Dr M.M. van der Wal (Merel)

Merel's current topics of research are participatory methods and modeling/ facilitated modeling in complex systems, agency and professional learning, often but not limited to the domains of education and climate adaption. A broad interest, making connections across scientific boundaries, and a strong belief in the importance of learning drive her research.

As theme leader of education research for the Teaching and Learning she also contributes to the teaching at Radboud University. In that role she plays an active part on the board of the TLC. She is particularly concerned with putting a research view on our own teaching on the agenda of all actors involved in education. Naturally, teacher professional development also plays an important role.

Merel received her Ph.D. from the Open University the Netherlands in close cooperation with Wageningen University in 2015, with a dissertation on how models can facilitate professional learning among stakeholders. From 2014 to 2018 she did her postdoctoral research on professional development of teachers at the Radboud Teachers Academy.