About Utrecht University

Dr. Antoine Buyse serves as Professor of Human Rights and Director of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) at Utrecht University. Through his Coursera course "Human Rights for Open Societies," he helps students understand the European Convention on Human Rights and its role in protecting human dignity. His expertise spans human rights law, conflict studies, and judicial administration. As Editor-in-Chief of the Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights and host of the ECHR Blog, he actively contributes to human rights discourse and scholarship. His role as co-coordinator of the University's Focus Research Area 'Cultures, Citizenship and Human Rights' and his connection to the Montaigne Centre for Judicial Administration demonstrates his commitment to multidisciplinary approaches to human rights. His course combines theoretical frameworks with practical applications, examining crucial topics including freedom of expression, voting rights, and the protection of vulnerable groups

Dr. Arno W. Hoes serves as Vice-Chair of the Executive Board and Dean of the Medical Faculty at Utrecht University Medical Center. His academic credentials include an MD from Catholic University Nijmegen (1986) and a Ph.D. in Clinical Epidemiology (1992) from Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam. Through his Coursera course "Clinical Epidemiology," he helps students understand principles of clinical research and epidemiological methods. His research focuses on cardiovascular disease prevention, early diagnosis, and management, particularly in heart failure. As former Chair of the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care (2010-2019), he led major research initiatives in clinical epidemiology. He co-authored a widely-used textbook on clinical epidemiology and has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers. His expertise spans clinical trials, diagnostic research, and preventive cardiology. He serves on the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board and editorial boards of several medical journals, including the European Journal of Heart Failure. Recently, he co-founded U-TRIAL and The Healthcare Innovation Center (THINC) to advance clinical research and healthcare innovation.

Dr. Diederick (Rick) Grobbee serves as Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Utrecht University Medical Center and Distinguished University Professor of International Health Sciences and Global Health. His academic credentials include an MD from Utrecht University and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from Erasmus University Rotterdam. Through his Coursera courses in epidemiology and clinical research, he helps students understand principles of medical research and global health. As founder of the Julius Center in 1996, he established one of the world's leading institutions for clinical epidemiology. His research focuses on cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, having authored over 1,300 scientific papers and supervised more than 150 Ph.D. fellows. His contributions earned him fellowship in the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences and knighthood in the Order of the Dutch Lion. Currently serving as Editor-in-Chief of Global Heart and Chief Scientific Officer of Julius Clinical Research, he continues to advance clinical research and global health initiatives while directing the MSc program in Epidemiology at Utrecht University.

Dr. Janneke Gerards serves as State Councillor at the Advisory Division of the Council of State of the Netherlands and Professor of Fundamental Rights in Europe at Utrecht University. Through her Coursera course "Human Rights for Open Societies," which has reached over 50,000 learners, she helps students understand fundamental rights protection in Europe. Her research focuses on fundamental rights, equal treatment law, and judicial review, particularly examining the interrelation between European Convention on Human Rights, EU law, and national law. In 2023, she published the second edition of her handbook "General Principles of the European Convention of Human Rights" with Cambridge University Press. As editor-in-chief of EHRC Updates, she oversees Dutch-language summaries of European human rights cases. Her achievements include membership in the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (2015), serving on the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency Scientific Committee, and holding positions as substitute member of the Venice Commission and deputy judge in the Appeals Court of The Hague.

Dr. Joyce Browne serves as Associate Professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at Utrecht University Medical Center's Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care. Her academic credentials include an MD/MSc in Medicine/Clinical Research from Utrecht University, an MSc in Social Epidemiology from University College London, and a Ph.D. in Global Health. Through her Coursera course "Ebola: Essential Knowledge for Health Professionals," she helps healthcare workers understand essential aspects of epidemic response. Her research focuses on global maternal health, health equity, and equitable partnerships in low- and middle-income countries. As Chair of the Dutch Knowledge Center on Global Health and vice-Chair of Simavi's supervisory board, she actively promotes global health initiatives. Her recent work includes developing toolkits for preeclampsia management and studying global inequities in adverse pregnancy outcomes. She currently serves as Deputy Editor for the World Heart Federation's journal Global Heart while maintaining active involvement in various international health committees and research projects.

Matilda Rados serves as Lecturer and Ph.D. Candidate at Utrecht University's Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM). Through her Coursera course "Human Rights for Open Societies," which has enrolled over 47,000 learners, she helps students understand the European Convention on Human Rights and its role in protecting human dignity. Her research focuses on human rights law and the European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence. As part of the teaching team alongside Professors Antoine Buyse and Janneke Gerards, she contributes to one of the most comprehensive online courses on the European human rights system. Her expertise includes fundamental rights protection, democratic principles, and the rights of vulnerable groups. Her teaching methodology emphasizes practical applications of human rights law while exploring the complex relationship between human rights and open societies

Roel Vermeulen is a Professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Exposome Science at Utrecht University and the University Medical Center Utrecht. He specializes in environmental risk factors for non-communicable diseases, integrating epidemiology, high-quality exposure assessment, and molecular biology through multidisciplinary research. Vermeulen leads prominent projects like the Dutch Exposome-NL consortium, the European EXPANSE project targeting urban exposomes, and the Utrecht Exposome Hub. His work focuses on quantifying external and internal exposomes—comprehensive environmental exposures influencing health throughout life stages—and their impacts on diseases such as cardiovascular conditions and diabetes. He has significant roles in European research networks and has contributed extensively to advancing exposome science globally.

