For the Postdoc Appreciation Week 2025 (#PAW-NL), we highlight Mariska de Wit, a postdoctoral researcher at Amsterdam Public Health (APH) at the Public and Occupational Health department working within the research programs Societal Participation & Health and Mental Health. Her journey shows how curiosity, collaboration, and commitment to improving working life for people with chronic conditions can shape a meaningful postdoc experience.
From studying to postdoctoral research
With a background in work and organizational psychology, Mariska developed an early interest in workplace health and employee retention. “During my internship at the HR department of Rijkswaterstaat, I focused on employee absenteeism and how we could improve it. That’s where my interest in this topic really started.” This experience led her to pursue a PhD at Amsterdam UMC
Her PhD research examined how cognitions and perceptions influence whether people with chronic conditions can remain in work or return after illness. She completed her PhD in 2021 and subsequently helped bring a Canadian intervention to increase work participation of workers with health problems to the Netherlands, securing funding and establishing an international collaboration to adapt and evaluate it.
Combining projects and collaboration
Nearly four years into her postdoc, she works on a range of research projects while also supervising PhD candidates. At the Research Center for Insurance Medicine (KCVG), she focuses on a project exploring the use of AI in insurance medicine. In addition, she is involved in studies on early detection of work-related contact eczema and the development of a self-management intervention for employees with chronic illnesses. She also leads a project focused on the creation and evaluation of a toolbox to support occupational physicians in guiding medical interns, which is set to launch later this year. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the toolbox will be received by the field.”
Balancing diverse tasks
Working on multiple projects at once has required a shift from the single-focus approach of her PhD. Switching between topics and letting go of in-depth focus can be challenging, but it also brings a wide range of experience. “It can be tricky to juggle everything,” she admits, “but the variety also helps me grow and see my skills applied in different ways.” Aside from her varying research focuses, Mariska also remains actively involved in education, serving on the PhD Education Committee to review training plans and portfolios, and teaching medical students about research and occupational medicine.
Meaningful work and societal impact
Her motivation lies in conducting research she finds interesting and that contributes to society “The most motivating part is seeing that our research can actually help people stay in work or return to work and improve their daily lives.” The combination of relevant topics, collaboration with colleagues, and opportunities to see research applied in practice makes her work both engaging and rewarding.
Tips for other Postdocs
Mariska advises other postdocs to choose projects they genuinely enjoy and to collaborate with colleagues they value, as this makes the workday more enjoyable and productive. She also emphasizes the importance of maintaining variety in daily work by combining research, teaching, and other responsibilities.