Ever since she was a child, Iris Meinderts, who joined Adapt! as a Postdoc in September, dreamed of being a writer. While the format has changed—from novels to academic papers—the power of a compelling narrative remains at the heart of her work.
Iris brings a fascinating background in social psychology to Adapt!. For her, this discipline is a powerful tool to map how individuals perceive and respond to their social environment, allowing her to examine behavioral patterns and explore how to shape future actions.
What does Iris find most exciting and surprising about working at Adapt!? It’s the transdisciplinary character. “It constantly challenges you to look beyond the boundaries of your own domain and engage with the expertise of others,” she says. That balance between working independently and thinking deeply, combined with inspiring collaborative meetings, means there is no ‘typical’ day for her, and that’s precisely what makes the work so interesting.
At its core, her research focuses on trust and social inequality, such as the trust experienced by individuals from vulnerable groups towards the government and official institutions. She finds daily inspiration in this work, and beyond, by observing how others stand up for social justice. “It shows we are social beings who value how we relate to others and that we strive for cooperation, especially when circumstances become difficult,” Iris explains.
These themes resonate in a book she is currently reading, Het hele dorp wist het (The Whole Village Knew) by Rinke Verkerk, which deals with sexual child abuse. “It’s a heavy subject, but it shows how such abuse is often silenced by groups. It highlights the tension between the individual and the group,” she notes. While Adapt! focuses on different themes, Iris sees a parallel in how societies can sometimes collectively turn a blind eye to distressing messages, for instance, regarding the climate crisis.
Looking ahead, where does Iris hope her research will be in a few years? “I hope we will have developed concrete tools for various organisations and stakeholders, tools that have managed to strengthen the resilience of neighbourhoods in preparing for a crisis.” The next step toward this goal is an exciting project scheduled for March, in collaboration with Studium Generale, which will introduce the public to the theme of ‘crisis’ in an accessible and interactive way.
Reflecting on her time so far, what is Iris most proud of? “Finding my place within Adapt!” she says. With the support of her core team, she has every confidence that many valuable achievements and insights are still to come. We are excited to have her on board and look forward to seeing the story of her research at Adapt! unfold.