13 Dec Angelique Tinga, new Dutch Pilot Coordinator

Welcome, Angelique! From November 2022 you will lead the Pharaon pilot in the Netherlands. Can you briefly introduce yourself?

Thank you! I am 31 years old, mother of 6-month-old Brent and just moved from the Randstad (area in the Netherlands around Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) to beautiful Twente. I studied cognitive neurobiological psychology and cognitive neuroscience in Utrecht. After my studies I focused my PhD research on learning in virtual environments, including virtual reality. I have also worked at various research institutes with a focus on human-technology interaction. I just started at the University of Twente and look forward to working with the Dutch pilot study team!

What’s first on the agenda for you?

I think it’s important to get to know the team and to get an overview on where we stand. In addition, there would be no study without participants. It is therefore important to keep participants engaged. I full heartedly support initiatives that contribute to this. It is therefore fantastic that we now have a monthly newsletter for participants.

The study is about healthy and happy aging. How do you keep yourself healthy?

The distance between my home and workplace is almost 15 kilometers. I take the bike to work, no matter if it’s windy or raining. I cheat a little bit because it is an electric bike, but it’s still good exercise. The ride through Twente’s greenery does me very well. I also try to take regular walks with my son. Furthermore, we cook fresh almost every evening and my husband and I take the time to enjoy a meal together.