dr. M.K. (Marieke) van Vugt

Marieke van Vugt is an assistant professor at the Department of Artificial Intelligence (ALICE) at the University of Groningen. She obtained her PhD in neuroscience focusing on the role of brain oscillations in recognition memory with Dr. Michael Kahana at the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. She then went on to do postdoctoral research on the neural correlates of decision making with Dr. Jonathan Cohen at Princeton University before starting her own group in Groningen in 2010.
Her research aims to understand how, when and why we start mind-wandering; when it is beneficial and when it is harmful. She uses a multimodal approach that combines computational modeling, scalp EEG, intracranial EEG, behavioral studies, and functional MRI. In addition, she is interested in how meditation practice affects our cognitive system, and the consequences this has for our behaviour.

Extensive CV