ambitious. On many occasions I have been amazed by the questions or comments that I received during lectures. Getting through all my slides is sometimes a challenge, but I love that PPLE students are not afraid to ask questions or give their opinion. I like to poke students a little, to make them think and share their thoughts. The best lectures are those where students frown a lot in the beginning (because they are thinking deeply) and then leave the room with a smile on their face.