EDUCATION
Doctorate Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Supervisors: C.F.M. van Lieshout G. H. J. Haselager, & A. H. N. Cillessen
Thesis: ‘Development of dyadic peer relationships: Friendships and antipathies’
Date of viva: 3 April 2008, Cum Laude
Master Master of Arts in Psychology, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
Thesis: ‘Parenting styles, attachment and school achievement’
Supervisor: E. Alp; March 2002
Bachelor Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey, June 1998
High School Üsküdar American Academy, Istanbul, Turkey, June 1994
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
2018 - present Professor Neuroscience of Social Relations
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2008 - present Senior Researcher
Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, the Netherlands
PREVIOUS AFFILIATIONS
2014 - 2018 Associate professor
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2010 - 2014 Assistant professor
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2008 – 2010 Postdoctoral researcher
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2004 – 2008 Junior Lecturer
Developmental Psychology Department
Radboud University Nijmegen (RU), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2002 – 2008 PhD student
Developmental Psychology & Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, & Behavior
Radboud University Nijmegen (RU), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
1999 – 2002 Teaching Assistant
Mathematics Department
Istanbul Bilgi University, Istanbul, Turkey
1998 – 1999 Graduate Teaching Assistant
Department of Psychology
St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
PHD STUDENTS
Sandy Overgaauw “Social reorientation in adolescence: Neurobiological changes and individual differences in empathic
concern” (Leiden University; Defense February 2015) Currently postdoctoral researcher at Leiden
University
Geert-Jan Will “Acceptance, Rejection, and the Social Brain in Adolescence: Toward a Neuroscience of Peer Relations”
(Leiden University; Defense June 2015) Currently postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University
Rosa Meuwese “Me, My Friends, and I: A Neuro-ecological perspective on adolescent prosocial development ” (Leiden
University; Defense October 2017) Currently lecturer at Leiden University
Elisabeth Schreuders “Development of the social brain across adolescence: Links with peer relationships” (Leiden University)
Expected defense 2018
Brenda da Silva “Being Deaf at the Playground; The effect of a hearing loss on children’s social participation" (Leiden
University; promotor C. Rieffe) Expected defense 2020
Sanne Kellij “Social Relations and Social Exclusion: A neuroscience perspective on chronic victimization" (Groningen
University; promotors R. Veenstra & B. Guroglu) Expected defense 2022
HONORS and GRANTS
2018 Selected for Westerdijk Full Professor position: A program for advanced promotion to Full Professor position for
outstanding female scientists (€ 50,000)
2017 PI/Grant leader of consortium for research project "Social Neuroscience: Social Relations and Social Exclusion" within
the National Science Agenda (NWA, The Netherlands) (€ 500,000)
2015 Dyason Fellowship, University of Melbourne, Australia (€ 3,350)
2011 VENI research grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.
Project title: “The social brain in adolescence: Examining peer interactions from a developmental social neuroscience
perspective” (€ 250,000)
2008 Cum Laude for PhD dissertation, Radboud University Nijmegen, April 2008
2007 Research grant Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen (€ 15,720)
2006 European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA) Summer School (€ 2,000)
1998 Developmental Psychology PhD, full tuition remission, SSt. Louis University, MO, USA (€ 30,000)
1995-1998 Vehbi KoçScholar, KoçUniversity, Istanbul, Turkey (distinction for students with grade point average higher than
3.5 (max. 4))
1994-1998 Full scholarship with tuition remission, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey (€ 66,500; full scholarship is awarded to
top 2% students).
Doctorate Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Supervisors: C.F.M. van Lieshout G. H. J. Haselager, & A. H. N. Cillessen
Thesis: ‘Development of dyadic peer relationships: Friendships and antipathies’
Date of viva: 3 April 2008, Cum Laude
Master Master of Arts in Psychology, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
Thesis: ‘Parenting styles, attachment and school achievement’
Supervisor: E. Alp; March 2002
Bachelor Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey, June 1998
High School Üsküdar American Academy, Istanbul, Turkey, June 1994
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
2018 - present Professor Neuroscience of Social Relations
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2008 - present Senior Researcher
Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, the Netherlands
PREVIOUS AFFILIATIONS
2014 - 2018 Associate professor
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2010 - 2014 Assistant professor
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2008 – 2010 Postdoctoral researcher
Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit
Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
2004 – 2008 Junior Lecturer
Developmental Psychology Department
Radboud University Nijmegen (RU), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2002 – 2008 PhD student
Developmental Psychology & Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, & Behavior
Radboud University Nijmegen (RU), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
1999 – 2002 Teaching Assistant
Mathematics Department
Istanbul Bilgi University, Istanbul, Turkey
1998 – 1999 Graduate Teaching Assistant
Department of Psychology
St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
PHD STUDENTS
Sandy Overgaauw “Social reorientation in adolescence: Neurobiological changes and individual differences in empathic
concern” (Leiden University; Defense February 2015) Currently postdoctoral researcher at Leiden
University
Geert-Jan Will “Acceptance, Rejection, and the Social Brain in Adolescence: Toward a Neuroscience of Peer Relations”
(Leiden University; Defense June 2015) Currently postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University
Rosa Meuwese “Me, My Friends, and I: A Neuro-ecological perspective on adolescent prosocial development ” (Leiden
University; Defense October 2017) Currently lecturer at Leiden University
Elisabeth Schreuders “Development of the social brain across adolescence: Links with peer relationships” (Leiden University)
Expected defense 2018
Brenda da Silva “Being Deaf at the Playground; The effect of a hearing loss on children’s social participation" (Leiden
University; promotor C. Rieffe) Expected defense 2020
Sanne Kellij “Social Relations and Social Exclusion: A neuroscience perspective on chronic victimization" (Groningen
University; promotors R. Veenstra & B. Guroglu) Expected defense 2022
HONORS and GRANTS
2018 Selected for Westerdijk Full Professor position: A program for advanced promotion to Full Professor position for
outstanding female scientists (€ 50,000)
2017 PI/Grant leader of consortium for research project "Social Neuroscience: Social Relations and Social Exclusion" within
the National Science Agenda (NWA, The Netherlands) (€ 500,000)
2015 Dyason Fellowship, University of Melbourne, Australia (€ 3,350)
2011 VENI research grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.
Project title: “The social brain in adolescence: Examining peer interactions from a developmental social neuroscience
perspective” (€ 250,000)
2008 Cum Laude for PhD dissertation, Radboud University Nijmegen, April 2008
2007 Research grant Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen (€ 15,720)
2006 European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA) Summer School (€ 2,000)
1998 Developmental Psychology PhD, full tuition remission, SSt. Louis University, MO, USA (€ 30,000)
1995-1998 Vehbi KoçScholar, KoçUniversity, Istanbul, Turkey (distinction for students with grade point average higher than
3.5 (max. 4))
1994-1998 Full scholarship with tuition remission, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey (€ 66,500; full scholarship is awarded to
top 2% students).
