New HSO member: Roald Pijpker

During my bachelor study “Sport, Health and Management” in Nijmegen, I got introduced to the salutogenic question: “What creates health?” which complements the pathogenic approach on risk factors and determinants of disease. Since I found this question fascinating, the master program Communication, Health and Life Sciences (specialization Health and Society) at Wageningen University & Research was my next step. During the master study, I really liked doing research and contributing to education as a teaching assistant for a statistical course, which reinsured my desire to work in an academic setting. Therefore, doing my PhD at HSO is the perfect endeavor for me to ‘kickstart’ my academic career in the field of health promotion.

As I had already known many people from HSO back in my master study, my first week at work felt like home. I enjoy the working atmosphere and look forward to devoting my time and contribution to the chair group.

My PhD research project will focus on green rehabilitation for people with burnout. At the moment, I am working on the research proposal. I am eager to study the mechanisms underlying the recovery of people with burnout in green care settings, and how green initiatives can become salutogenic settings. I would like to use a mixed-methods approach in which quantitative and qualitative research methods complement each other. I am ready for the upcoming four years, and look forward to updating you on the project progress soon!”