Ruth van Veelen

Research gate

Research area

Dr. Ruth van Veelen is a social & organizational psychologist, and obtained her Ph.D (2013) cum laude at the University of Groningen. Her research expertise is in social identification, group diversity, stereotypes & biases at work. Since 2023, Ruth has worked as a Senior Scientist at TNO. She is involved in research projects about inclusive work in organizations with the aim to develop evidence-based diagnostic tools, interventions and policy briefs to foster equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Ruth combines her position at TNO with an affiliation at Utrecht University and, in this capacity, supervises PhD candidates and postdocs. Her research topics revolve around how bias and stereotypes that manifest in organisational cultures (often invisibly and unconsciously) from barriers to educational choices, career opportunities and leadership aspirations among minority groups. Collaboration between science and practice is central to Ruth's research.

In multidisciplinary consortia, Ruth acquired several grants from TechYourFuture, NWO-NWA and HORIZON EUROPE and ESF. She conducted research on Hidden Gender Gaps in Dutch Academia (LNVH). As co-lead in the research project Bridge the Gap! she built a tool called Career Compass to visualize diversity in professional profiles in engineering. Ruth was PI in the research team of the UU Open Science program, coordinator of the IOS Gender & Diversity Hub UU, and member of the OECD Women in STEM Forum group.

Current research projects

• 2024-2027 ESF+ subsidie Ministerie SZW & EU: Technisch Gezien. Social Innovation Trajectory to foster gender-inclusieve energy transition. In collab with TNO, WomenInc, 75Inq, VHTO and Alliander. Role Lead Scientist
• 2024-2026 Just Transition Fund (JTF): Inclusive Port of Rotterdam. Develop a Scan “Groeimeter Inclusief Gedrag” for organizations in the Port of Rotterdam to diagnose diversity and inclusive behavior among employees and leaders. Collaboration; Deltalinqs, Port of Rotterdam, TNO. Role: Lead Scientist.
• 2024-2025 Focusproject TNO Defence Security Systems: Women in the Safety Domain. Exploratory research sources of person-organisation(mis)fit among male and female professionals in the safety domain.
• 2023- TNO Women’s Health Initiative: The impact of unrecognized and stigmatized hormone-related health problems on women’s work well-being and career advancement.
• 2022-2026 HORIZON Europe: Realizing Girls’ and Women’s Inclusion, Representation and Empowerment (REWIRING). WP: “Debiasing Education”. In collab with KU Leuven and Utrecht University. Role; supervisory

PhD Supervisions

• 2023- Dr. Alexandra Lux (postdoc); HORIZON Europe: Realising Girls’ and Women’s Inclusion, Representation and Empowerment (REWIRING). WP: “Debiasing Education”. KU Leuven, Belgium
• 2022- Msc. Johanna Kruger (PhD candidate) SCOOP project: Agentic and Communal Occupational Stereotypes in Medical Specializations in the Netherlands. Utrecht University, Netherlands
• 2022- Msc. Esmée Schredardus (External PhD Candidate) Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Project: The gender gap in part-time work: biased by vacancies? Utrecht University
• 2018-23 Msc. Larisa Riedijk (PhD candidate). SCOOP project: Dual Identities and Cooperation Between Partners: Facilitating Work-Life Balance, UU
• 2020-22 Dr. Lianne Aarntzen (postdoc). TechYourFuture project: Bridge the Gap!, University of Twente
• 2018-22 Dr. Marlon Nieuwenhuis (postdoc). TechYourFuture project: Bridge the Gap!, University of Twente
• 2016-21 Msc. Ilona Domen (PhD candidate): NWO VIDI project: Using physiological (cardiovascular) and neurological (EEG, ERP) methods to understand gender inequality at work (Utrecht University)

Media and dissemination (selection)

2024 Online documentary ‘Het Glazen Plafond” on gender-inclusive labour market from Business Wise (DPG media production):

• Episode 1: Bestaat er een GLAZEN PLAFOND in Nederland?
• Episode 2: De LOONKLOOF in Nederland is GESTEGEN
• Episode 3: Werkt het verplichte QUOTUM?
• Episode 5: Zwangerschap bij vrouwen zorgt voor ONZEKERHEID op de WERKVLOER

2023 Interview Arts & Auto: Weg met het stigma: Verpleegkunde heeft behoefte aan diversiteit.

2022 Video Future of Work Seminar Series: “Tekorten op de arbeidsmarkt”. Over gender segregatie in zorg en techniek, motherhood penaly, fatherhood bonus en ideeën over de voltijdsbonus. Link to youtube.

