Save the date VNOP-CAS Research Days 2026

We are happy to announce that the boards of VNOP and CAS will organize the joint Research Days in Nijmegen again in 2026! Get your calendar out and write down the following dates:

November 19: Workshops and social activity for PhDs & Postdocs
November 20: Conference for all researchers (RM students and staff members are very welcome to join!)

More information on call for abstracts, registration, workshops and prices will follow soon.

Call for Proposals: Identity as Resistance

We would like to alert all developmental scientists studying identity or the self about an upcoming special issue titled “Identity as Resistance”, which will be published in the journal Identity. This special issue will highlight work that explores the diverse ways that individuals experience, make sense of, and push against various forms of societal inequity as they navigate and develop their identities. Submissions can focus on identity or the self across domains and social locations, including but not limited to race/ethnicity, religion, immigration, sexuality, gender, and ability.  

The special issue is open to empirical studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches, as well as theoretical submissions that aims to foster more research on identity as resistance. Below you can find the timeline for the special issue. The attached pdf has more detailed information.

Special Issue Timeline

• Proposal deadline: June 15, 2026
• Feedback and invitations for full manuscripts: July 15, 2026
• Full manuscript deadline: December 1, 2026
• Anticipated publication: second half of 2027

If you are interested in submitting a proposal or have any questions, you may contact the editors of the special issue: 

• Ursula Moffitt, University of New Mexico, USA, moffittu@unm.edu
• Courtney Meiling Jones, Kenyon College, USA, jones17@kenyon.edu
• Daudi van Veen, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands, p.d.vanveen@essb.eur.nl

Conference submission deadline extended to March 15

The VNOP conference “Rethinking Developmental Science: How can we grow with the world around us? ” will be held this year (June 11-12, 2026) in Rotterdam. We invite researchers in developmental science to submit their work as a research symposium, individual presentation, or teaching symposium. We have extended the submission deadline until March 15th. You can find more information  on our website and you can submit your research via the submission portal.

Also, we warmly encourage you to follow our new VNOP-LinkedIn-channel to stay up to date with the latest news, announcements, and upcoming activities within VNOP.

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

The organizing team

The VNOP 2026 Dissertation Award!

This biennial price is awarded to the best dissertation written by VNOP members. Eligible are candidates who defended/are going to defend their dissertation between March 1, 2024 and March 1, 2026. The winner will receive a certificate and 250 euro. The award will be presented during the upcoming VNOP conference, which takes place on June 11-12, 2026 at Erasmus University Rotterdam (for more information please visit the website).

Candidates should submit the following materials before March 31, 2026 by e-mail to info@VNOP.nl.

– A digital version of their dissertation,

– A plea of one of their (co-) promotors of why the candidate deserves the award. Please visit the VNOP website for more details on this award.

The key criteria used by the committee will be (a) originality of the research, (b) quality of the work, and (c) readability of the thesis. We are looking forward to receiving your nominations!

VNOP conference – call for submissions

Rethinking Developmental Science: How can we grow with the world around us? 

June 11 and 12, 2026 in Rotterdam 

Science increasingly responds to societal questions to make meaningful impact. An important question is how developmental research can evolve and reflect the lives and needs of today’s youth as much as possible. In 2026, we invite the field of developmental science to explore how the voice of youth and societal questions can be integrated in both fundamental and applied research; ranging from the study of mechanisms in the lab to observing changing patterns in daily life. In this conference, we take inspiration from development itself: unfolding in phases, shaped by context, and driven by connection. Developmental research also evolves through many phases, from curiosity to design to dissemination, and back. At each step, there are opportunities for both scientific rigor and societal relevance. This conference brings together researchers, practitioners, youth organizations, and policy makers to explore how we can advance knowledge that is both scientifically rigorous and societally relevant. Together, we’ll explore how developmental science can respond to societal questions without losing its scientific foundation. 

Abstract Submission Dates: 
January 16, 2026 – March 1st, 2026 

Are you a researcher studying child development, behaviour, and/or well-being? We invite you to submit your abstract for a symposium (90 minutes), an individual presentation (flash talk and/or poster), or a teaching symposium. You can submit your abstract until March 1. 

Please see https://vnop.nl/submit/ for the instructions.

VNOP on LinkedIn – Please follow us

✨🎉 Welcome to the VNOP LinkedIn Society! 🎉✨

We are pleased to welcome you to the LinkedIn society of the VNOP https://www.linkedin.com/company/vnop-nl/: Dutch Society for Developmental Psychology! This page has been created to keep our network informed and connected. An exciting year lies ahead, with several events planned for 2026, including the VNOP Conference in June. This year’s overarching theme “Rethinking Developmental Science: How can we grow with the world around us?” will guide our upcoming activities and discussions.

We warmly encourage you to follow this channel to stay up to date with the latest news, announcements, and upcoming activities within VNOP. More information about what is to come will be shared soon.

We look forward to connecting with you here!