About us

How can we help young people build healthy and balanced lives? What do they need to achieve this?

These are the questions that we aim to answer at ActiveMinds, a research team within the Youth & Family Unit of the Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies (DPECS) at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Our work focuses on understanding how young people can make choices that support both their physical (body) and mental (mind) wellbeing. Rather than viewing these as separate domains, we investigate the connection between them.

WHAT WE STAND FOR

At ActiveMinds, we aim to empower young people to build healthy bodies and minds. To do this, we work with a wide range of societal partners, including parents, schools, health professionals and, most importantly, young people themselves.

Through innovative research and collaboration, we aim to develop tools and solutions that promote physical (body) and mental (mind) wellbeing and help young people build resilience to handle life’s ups and downs.

**Our vision is a future where each young individual has the strength and support they need to thrive, no matter what challenges they face in live.**

OUR TEAM

Project Lead

Crystal Smit

Crystal is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Child and Family Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Crystal is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Child and Family Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her research centers on promoting healthy behaviors in adolescents, with a special focus on the impact of their social environment. Crystal advocates for giving young people a voice in deciding how they want to lead healthy and balanced lives.

Project Lead

Annabel Vreeker

Annabel is an Assistant Professor in youth mental health at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam.

Annabel is an Assistant Professor in youth mental health at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam. Her research focuses on understanding and improving mental health of adolescents and young adults. It is Annabel’s ultimate goal to optimize mental health of youth, so they can develop into resilient adults.

PhD candidate

Lisa van Jeveren

Lisa is a PhD candidate in Pedagogical Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Lisa is a PhD candidate at Erasmus University Rotterdam, working within the IC-You project. She is involved in research aimed at developing prevention strategies to reduce emotional problems such as depression and anxiety among young people. Her work focuses on understanding how communication between trusted adults and adolescents can be strengthened by exploring why, when, and to whom young people choose to share their feelings, and what may hold them back. She believes that the voices and lived experiences of young people are essential for creating meaningful improvement. She is passionate about supporting youth in expressing their feelings, fostering supportive relationships, and promoting overall well-being.

Research Assistant

Romy Mulder

Romy is a Master’s student in Pedagogical Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Romy is a Master’s student in Pedagogical Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She is involved in research projects related to exploring the connection between mental and physical health in young people. Romy is passionate about empowering youth no matter where they came from because everybody deserves the same opportunities in life.

ACTIVEMINDS COLLABORATORS

Researcher

Chiara de Jong

Chiara is a postdoctoral researcher within the Movez Lab at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Chiara is a postdoctoral researcher within the Movez Lab at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her research focuses on children’s interaction with digital technology and social media, with a specific interest in children’s resilience in the current digital society. She believes children are entitled to be heard on matters that affect their daily lives and advocates for children’s right to participate safely in (research on) the online world.

Researcher

Lina van Drunen

Lina is a postdoctoral researcher in developmental neuroscience at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Lina is a postdoctoral researcher in developmental neuroscience at Erasmus University Rotterdam, focusing on the association between mental and physical wellbeing and how neural mechanisms of behaviors contribute to wellbeing. The ultimate goal of Lina is to explore how physical and social environments affect neurocognitive development and subsequently contribute to well-and illbeing outcomes, with the focus of improving prevention and intervention strategies.

OUR PARTNERS

Youth & Family unit

ActiveMinds is a research team within the Youth & Family Unit of the Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies ...

ActiveMinds is a research team within the Youth & Family Unit of the Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies (DPECS) at Erasmus University Rotterdam. The Youth & Family Unit investigates factors that promote optimal child development as well as barriers that hinder this development.

For more information, visit this website.

Convergence PROTECt ME

We work closely with PROTECt ME, a flagship from the Convergence initiative by Erasmus University Rotterdam, ...

We work closely with PROTECt ME, a flagship from the Convergence initiative by Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus MC and TU Delft. PROTECt ME uses digital technology to improve youth mental health by identifying risks earlier and providing faster and adequate support.

For more information about PROTECt ME, visit the website.

Erasmus Movez Lab

We collaborate with several researchers from the Erasmus Movez Lab, a research team focused on empowering youth to ...

We collaborate with several researchers from the Erasmus Movez Lab, a research team focused on empowering youth to become smart, healthy, and happy media users. Their expertise lies in participatory research, working closely with young people to understand their choices and behaviors.

For more information on the Erasmus Movez Lab, visit the website.

Convergence Healthy Start

We also collaborate with the Convergence Healthy Start Ambition 3 project, which aims to enhance physical ...

We also collaborate with the Convergence Healthy Start Ambition 3 project, which aims to enhance physical activity in children with chronic illnesses through digital technology. Understanding the mechanisms behind physical activity in children with and without chronic conditions is key to promoting physical wellbeing.

For more information, visit the website.

OUR VALUES

Youth-Centered

The voices of young people are at the core of everything we do. We listen to their perspectives on wellbeing, collaborate with them, and help them thrive.

Empowerment

We believe in providing youth with the tools to build healthy bodies and minds.

Collaboration

We work together with youth, parents, schools, and community organizations to ensure our resources are practical and impactful.

Research-Based Solutions

Our work is grounded in innovative scientific research, with a strong focus on making it accessible and actionable.