Universiteit Leiden

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Ivar Pelt/NWO

Eveline Crone wins Dr Hendrik Muller prize

Eveline Crone, professor of neurocognitive developmental psychology at Leiden University, has been awarded the Dr Hendrik Muller Prize for Behavioural and Social Sciences by KNAW.

She received the prize and an amount of 25,000 euros for her entire oeuvre. Crone conducts research into the development of the adolescent brain. She is one of the first in the world to systematically follow adolescents, their lifestyle and the neurological processes in their brains over the years. Earlier this year, Crone was also awarded the Spinoza Prize by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), the highest science award in the Netherlands.

Adolescent behaviour

Crone discovered that not all parts of the human brain develop synchronously. In puberty, parts of the brain that experience emotion gain the lead on the parts that are important for restraint. This helps to explain unrestrained, risky and irresponsible adolescent behaviour.

New field of research

With her innovative insights, Crone has shaped the direction for a whole new research field. In Leiden, the Brain and Development Research Center, which she established, conducts research on the brain processes of adolescents. It employs combinations of all kinds of different scientific methods, from functional MRI brain scans and heart rate measurements to psychological tests.

Useful for education and society

One of the key characteristics of Crone’s work is how she does not view adolescence as an inevitable evil but as a useful developmental period, a phase in which the brain learns to orientate itself towards a larger social environment. The insights Eveline Crone's research has provided can help to improve education and society with a view to young people’s potential.

Come to the award ceremony

The prize will be awarded on Monday 22 January 2018 during a symposium organised by Eveline Crone Samenwerking: van brein tot wetenschap  with lectures on collaboration and a forum discussion on science policy for young researchers.

You are more than welcome – participation is free, but you do need to register via the registration form.

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