Winners Meijers PhD positions 2022
Each year, Leiden Law School makes two Meijers PhD positions available to talented researchers. One position is open to participants in the Pre-PhD Programme (PPP) and one position is open to other candidates from within and outside Leiden University.
There were two winners for the PPP position this year, just like last year. The departments of the candidates with the best proposals were in fact able to match the funding, which means that two PhD students can be appointed to one Meijers PhD position.
The PPP positions are awarded to:
- Manuela Dias Fonseca – supervised by Miranda Boone and Sigrid van Wingerden - 'Harm reduction in practice: the best way to deal with addiction? A comparative analysis of the Dutch and Brazilian approach towards drug users'
- Itai Siegel – supervised by Bastiaan Rijpkema and Afshin Ellian - 'Conspiring against liberal democracy: Conspiracy theories and militant democracy in the Netherlands'
The open position this year is also split into two positions. These are awarded to:
- Lianne Baars – supervised by Helen Duffy and Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh - 'Climate change before international human rights courts and bodies: Towards procedural justice'
- Talha Günay – supervised by Jorrit Rijpma and Melanie Fink - 'Borders of accountability: judicial and administrative accountability mechanisms under EU law in the context of increased cooperation in the EU's return system'
Candidates were selected over a number of rounds. The first selection was made by the Research Board, which decided which candidates would be invited to further develop their research proposal. The second selection was made by the Selection Committee, comprised of Dr H.T. Wermink, Dr C.E. Rose, Professor Koster, Dr Chevalier, Ms E. Hutten and Mr S. Bontje.
The jury was very satisfied with the quality of the candidates' research proposals. 'The Meijers round attracts exceptional talent,' says jury chair Hilde Wermink. 'The research proposals and profiles of the researchers were of outstanding quality. We are proud that within this faculty there are so many diverse research ideas that are highly relevant to science and society. We are confident that the selected researchers will produce excellent research projects and results.'
Matching
Because all departments were able to match the funding, the interview committee was ultimately able to nominate four candidates for a Meijers PhD position. This nomination was then accepted and ratified by the Faculty Board.
Thanks goes to all those who were involved in selecting the candidates at any point in the process. We wish the candidates much success and enjoyment in their PhD research and look forward to the results of their promising projects.