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Two researchers from Breda University of Applied Sciences have each been awarded a €125,000 postdoctoral grant
Dr Ilja Simons and dr Wim Strijbosch have both been awarded a postdoctoral grant from Taskforce for Applied Research SIA for innovative research into multivocal heritage and immersion in themed entertainment.
Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) has two exceptional research achievements to celebrate. Dr Ilja Simons and dr Wim Strijbosch, both working within BUas’s academic programmes in the field of tourism and leisure, have each received a €125,000 postdoctoral grant from Taskforce for Applied Research SIA. The SIA postdoctoral grant is intended for promising researchers at universities of applied sciences who wish to further their research careers. The grant enables them to conduct independent research over a longer period and contribute to knowledge development within higher professional education. It is remarkable that two colleagues from the same team have been awarded this grant at the same time.
Two different research areas
Dr Ilja Simons is working on a project concerning multivocality, storytelling and the attribution of meaning in heritage, with case studies in Curaçao and Limburg. Her research explores how residents give meaning to heritage within everyday, cultural and collective practices, and how different perspectives become visible in heritage narratives. In doing so, the project links local heritage contexts to broader international discussions on identity, representation and community building.
Dr Wim Strijbosch focuses on immersion in themed entertainment: the world of theme parks and attractions. His research examines how visitors can become fully immersed in a created world, and what this means for the design and development of entertainment concepts. He does this using physical emotion measurements and eye-tracking research, a field in which BUas is an international leader through its Experience Lab. The project thus contributes to strengthening the Netherlands’ leading position within the themed entertainment sector.
Breda University of Applied Sciences as a European R&D university
Breda University of Applied Sciences strives to be a European R&D university, training young professionals with a focus on innovations that are relevant to the industry and have a societal impact. ‘I am immensely proud of Ilja Simons and Wim Strijbosch. Their research addresses major societal questions about identity, heritage and experience, and they do so with scientific depth and a practical eye. These grants are a well-deserved recognition and a great boost for the type of research we want to conduct at Breda University of Applied Sciences,’ said Ilja van Beest, Director of Research & Development at Breda University of Applied Sciences.
BUas is the only university of applied sciences in the Netherlands that also offers independently accredited degree programmes at university level, such as the academic bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Leisure & Tourism Studies. Simons and Strijbosch both work as lecturer-researchers within these programmes.