2022 Social Animal, Tivoli Vredenburg. Waarom zijn er zo weinig vrouwelijke hoogleraren in de wetenschap?

2022 Interview KRO-NCRV Radio 1 programma “In de nacht van..”. Ruth van Veelen over leiderschap en ongelijkheid tussen mannen en vrouwen (in the music industry).

2022 Interview Nu.nl: Steeds meer vrouwen in de wetenschap maar de top blijft achter.

2022 Podcast on The Road to Open Science. Together with Judith de Haan from UU Open Science Programme: Open Science Monitor Utrecht. 2021 Interview Kennisclip VERS (Forum Groningen, n.a.v Aletta Jacobs jaar). #Vrouwen in de Wetenschap

2021 Podcast Sofokles. Hete Hangijzers op de Academische Arbeidsmarkt. #1 Scheve werk-privé balans vrouwelijke werknemers

2021 Interview for NRC, article: Het vergt durf een vader die parttime werkt. 2020 Interview for Feminer, article: Ruth van Veelen: De Wetenschap is Nog Steeds Heel Hiërarchisch 2020 Interview for Psychologie Magazine: Vrouwen worden meer betutteld vanwege gender stereotypen.

Publications

Peer-reviewed scientific publications

Riedijk, L., Aarntzen, L., van Veelen, R., & Derks, B. (2023). Gender (in) equality at the kitchen table: A diary study on how Parents' coordination facilitates an equal task division and relationship quality. British Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12698

Aarntzen, L., Nieuwenhuis, M., Endedijk, M. D., van Veelen, R., & Kelders, S. M. (2023). STEM Students’ Academic Well-Being at University before and during Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Cohort and Longitudinal Study. Sustainability, 15(19), 14267. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914267

Van Veelen, R., & Derks, B. (2022). Equal representation does not mean equal opportunity: Women academics perceive a thicker glass ceiling in social and behavioral fields than in the natural sciences and economics. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.790211

Domen, I., Scheepers, D., Derks, B., & van Veelen, R. (2022). It’s a man’s world; right? How women’s opinions about gender inequality affect physiological responses in men. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 25(3), 703-726. https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302211042669

Van Veelen, R., & Derks, B. (2021). Academics as Agentic Superheroes: Female academics’ lack of fit with the agentic stereotype of success limits their career advancement. British Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12515

Van Veelen, R., Veldman, J*, Van Laar, C. & Derks , B. (2020). Distancing From a Stigmatized Social Identity: State of the Art and Future Research Agenda on Self-group Distancing. Editorial Special Issue European Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2714

Domen, I., Derks, B., Van Veelen, R., & Scheepers, D. (2020). Gender identity relevance predicts preferential neural processing of same-gendered faces. Social Neuroscience, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2019.1703807

Van Veelen, R., Derks, B., & Endedijk, M. D. (2019). Double Trouble: How being Outnumbered ánd Negatively Stereotyped Threatens Career Outcomes of Women in STEM fields. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00150

Derks, B., Van Veelen, R., & Handgraaf, M. (2018). Successful economists are highly masculine. In: ESB- dossier "Women in Economics", Economisch Statistische Berichten, 16-19.

