Students

Ashley Thompson

I’m currently a Clinical Psychopathology masters student at Vrije Universiteit and received my bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas. My research interests include the role of habits in eating disorders and other illnesses as well as habit formation and stress. After graduation, I aim to continue my research into this fascinating field.

Maud Heemskerk

Ik ben Maud Heemskerk, masterstudente Klinische Psychologie aan de UvA.
Naast mijn studie werk ik als psycholoog-vrijwilligster bij de Advieswinkel. Ik vind het interessant om te achterhalen welke mechanismen een rol spelen bij het aan- en afleren van gewoontes en hoe individuele verschillen hierop van invloed zijn. Kennis hiervan kan handvatten bieden voor het vasthouden aan een levensstijl waar je gelukkig van wordt. Dit is waardevol voor in de klinische praktijk. In de toekomst
hoop ik zelf als GZ-psychologe aan de slag te gaan.

Babette Burggraaff

Ik ben net begonnen aan de master Gezondheidszorg Psychologie na het afronden van de bachelors Psychobiologie en Psychologie. Ik heb altijd interesse gehad in biologische en psychologische processen en vooral in hoe deze elkaar kunnen beïnvloeden. Het lijkt me daarnaast erg leuk om mensen te helpen met het behalen van zelfgestelde doelen met betrekking tot gezonder leven, dat kan zijn door middel van beweging, verandering van het eetpatroon of het verminderen van stress.

Research assistants


Laura Brongers

After graduating high school I started an orientation year in visual arts at MK24. There, I followed classes in all directions within visual art, such as ceramics, 3D printing, photography and graphic design. Thereafter, I studies Nutrition and Dietetics at the HvA. After this first year (propedeuse) in HBO I continued at the UvA to study Psychology. My own development made me realize that I wanted to learn more about development of people in general. Therefore I choose the specialization Clinical Developmental Psychology. Currently I am working as a research assistant at the Habit Lab on a study about aging, which fits well with my curiosity in development. Next year I want to study psychometrics so I can start the Behavioral Data Science master.

Dugcem Kurt

Last year, I received my bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Amsterdam. For my bachelor thesis I studied the influence of working memory load and stress on habit formation in young people. It has made me very curious about the biological and psychological processes that might play a role in the learning and unlearning of habits. Currently, I am working as a Habit Lab research assistant on a project about the relationship between aging and habit formation.

Toon Renssen

After receiving a BA in Classical Languages with a minor in Hittite, I am now completing a BSc in Psychology; I intend to end the spring ‘19 semester with a BSc in both Clinical Neuropsychology and Brain and Cognition. In addition to tutoring Latin, Greek and Dutch, I work as a research assistant in the Habit Lab at the University of Amsterdam. The current project looks at the role of age in the formation of habits.

Caitlin TauberIn

2019, I graduated from the Research Master’s Psychology programme at the University of Amsterdam. During my last year as a student, I worked as a scanning assistant at the Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging. In addition to my interest in psychological research I’m fascinated by clinical cases of neuropsychological disorders. Therefore, I combined my Research Master with a master in Clinical Neuropsychology. Currently, I’m working as a psychological research assistant at the Habit Lab, where I will help conduct an fMRI study on the neural correlates of habit making and breaking. As I enjoy combining research and clinical work, I’m also working as a researcher and practitioner at PsyQ mental health services.

Kim Ursem

This year I started the specialisation Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Amsterdam. Throughout the specialisation programme, we study cognitive domains, neuropsychological tests and neuropsychiatric diseases. I am intrigued by the relationship between behaviour and the mind, and this made me interested in knowing more about the biological and psychological processes that underlie habits. Currently, I am working at the Habit Lab as a research assistant on a project about the relationship between aging and the formation of habits.

Julia Zegeling

After graduating high school I started studying Psychology here at the UvA. Now I’m in my third bacheloryear, and started the specialisation of Clinical Psychology. At the Habitlab I’m working as a research-assistent on a project about the relation between aging and the formation of habits. The study has a lot of aspects which are closely related to my specialisation, therefore I find it really interesting to contribute to this project, and have a closer look into what is actually happening behind all those research articles.

Yuna Zweet

I started studying Psychology at the University of Amsterdam in 2017 as my interest in and passion for the human mind has always been big. While writing my bachelor thesis on healthy aging I assisted my mentor in her study at the Centre for Urban Mental Health. After receiving a BSc in Clinical Developmental Psychology, I was ready to work as a research assistant at the Habit Lab. I am currently working on a replication project about habit formation. The fact that habit research has had such a big impact on real world habit formation already makes me very curious (and excited!) for the future that lies ahead.

Viket Benzesin

ViketI am a second year of Research Masters in Psychology student in the University of Amsterdam (UvA). My main research interest is the developmental psychopathology of eating disorders. I have been involved in Neuroimaging of Reward Group (the University of Reading), Addiction Development and Psychopathology Lab (UvA) and I am currently also working as a Habit Lab research assistant on a project about the habit formation in Anorexia Nervosa.

Nora Delvendahl

NoraI am a second-year Research Master’s Psychology student at the University of Amsterdam, specialising in Social and Clinical Psychology. I received my bachelor’s degree from Cardiff University in 2015, including a research placement year at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. For my internship, I looked at how habits form in the real world and specifically, how omissions influence habit formation. Currently, I work as a research assistant at the Habit Lab.

Caitlin Tauber

In 2019, I graduated from the Research Master’s Psychology programme at the University of Amsterdam. During my last year as a student, I worked as a scanning assistant at the Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging. In addition to my interest in psychological research I’m fascinated by clinical cases of neuropsychological disorders. Therefore, I combined my Research Master with a master in Clinical Neuropsychology. Currently, I’m working as a psychological research assistant at the Habit Lab, where I will help conduct an fMRI study on the neural correlates of habit making and breaking. As I enjoy combining research and clinical work, I’m also working as a researcher and practitioner at PsyQ mental health services.


Thijs Veltman

ThijsGedurende mijn bachelor Psychologie aan de UvA ontwikkelde ik een interesse in verslaving en het doorbreken van gewoontes. Zodoende schreef ik in 2016-2017 over dat onderwerp mijn bachelorthese onder begeleiding van Aukje Verhoeven. Aansluitend kon ik als onderzoekassistent het onderzoek voortzetten en dat doe ik tot op heden met genoegen. Daarnaast volg ik de master Klinische Psychologie.