Prof. dr. Ineke van der Ham – Professor Technological innovations in neuropsychology
Ineke is the principal investigator of the van der Ham Lab and has worked in the field of spatial cognition since the start of her PhD in 2006. In 2010 she obtained her PhD Cum Laude at Utrecht University, on a series of neurocognitive studies on spatial relation processing. Her work focuses on the neuropsychology of navigation ability and she has developed questionnaires, tests, and training protocols to assess and improve navigation ability. She has a particular interest in individual variation in spatial abilities and the impact of stereotypes and biases. She is involved in many collaborative projects concerning the use and implementation of virtual and augmented reality, in which she focuses on spatial cognition and individual differences.
She is a full professor at the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University, member of the board of the department of Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, and coordinates the clinical neuropsychology curriculum. She teaches various courses within the Leiden Psychology BSc and MSc program.
Dr. Michiel Claessen – Assistant professor
As a trained neuropsychologist, I am particularly interested in how the ability to navigate is affected by brain damage. Therefore, the focus of my research lies on navigation ability in chronic stroke patients. More specifically, I am investigating the (neuro)cognitive underpinnings of navigation ability, validating diagnostic instruments to detect navigation impairments (both self-report and objective tasks) and exploring compensation strategies and training possibilities.
Milan van der Kuil – PhD student
In February 2016, I started as a PhD candidate in the Navigation Lab Leiden. The aim of my research is to develop a rehabilitation therapy for acquired brain injury patients who report navigation impairments. A compensatory approach to rehabilitation is taken in this project. Patients are trained to adopt novel, more suitable navigation strategies. Navigation strategies are taught and trained by using home-based virtual reality games in combination with education sessions.
Suzanne Brinkman – Researcher
My interests lie within the field of environmental and design psychology, where the psychological properties of a space are determined and used to create spaces that promote the well-being of humans. The focus of my current research is on investigating how to create built/indoor spaces with restorative qualities for cognitive capacities and emotional well-being.
Laura Miola – PhD student
I am an international PhD student in Psychological Sciences from the University of Padova (Italy) and my research interest concerns individual differences in spatial abilities and navigation. I am investigating how and to what extent different factors such as gender, spatial beliefs, stereotypes, and navigational behaviors may influence spatial learning and navigation within virtual environments.
Current MSc students
Elmer Hayes, BSc
Thesis: The cognitive profile of orienteering experts
Midas Stöfsel, BSc
Thesis: A clinical perspective on developmental topographical disorientation
Rachelle Poelen, BSc
Thesis: Evaluation of a stress app for young adolescents
Alumni
Miranda Smit, PhD
Dissertation (2023): The Body and beyond the body: Body and space interactions in healthy individuals and patients with acquired brain damage, Utrecht University
Anne Cuperus, PhD
Dissertation (2019): Virtual experience, real impact: The influence of virtual reality on memory and behavior.