Schwab and Lenferink: New Members of De Jonge Akademie

Tuesday 13 January 2026

Bettina Schwab (EEMCS) and Lonneke Lenferink (BMS) are the newest UT members of De Jonge Akademie. In total, the Akademie welcomes ten new members. They come from the full breadth of science and research, a wide variety of topics. During their five-year membership, they commit themselves to the science system as a whole, working on projects related to, for example, science policy and the role of science in society.

BETTINA SCHWAB (BIOMEDICAL SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS)

How does our brain enable the movements of our body? And how can we influence this process when necessary? Bettina Schwab studies brain networks involved in motor control. She is particularly interested in how brain stimulation can be used to influence (modulate) these networks. Through this research, we gain fundamental insights into how these networks function and how this knowledge can be applied at a clinical level, for example, in Parkinson’s disease or after a stroke.

LONNEKE LENFERINK (CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY)

Lonneke Lenferink studies how adults and children grieve, particularly after a sudden or violent loss. She examines grief in everyday life by asking people to answer questions about their grief multiple times a day. In this way, she maps fluctuations in grief and studies the transmission of grief between parents and children following the loss of a family member. In addition, she develops and evaluates psychological treatment programs for adults and children who become stuck in their grieving process. Through her research, Lenferink aims to contribute to better support for bereaved individuals and to greater insight into how grief develops over time.

ABOUT DE JONGE AKADEMIE AND ITS MEMBERS

De Jonge Akademie is committed to the future of science: it promotes the value of science and works to improve the science system. This platform of fifty dedicated academics conducts research, provides advice, disseminates knowledge, and brings people together—always with attention to early-career researchers. Its members organise activities related to science policy, science and society, interdisciplinarity, internationalisation, education, and art and science.

De Jonge Akademie consists of fifty members from all Dutch universities, who are jointly responsible for its identity and activities. Member involvement is therefore essential. The members share a deep passion for science and a desire to share it with society.

Members are appointed for five years, with ten members joining and leaving each year. This ensures a continuous flow of new plans and ideas. At the time of appointment, members obtained their PhD less than ten years earlier. They have proven themselves in their fields and represent a wide range of disciplines. De Jonge Akademie is an independent body within the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).