Bron, R., Endedijk, M. D., van Veelen, R., & Veldkamp, B. P. (2018). The Joint Influence of Intra-and Inter- Team Learning Processes on Team Performance: A Constructive or Destructive Combination? Vocations and learning, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-018-9197-z

Van Veelen, R. & Ufkes, E.G. (2018). Teaming up or down: A multi-source study on the role of team identification and learning in the team diversity performance link. Group & Organization Management. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601117750532

Van Veelen, R, Sleegers, P.C.J., & Endedijk, M. D. (2017). Professional Learning Among School leaders in Secondary Education: The Impact of Personal and Work Context Factors. Educational Administration Quarterly, 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X16689126

Van Veelen, R, Otten, S., Cadinu, M., & Hansen, N (2016). In Integrative Model of Social Identification: Self- stereotyping and self-anchoring as Two Cognitive Pathways. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 20, 3-26. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868315576642

Van Veelen, R., Eisenbeiss, K., & Otten, S. (2016). Newcomers to Social Categories: Longitudinal Predictors and Consequences of Ingroup Identification. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 42, 811-825. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167216643937

Greenaway, K. H., Cichocka, A., van Veelen, R., Likki, T., & Branscombe, N. R. (2016). Feeling Hopeful inspires support for Social Change. Political Psychology, 37, 89-107, https://doi.org/10.111/pops.12225

Van Veelen, R., Hansen, N., & Otten, S. (2014). Newcomers’ cognitive development of social identification: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of self-anchoring and self-stereotyping. British Journal of Social Psychology, 52, 281-298. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12038

Van Veelen, R., Otten, S., & Hansen, N. (2014). Enhancing majority members’ pro-diversity beliefs in small teams: The facilitating effect of self-anchoring. Experimental Psychology, 61, 3-11. https://doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169/a000220

Van Veelen, R., Otten, S., & Hansen (2013). A personal touch to diversity: Self-anchoring increases minority members’ identification in a diverse group. Group processes and Intergroup Relations, 16, 671-683. https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302112473167

Van Veelen, R., Otten, S., & Hansen (2013). Social identification when an ingroup identity is unclear: The role of self-anchoring and self-stereotyping. British Journal of Social Psychology, 52, 543-562. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8309.2012.02110.x

Van Veelen, R., Otten, S., & Hansen (2011). Linking self and ingroup: Self-anchoring as distinctive cognitive route to social identification. European Journal of Social Psychology, 41, 628-637. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.792

Professional publications

Kesteren, N. van, Emmert, S., Veelen, R. van, & Teeuwen, P. (2024). Vrouwspecifieke gezondheid en werk om de duurzame inzetbaarheid van vrouwen op de werkvloer te verbeteren. Brochure. TNOpublicatie. Internationale Vrouwendag 2024, 8 maart, Amsterdam. https://ris- data.tno.nl/bibliotheek/sv-015068/TNO/Flyers/2024/TNO-2024-vrouwspecifieke.pdf

Kampert, P., Bruel, D., Van den Tooren, M., Van Veelen, R., Hulsegge, G. (2024). Future challenges to shared prosperity: Barriers, needs, and opportunities (D7.4). Gini Research. https://gini-research.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GI-NI_D7.4_Future-challenges-to-shared-prosperity-barriers-needs-and-opportunit.pdf

Van Veelen, R. (2024). Essentieel applaus..Special Issue Werken tot het nut van het algemeen. R. Dekker, R. Gerards (Eds.). Tijdschrift voor Arbeidsmarktvraagstukken

Brinkman, L., De Haan, J., Hemert, D., De Laat., H., Rijshouwer, D., Thomaes, S., & Van Veelen, R*., (2021). Open Science Monitor 2020. Utrecht University.

Buikema, R., Derks, B, Senden, L., & Van Veelen, R (2020). Manifest voor de oprichting van de Nederlandse Emancipatie Autoriteit.

Van Veelen, R. & Derks, B. (2019). Verborgen verschillen in werktaken, hulpbronnen en onderhandelingen over arbeidsvoorwaarden tussen vrouwelijk en mannelijke wetenschappers in Nederland - In opdracht van het Landelijk Netwerk Vrouwelijke Hoogleraren (LNVH).

De Goede, Marije, Van Veelen, R. & Derks, B. (2016). Financiële beloning van mannen en vrouwen in de wetenschap - Onderzoek uitgevoerd in opdracht van het Landelijk Netwerk Vrouwelijke Hoogleraren (LNVH).