Prof. Dr. Marcel Bastiaansen obtained a MSc in Theoretical and Experimental Psychology (1996), and a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience (cum laude) in 2000, both from Tilburg University. He then moved to Nijmegen, where he held research positions at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, and at Radboud University’s Donders Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, from 2000-2013. During these years he studied the temporal neuronal dynamics of emotions, memory and language with EEG, MEG and fMRI techniques.

In 2013 Marcel joined Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), and refocused his research agenda on Leisure and Tourism. In 2021 Marcel was appointed full professor in Leisure and Tourism Experience, both at Tilburg University and at BUas.

At BUas he co-founded, and is currently directing BUas’ Experience Lab, which houses electrophysiological and neuroscientific tools to study leisure and tourism experiences. Under his leadership, the Experience Lab does both fundamental and applied research on the role of emotions in leisure and tourism experiences, and addresses how leisure and tourism experiences relate to well-being and quality of life, amongst others.

Marcel teaches Psychology of Leisure, Experience Research and Design, and Quantitative Research Methods courses in the BSc and MSc programs of Leisure and Tourism at BUas, and supervises BSc, MSc and PhD thesis students in Leisure and Tourism, and in Cognitive Neuroscience at BUas and at Tilburg University.

Marcel has been a member of the Board of Directors of the World Leisure Organisation since 2000.

Cristina Ortega Nuere is Chief Scientific and Operating Officer of World Leisure Organization since January 2016. She combines her principal professional activity with teaching at master level at the Universitat Oberta of Catalunya. Doctor in Leisure and Human Development, with a Master degree in Leisure Management, she graduated from the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy from the University of Deusto, Spain, and completed her studies in London, Middlesex and at Westminster University.

She has combined her academic activity as researcher and professor for over two decades at the University of Deusto -over 50 research projects, dozens of publications and editor-in-chief of several scientific journals- with other institutional responsibilities. She was for 4 years the President of ENCATC, the leading European Network of Cultural Management and Policy, and the Chair of ENCATC’s Policy Group Monitors of Culture, made up of over 40 cultural observatories worldwide. She is a specialist in the evaluation of cultural projects and became a Jury Member of the European Capitals of Culture. In the Basque Country, she has been a member of the Basque Council of Culture and an Expert Evaluator of the Basque Cultural Observatory for 10 years. She usually participates as a speaker in international scientific conferences worldwide and she is the author of the reference book Observatorios Culturales. Creación de Mapas de lnfraestructuras y Eventos (Barcelona: Ariel, 2010), where she developed a cultural infrastructures and events utility model that has been applied in different cities and countries. Her area of specialization is leisure and culture, policies and evaluation.

After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in Leisure Management and Master of Arts degree in International Leisure & Tourism Studies, Menno Stokman has held various positions in the leisure, tourism and hospitality domain. As a consultant, senior marketeer at the Netherlands Bureau for Tourism & Conventions, branch manager at branch organization RECRON and business development manager Belgium at Optisport, where he was responsible for the introduction and acquisition on the Belgian market. Stokman has now been director of the Centre of Expertise Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality (CELTH) for seven years.

CELTH is the only Centre of Expertise in leisure, tourism and hospitality in the Netherlands and was founded by Breda University of Applied Sciences, NHL Stenden and HZ University of Applied Sciences. CELTH is an important part of the knowledge infrastructure in the Netherlands within the domain of leisure, tourism & hospitality and part of the National Council for Recreation & Tourism. With scientifically substantiated and independent practice-oriented research, CELTH wants to contribute to the transformation of the domain towards a sustainable future. CELTH cooperates with many national and international partners and delivered over 150 research projects. CELTH is host of the WLC Industry Day, responsible for the development of an inspiring day around ‘Leisure for a better society’ in the Netherlands.

Coming soon

Since 2013, Ilse Hooiveld Siegersma has been a dedicated professional at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, specializing in Hospitality and Leisure Studies. She is currently the team leader of the Bachelor’s degree program in Leisure & Events Management, which focuses on local impact and sustainable value creation, where she brings her events expertise and leadership to the program.

Ilse also holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Events Management, which complements her role in driving effective events and initiatives. Additionally, she serves as the chairperson of TEDxFryslân, where she has helped to foster a platform for innovative ideas and inspiring talks within the region. Ilse’s dedication to both education and event management makes her a key contributor to our conference.

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