prof. dr. Theo van Tilburg

His research focuses on the social functioning of older adults, in particular the family; the personal network; social support, and informal help and care; and loneliness. These topics are studied from the perspectives of individual change trajectories and societal change across birth cohorts. He also studies interventions to improve one’s social living conditions.

Van Tilburg published more than 250 scientific articles, book chapters, professional publications and publications aimed at the general public. His work is widely cited (H = 77 in Google Scholar; > 23,000 citations). He supervised PhD theses (24 completed and three in progress). He received a five-year fellowship of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (1989), and various large grants from NWO and ZonMw. In that research he collaborates with researchers from various other faculties of Vrije Universiteit (e.g. epidemiology, psychiatry, health sciences) and with researchers from universities of applied sciences (HvA, HAN).

He taught various courses, both at the bachelor and master level, and post graduate, and both in sociology and in research methods. 

Academic service

He was multiple times member of the faculty board and served as vice-dean and in the portfolio research and portfolio education. He was external member of the approval panel of a MSc program in the UK. For research he had a variety of functions, such as: associate editor and board member of various international journals; advisor in various research projects; chair of the VENI Selection Committee MaGW; chair of the Open competition Selection Committee MaGW; chair of the Academy of Finland’s review panel Social Sciences; member of the Appeal Committee NWO/ZonMw.

Other service

He is member of the approval committee Interventions in the domain of Societal Support, Participation and Safety. He is Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. He contributed to a standard of quality for treatment of loneliness. He advised the national Coalition against loneliness, the municipality of Amsterdam, and advises the Minister of Health on strategies against loneliness.