Creative Media for Social Change
Employees
Meet everyone who works within the research group Creative Media for Social Change. Learn more about their expertise and how to get in touch with them.
Employees
Tamara Witschge
Professor of Creative Media for Social Change
Tamara Witschge is Professor of Creative Media for Social Change at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Together with partners, she develops and tests how imagination and connection can be strengthened through creative interventions.
- Get in touch
- t.a.c.witschge@hva.nl(opens in new window)
Nick
Senior lecturer in research
Nick works as a Senior lecturer in research within the Creative Media for Social Change research group. His focus lies on projects centered around co-creation, participation, and dialogue in relation to societal transitions. Examples include EU-projects such as CommuniCity and Envision Change. Nick enjoys collaborating with colleagues on their research, especially on topics involving the complexity of human relationships: an interest rooted in his background in anthropology. He earned his PhD in 2006 at TU Delft. His doctoral research explored the dynamics of conversation, with special attention to the unspoken: “By observing silences in conversations, you learn entirely different things than when focusing only on what is said.” Nick also co-edited two poetry collections for Amnesty International, one of which explored the theme of silence.
Elise Talgorn
Associate Professor of Social Impact Storytelling
Elise is a multidisciplinary researcher, designer, and artist specializing in storytelling and sustainable transitions. With a background in applied physics and the arts, she combines science, design, and creativity to address societal and ecological challenges. She earned her PhD at TU Delft in 2010 on solar cell technologies, worked on sustainable innovations at Philips, and developed radical visions on health and circularity. As Associate Professor of Social Impact Storytelling at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Elise focuses on fostering empathy and collective creativity through narrative methods. Her artistic and academic work connects people and nature and contributes to positive change.
Yomi Hitijahubessy
Projectmanager
Yomi has been working as a project manager at the Creative Media for Social Change research group since October 2023. She supports colleagues with the financial and administrative aspects that enable successful project delivery: “What I enjoy most is when a project comes to a successful close together with the team, that gives me energy.” Yomi is also an alumna of the AUAS (HvA), where she studied Media, Information and Communication (now: Creative Business).
Pearl Fritsche
Communications officer
Pearl holds a BA in Media, Information & Communication (now Creative Business) and has been working as a communications officer for the Creative Media for Social Change research group since 2021. Her graduation thesis focused on diversity in the dance world and multicultural dance education, where her interests in media and dance came together. She enjoys working on the group’s social media channels and is always engaged with what’s happening within the research group.
Münise Yavuz
Lecturer-researcher
Münise is a lecturer-researcher at the Creative Media for Social Change research group. She has a background in International Relations and Philosophy, with a focus on ethics and socio-political philosophy. In addition to her academic work, she writes columns on pop culture for De Groene Amsterdammer. She greatly enjoys supervising students in their research journeys.
Liv van Uum
Student-assistent
Liv is currently a student-assistent at the Creative Media for Social Change research group. Here she works on the project 'Methods for the Community-Oriented Library'.
Maaike van Cruchten
Lecturer-researcher
Maaike is a lecturer-researcher at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS). Her work focuses on inclusive data visualization, political communication, and bridging data feminism with design. As a key contributor to Politiek Woordenspel (politiekwoordenspel.nl), she explores ways to make complex topics more accessible and understandable to broad audiences. With her expertise, she combines academic insight with practical tools to promote inclusivity and understanding.
Frank Kloos
Lecturer-researcher
Frank works as a researcher on the project 'What if AI?'
Astrid Lubsen-Van Roij
Lecturer-researcher
Astrid works as a lecturer-researcher at the Creative Media for Social Change research group. She teaches in the Communication & Multimedia Design program and has a background in Industrial Design, which she studied at TU Delft. “I enjoyed designing, but what interested me most was the person behind the product: that connection.” Driven by a strong focus on people, Astrid aims to contribute something meaningful — not necessarily as a physical object. Recently, she has been actively involved in the Together Towards Sustainable Travel project, which aims to make traveling to and from events at ArenA Poort more sustainable.
Marisha Cottington
Student-assistent
Marisha is currently a student-assistent at the Creative Media for Social Change research group. Here she works on the project 'Ground for Wellbeing'.
Pauline Hoogweg
Designer-researcher
Pauline is a designer-researcher within the Creative Media for Social Change research group and also teaches in the Communication & Multimedia Design program. She studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, St. Joost School of Art & Design in Breda, and the University of California, Berkeley. She has received several international awards for book design and is the author of 22+9 (a poetry collection), Moed je doen! (a survival guide for realizing your dream project), and De wereld maakt een koprol (a children’s picture book). Her work focuses on creating space: for discovery, connection, and imagination. She loves working on projects that spark energy and bring people together. P. writes, designs, and contributes with great enthusiasm at the AUAS.
