The Young Academy welcomes ten new members

Anasua Chatterjee (Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology) 

Computing power is limited by the binary system we use to represent information, i.e. zeros and ones. On an extremely small scale and at very low temperatures, however, different laws of nature apply: the laws of quantum mechanics. These laws allow us to overcome the limitations and exponentially increase computing power, with potential applications in such areas as energy transport, cryptography and chemistry. Experimental physicist Anasua Chatterjee builds components for these new computing concepts in the lab. She also develops methods to verify these systems and investigates the underlying physics. 

Nico Claassens (Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research) 

Nico Claassens is interested in how bacteria can be used to convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into useful raw materials. Plastics and other everyday products still consist largely of carbon derived from petroleum. Claassens studies more sustainable alternatives. Some bacteria use carbon dioxide as a building block and hydrogen as a source of energy. He and his team are studying how these bacteria can be genetically modified to produce carbon building blocks for the manufacture of materials, food or chemicals. He is also investigating the structure of a bacterium's DNA with a view to replicating cells in the future. His work is helping to advance more sustainable biotechnological production methods and their practical application in society.  

Vandana Dwarka (Mathematics, Delft University of Technology) 

Computer simulations are essential in helping us understand and design complex systems. But how do we know whether these simulations are reliable, and how can we shorten the time it takes to perform the necessary complex calculations? Vandana Dwarka is working on the fundamental mathematics behind these questions and studying the calculations that underpin wave phenomena simulations, with potential applications for plasma fusion and quantum processing. She develops algorithms to speed up complex calculations and make them more reliable and energy-efficient. As a mathematician, legal specialist and econometrician, she takes a multidisciplinary approach to these questions and works across various disciplines and domains to ensure that her results go beyond theory alone. 

Cody Hochstenbach (Urban Geographies, University of Amsterdam) 

Housing is very much in the spotlight. Many people live comfortably, but a growing segment of the population is struggling to find housing at all, let alone housing that is affordable and appropriate to their needs. Cody Hochstenbach studies such inequality in the housing market. He is particularly interested in how housing functions as both an outcome and a driver of inequality, for example in wealth accumulation, physical and mental health outcomes, and exposure to climate risks. In his research, he also devotes considerable attention to the influence of housing policy and other policies on inequality and advises on mitigation measures. 

Martijn Huysmans (Political Economy, Utrecht University) 

Huysmans’ research interests lie at the intersection of economics and political science, with a focus on the European Union. Two of his main research themes are EU trade policy and geopolitics. He also studies the institutional design of the EU and other international organisations, specifically in terms of their internal rules and procedures. For example, how are decisions taken? How can dissatisfied member states leave the organisation? Huysmans is also interested in the interconnectedness of economics, trade and international politics in more specific policy domains. The European Union offers endless examples, ranging from EU protection for local products such as Champagne and Gouda Holland to the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. Huysmans teaches and is one of the authors of the interdisciplinary Politics, Philosophy & Economics (PPE) bachelor program. 

Karin Jongsma (Bioethics, Utrecht University Medical Centre) 

A digital physician that establishes diagnoses, neurotechnology that enables visually impaired individuals to see again, or regenerative therapies that allow the body to heal itself: such medical innovations hold great promise. But they also raise ethical questions. Bioethicist Karin Jongsma studies the values at stake in new medical technologies. What do we mean by human-AI collaboration? And under what conditions can human-AI collaboration produce added value? When can we say that neurotechnology, for example a device that allows the hearing-impaired to hear, contributes meaningfully to their well-being? Will expensive technology be made available to one and all, or only the wealthy? Through her research, Jongsma is helping to identify innovations that are beneficial for people and society and to design the technology and related policies. 

Lonneke Lenferink (Clinical Psychology, University of Groningen/University of Twente) 

Lonneke Lenferink is interested in how adults and children grieve, especially after a sudden or violent loss. She studies grief in everyday life by asking bereaved persons to answer questions about their grief several times a day. This allows her to chart fluctuations in grief and study how it is transferred between parents and children after the loss of a family member. She also develops and evaluates psychotherapeutic programmes for adults and children who are experiencing prolonged grief. Lenferink's aim is to help improve support for bereaved families and gain a better understanding of how grief changes over time. 
 

Julian Schaap (Cultural Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam) 

Research shows that listening to music has a positive impact on well-being. But a song that is soothing for one person may be highly irritating for another. Our musical tastes are often shaped by our social backgrounds. Cultural sociologist Julian Schaap is interested in why music influences human well-being and how that influence is affected by class, gender, ethnicity and other group traits. He focuses specifically on the influence of music on adolescents and young adults and their mental health, but also – with his colleagues at Erasmus University Medical Centre – on the effect of music on the anxiety, stress and pain associated with medical interventions. 

Bettina Schwab (Biomedical Signals and Systems, University of Twente) 

How does our brain control our body's movements? And how can we influence this process when necessary? Bettina Schwab investigates the neural networks involved in motor control. She is particularly interested in using electric brain stimulation to modulate neural networks. Her research delivers fundamental information about how these networks operate and how we can use this information clinically, including to treat Parkinson’s disease and stroke.  

Shiyanthi Thavapalan (Assyriology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) 

How did people in ancient times perceive the world around them? What were their ideas about nature, knowledge, innovation and ingenuity, and how did they use technologies to gain scientific insights? Assyriologist Shiyanthi Thavapalan examines cuneiform tablets and the material culture of ancient Iraq (approximately 2000-500 BCE) to understand the relationship between human beings, their environment and technology in Mesopotamia. Her research sheds light on the deep and entangled history of the arts and sciences. 

Installation 

The ten researchers will be installed officially as members of The Young Academy on Thursday 19 March 2026. You are very welcome to join us this evening. 

About The Young Academy and its members 

The Young Academy is committed to securing the future of science and scholarship. It does this by communicating the value of research and by helping to improve science and scholarship as a whole. It is a platform of fifty inspired academics who conduct research, advise, share knowledge and bring people together, and who do all this while taking a special interest in young scientists and scholars. Members organise activities related to science policy, science and society, interdisciplinarity, internationalisation, education, and cross-fertilisation between the arts and sciences.  

 

The fifty members of The Young Academy, who represent all of the Dutch universities, are jointly responsible for its identity and activities. Their engagement is therefore extremely important. They share a deeply felt enthusiasm for science and scholarship and the desire to share that enthusiasm with society.  

Members are appointed for a five-year period, with ten members being added and ten departing each year. This ensures a steady stream of new plans and ideas. Members must have received their doctorate no more than ten years prior to their appointment. They have a proven track record in their field and represent a variety of different disciplines.  

The Young Academy is an independent division of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).