Dr M. Kleemans (Mariska)

Mariska is an Associate Professor in the Behavioural Science Institute. Her research aims to investigate how the bond between children and the news can be improved, in order to prepare them for their (future) role in society. In her research, she collaborates with professional organizations such as the Dutch Child TV news program 'Het Jeugdjournaal'. She studies how children and adolescents can become more involved with news and how news can inspire them to contribute to society. An important part of her research focuses on the question how news producers should present negative news to children. She also investigates how young news consumers can become more news literate, with a focus on fake news.

Mariska has been director of education of the teaching institute Social Sciences since March 2022. This teaching institute includes all seven (clusters of) study programs of the Social Sciences Faculty and post-master education offered by RadboudCSW. Moreover, Mariska still enjoys teaching in the Communication Science program. Communication Science students honored her with the 'teacher of the year award' in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. In december 2016, she received the senior teaching award from the faculty of social sciences. Radboud University honored her with the 2017 University Education Award for best senior lecturer. In 2018, she received an Comenius Senior Fellowship from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to stimulate attention for the personal-professional development of Communication Science students as part of the regular curriculum. Mariska was selected as (founding) member of Radboud Young Academy in 2020. Moreover, she is member of the Programme Committee Higher Education (PCHO), part of NRO.