Dr. Miriam van Loon serves as instructor at Utrecht University, specializing in research ethics and academic integrity. Through her Coursera course "Responsible Conduct of Research," she helps PhD students and researchers understand essential aspects of research integrity and ethical conduct in academia. Her course covers critical topics including power relations, social safety, authorship, intellectual property, and ensuring academic quality. The seven-hour course she developed includes expert views, experiences, and opportunities for investigating ethical dilemmas in research. Her teaching methodology emphasizes practical applications and case studies to help students develop skills in addressing integrity issues such as publication ethics, authorship disputes, and data management. Her expertise focuses on empowering researchers to handle complex ethical challenges while maintaining high standards in academic research.

Dr. Nicole Mastenbroek serves as faculty member at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Her academic credentials include degrees in Veterinary Medicine (1985) and Work & Organizational Psychology (2009) from Utrecht University, followed by a Ph.D. focusing on mental well-being of young veterinary professionals. Through her Coursera course "Professionalism in an Era of Change," which has enrolled over 12,000 students, she helps professionals understand workplace transitions and well-being. Her research examines the relationship between personal and work characteristics, mental well-being, and professional performance, particularly during the transition from student to professional. Following a long career in veterinary practice, she now combines research with roles as coordinator, advisor, and teacher of professional development. Her expertise spans professional development, workplace well-being, and organizational psychology, making her uniquely qualified to address the challenges of modern professional life.

Dr. Denise de Ridder serves as Professor of Psychology at Utrecht University's Department of Social, Health & Organizational Psychology and director of the Self-Regulation Lab. Through her Coursera course "Unravelling solutions for Future Food problems," she helps students understand complex global food challenges from an interdisciplinary perspective. Her research focuses on self-regulation, self-control, and nudging, leading several research projects funded by NWO and other organizations. As senior editor of Health Psychology Review and monthly columnist for NRC Handelsblad, she actively contributes to public discourse on behavioral insights for policy making. Her expertise spans consumer behavior, health psychology, and behavioral change, particularly in food-related contexts. Working with colleagues from law, economics, and public administration, she contributes to the Behavior and Institutions stream within Utrecht University's strategic theme Institutions for Open Societies. Her teaching combines psychological theory with practical applications in addressing global food challenges and promoting healthy choices

Dr. Rens Voesenek serves as Professor of Plant Ecophysiology and Head of the Biology Department at Utrecht University. Through his Coursera course "Unravelling Solutions for Future Food Problems," he helps students understand complex food security challenges from a plant biology perspective. His research focuses on how plants cope with environmental stresses, particularly flooding, leading to important insights about plant adaptation mechanisms. As leader of the Plant-Environment Signaling research group for over 20 years, he has made significant contributions to understanding plant hormone concentrations and stress responses

Dr. Marca Wauben serves as Professor of Intercellular Communication at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Through her Coursera course "Unravelling Solutions for Future Food Problems," she helps students understand cellular communication's role in food production and biological systems. Her research focuses on how cells communicate via extracellular vesicles, particularly examining their role in immune system regulation. As head of her research group, she pioneered the development of high-resolution flow cytometry methods for analyzing nano-sized vesicles, enabling quantitative and qualitative analysis of individual particles. Her work investigates immune-regulatory vesicles in body fluids, including breast milk and blood, while exploring their potential as biomarkers and developing vesicle-inspired nano-carriers for clinical applications. Her expertise spans proteomics, genomics, and lipidomics approaches to understanding cellular communication, combining fundamental research with practical applications in veterinary and medical sciences.

Yara Salman serves as instructor at Utrecht University, specializing in political economy and democratic theory. Through her Coursera course "Inequality and Democracy," which has enrolled over 15,500 students, she helps learners understand the complex relationship between economic inequality and democratic systems. Her course examines crucial questions about political equality in the context of growing economic disparities, exploring topics such as causes of inequality, theories of justice, and democratic principles. Her teaching methodology combines theoretical frameworks with practical case studies, helping students analyze how economic inequality affects democratic processes. The course structure includes comprehensive modules on economic inequality, democratic theory, and potential solutions like property-owning democracy and workplace democracy. Her expertise spans political theory, economic inequality, and democratic systems, making complex political economy concepts accessible to a broad audience.

Dr. Jorg Huijding serves as Associate Professor of Clinical Child and Family Studies at Utrecht University and Director of the Bachelor's program in Pedagogical Sciences. Through his Coursera course "Understanding Child Development: from Synapse to Society," which has enrolled over 60,000 learners, he helps students understand child development from an interdisciplinary perspective. His research focuses on two main themes: information processing's influence on emotions and behavior, and the development of self-regulation in young children. As leader of the MOOC-making team within the Dynamics of Youth strategic research theme, he promotes holistic approaches to understanding child development. His expertise spans anxiety and aggression in children, parenting behavior, and developmental systems. His teaching includes courses in the Research Master of Development and Socialization of Children and Adolescents (DaSCA) and the Master of Clinical Child, Family and Education Studies (CCFES), while also providing master classes for secondary school students through the U-Talent program.