Silke Herms is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Public Administration.

I suggest a systematic study into the influence of non-singing female companions on vocal learning in young birds as a proof-of-principle study into how non-imitative learning processes from the social environment influence the timing and content of vocal learning and thus drive the interface between…

I am a Postdoc and research the interactions between our gut microbes and the brain i.e. the science of ‘that gut feeling’. I am fascinated by the trillions of bacteria that inhabit our bodies and in particular the ways in which they may interact with our brain to influence our mood and behaviour. Bidirectional…

A professor from Leiden University, together with a former employee (who is also the professor’s partner), has been guilty of long-term unacceptable and often transgressive behaviour in the form of abuse of power and manipulation. This behaviour led to a culture of fear among staff who were largely…

It is sufficiently plausible that the professor from the Faculty of Archaeology exhibited the ‘inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour’ detailed in the advice of the investigating committee. That is is unless the professor provides counter-evidence. This is the conclusion of the Subdistrict Court…

The past year was once again a year of outstanding achievements and strong engagement for the Faculty of Social Sciences. In this hall of fame, we proudly highlight a selection of awards, grants and appointments as part of the many valuable contributions — visible and behind the scenes — that together…

Studying how single DNA molecules behave helps us to better understand genetic disorders and design better drugs. Until now however, examining DNA molecules one-by-one was a slow process. Biophysicists from Delft University of Technology and Leiden University developed a technique that speeds up screening…

Melanie Franse works as a PhD candidate at the Institute of Education and Child Studies of Leiden University. Melanie focuses specifically on the biopsychosocial profiles of juvenile delinquents to identify the different mechanisms underlying the development of delinquent behavior in adolescents.

Neeltje Blankenstein receives an LUF grant to conduct research on online risk behaviour among young people. What risks do young people take online and why? 'With this research, we not only want to help prevent serious risk behaviour, but also understand what drives young people to it.'

Taking part in TikTok challenges, online gambling, and forwarding nudes. ‘Why do adolescents take online risks?’, psychologist Neeltje Blankenstein wonders. Her research on online risk taking has been awarded a Veni grant by the Netherlands Research Council (NWO). Read her answers to five questions.

Prof. Sarah de Rijcke will succeed Paul Wouters as dean of Leiden University's Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FSW) from 1 January 2024. Paul Wouters will retire at the beginning of January.

Populist parties in national parliaments have a different style of working from their colleagues in other parties. They often vote against Cabinet proposals, but do not ask more questions about Cabinet activities. This is the finding of Leiden research in different European countries.

Leiden Law Cast is a podcast made by Leiden Law School, Leiden University, for everyone who wants to learn more about current legal issues.

I am passionate about aquatic ecology, conservation and evolution, behavioural biology and global change. During my PhD, I am investigating the density and diversity of pelagic fish in and around offshore windfarms in the North Sea, more specifically related to the underwater acoustic conditions. This…

Dutch politics has long been a paragon of stability. Think, for example, of our party system until, say, the last decade. At the same time, we also see occasional changes and significant shifts. Society has changed and this is reflected in, among other things, how we vote and how policy is made. About…

She did not win, but was very happy with her nomination for the Leiden University Thesis Prize. Mara Seisselberg was nominated with her thesis 'The relationship between experiencing a recession during the formative years of an individual's early adulthood and their long-term sentiments towards the EU'.…

For the first time, a group of international and interdisciplinary researchers led by Karline Janmaat and her former MSc Student Chirag Chittar, have tested the several hypotheses on music simultaneously in a modern foraging society during their daily search for tubers – their staple food.

In his research, Van Gestel focuses on fundamental and applied research on health behaviour and behaviour change in an interdisciplinary context. He focuses on understanding the factors important for health behaviour (behavioural determinants) and on behaviour change techniques as building blocks of…

Cognitive biases affect how we perceive the world every day, but do they influence animal perception too? In my PhD project, I will study the cognitive biases in the acoustic perception in multiple species, to understand their origins and which role they play in the species-specific communication.

After researching inequity aversion in dogs and bonobos during her bachelor’s and master’s projects, Kia Radovanović conducted a study on cross-species pupil mimicry in dogs at the CoPAN Lab.

Leiden University values participation: the participation organs are the ears and eyes of the university. They identify issues of concern among staff and students and help advise and decide on the future of our organisation. Something for you? Then stand as a candidate! This year, elections will…

Bianca Boyer is an associate professor in the unit of Developmental and Educational Psychology. She studies the effectiveness of treatments for children and adolescents with neurobiological developmental disorders, particularly ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Personality is genetic in zebrafish: risk-taking parents have risk-taking children. These are the findings of research by Christian Tudorache and his team published in BMC Neuroscience.

My research focuses on the acoustic diversity of the marine environment, how it shapes the ecology of marine animals, and how sensory pollutants can disturb the behaviour of acoustically active animals.

Who will represent us on the university’s participation councils? The results of the 2021 university elections have been announced. New representatives will be joining many of the participation bodies at the university – the faculty councils, the employee councils and the University Council.

I am interested in coping with stress, on both the behavioral and the physiological level of biological function. I am predominantly working with zebrafish, but also other species in the field. My approach is multi-disciplinary and integrative, including molecular biology, morphology, biomechanics and…

Sarah Giest is a Professor of Public Policy with a focus on Innovation and Sustainability at the Public Administration Institute of Leiden University. She has been developing an interdisciplinary research agenda and teaching on using a policy lens to look at technical, environmental and social solutions…

Tommy van Steen is Associate Professor in the Cybersecurity Governance Group specialising in organisational and behavioural cybersecurity. His research interests include: cybersecurity behaviour of end-users, learning from what goes well, and organisational cybersecurity behaviour.

Maaike Kempes believes more attention should be paid to non-congenital brain injuries in suspects. This may partly explain their criminal behaviour.