Hello there.
My name is Rebecca - social scientist by training, adviser for growing up online, and yogi, slow-fashionist, and optimist at heart.
My work circles all around the digital space in which new generations and their caregivers move and - hopefully - can thrive.
On this website, you find information about my work as an adviser, researcher, my past experience as a teacher, and my life as a millennial in beautiful Amsterdam.
“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from
a lack of imagination.“
I believe the time has come in which these words by Oscar Wilde start to mean much more for science and society than ever before. I believe synthesizing the human species with our most promising invention – Artificial Intelligence – will allow us to go beyond our means and open up unforeseen possibilities for today's society and the ones yet to come.
My work as an adviser on media upbringing
As the online world becomes more and more complex, so does parent- and childhood. With my work at the Nederlands Jeugdinstituut I hope to contribute to a solid knowledge base that can help parents, youth, policy makers, and professionals to navigate this rapidly changing space online.
My Dissertation
“Hey Google, Welcome to the Family?!” The Selection and Use of Smart Speakers in Families - this is the title of my PhD dissertation, which I have written at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR).
My teaching experience
As part of my PhD, I was teaching theory modules, elective courses, and was supervising master theses within the study programs in Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam.
No scientist can only read academic papers
Who also knows the struggle of reading too many books at the same time?
Well, here are my favourites at the moment.
Educated by Tara Westover
This book, I was given by my promotor for Christmas. First, it took me a while to get into the story. But then, I could not put it away. It’s shocking, impressive, sad, and incredibly empowering.
This is gonna end in tears by Liza Klaussmann
A beach read - perfect for a sunny vacation. For me, it was a mix between Gossip Girl and OC California :)
De Onvol-maakten by Ewoud Kieft
I came across this book through my own research. It took me on a (dystopian) journey to a world in which everyone has their own personal assistant.