Dr

Ans Vercammen

Email: 

Background

I obtained my first degree in Psychology (Experimental & Theoretical) from Ghent University in Belgium and completed a Ph.D. in Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of Groningen. Following a postdoc at NeuRa in Sydney and a few years lecturing on psychology at the Australian Catholic University, I chose to shift my research focus to environmental issues, and how they affect individual and collective human health and wellbeing. I gained experience with grassroots commmunity conservation projects as a volunteer and completed the interdisciplinary MSc in Conservation Science at Imperial College London in 2016. I was a researcher at Imperial's Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College from 2017-2021. My research is now broadly focused on the human dimensions of environmental change, with a particular interest in how people (emotionally) connect with nature, determinants of pro-environmental behaviour, the health and wellbeing benefits of nature exposure and the mental health impacts of climate change.

Availability

Dr Ans Vercammen is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Conservation and biodiversity Environment policy Environmental Sciences Environmental education and extension Human Society Policy and administration Psychology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Psychology, Ghent University
  • Masters (Research) of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University
  • Doctor of Philosophy of Behavioural Science, University of Groningen
  • Masters (Research) of Conservation Science, Imperial College London
  • Collaboration / Affiliation, Climate Cares, Climate Cares
  • Journal Editorial Board Member, Conservation Biology, Conservation Biology
  • Honorary Fellow, Imperial College London, Imperial College London
  • Member, Society for Conservation Biology, Society for Conservation Biology
  • Journal Editorial Board Member, Sustainability, Sustainability

Research interests

  • Nature connectedness

    I am interested in people's connectedness with nature, how this is expressed, and how it links to pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours.

  • Mental health impacts of environmental change / climate change

    Environmental change has many direct and indirect impacts on human lives. Apart from presenting a physical danger, environmental change may impact our mental health, experiences that are variably labeled as eco-anxiety, solastalgia, and ecological grief (among others). I am interested in understanding who is most affected by this, the conditions under which it may be adaptive (or not), how it's linked to agency and action-taking, and to what extent these experiences can be shaped to build greater resilience. I am involved with Climate Cares, a program of research led by the Institute for Global Health Innovation and the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London. We have collected data on young people's feelings about climate change in the UK, and we are working with a range of partners to expand this work globally.

  • Health and wellbeing benefits of engaging with nature

    I have previously collaborated with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in the UK to assess the human wellbeing benefits of urban wetland environments. Next, I will be working with Zoos Victoria to develop a field experiment to test the physical and mental wellbeing effects of zoo visits and, in particular, immersive animal exhibits. I am also interested in what motivates people to visit urban green and blue spaces and how these spaces could be designed for maximal benefit, while also considering biodiversity values.

  • Metascience

    I am committed to supporting open science practices, both in my own work and by encouraging others. I also have an interest in improving peer review and critical appraisal of research for policy and practice.

Search Professor Ans Vercammen’s works on UQ eSpace

57 works between 2008 and 2024
All (57) Journal Article (51) Book Chapter (2) Conference Publication (3) Other Outputs (1)

1 - 20 of 57 works

2024

Other Outputs

Oceania research and action agenda

Ali, Suhailah, Vercammen, Ans, Pizzino, Stacey, Tiatia-Siau, Jemaima, Patrick, Rebecca, Sarnyai, Zoltán, Panazzolo, Jessie and Charlson, Fiona (2024). Oceania research and action agenda. London, United Kingdom: Connecting Climate Minds.

Oceania research and action agenda

2023

Journal Article

Psycho-social factors associated with climate distress, hope and behavioural intentions in young UK residents

Vercammen, Ans, Oswald, Tassia and Lawrance, Emma (2023). Psycho-social factors associated with climate distress, hope and behavioural intentions in young UK residents. PLoS Global Public Health, 3 (8) e0001938, 1-24. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001938

Psycho-social factors associated with climate distress, hope and behavioural intentions in young UK residents

2023

Journal Article

Investigating the Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change in Youth: Design and Implementation of the International Changing Worlds Study

Vercammen, Ans, Yatirajula, Sandhya Kanaka, Daniel, Mercian, Maharaj, Sandeep, Campbell, Michael H., Greaves, Natalie, Guinto, Renzo, Aruta, John Jamir Benzon, Peñamante, Criselle Angeline, Wray, Britt and Lawrance, Emma L. (2023). Investigating the Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change in Youth: Design and Implementation of the International Changing Worlds Study. Challenges, 14 (3), 34. doi: 10.3390/challe14030034

Investigating the Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change in Youth: Design and Implementation of the International Changing Worlds Study

2023

Journal Article

Climate anxiety, coping strategies and planning for the future in environmental degree students in the UK

Daeninck, Cami, Kioupi, Vasiliki and Vercammen, Ans (2023). Climate anxiety, coping strategies and planning for the future in environmental degree students in the UK. Frontiers in Psychology, 14 1126031, 1-13. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1126031

Climate anxiety, coping strategies and planning for the future in environmental degree students in the UK

2023

Journal Article

Psycho-social factors associated with climate distress, hope and behavioural intentions in young UK residents

Vercammen, Ans, Oswald, Tassia and Lawrance, Emma (2023). Psycho-social factors associated with climate distress, hope and behavioural intentions in young UK residents.

Psycho-social factors associated with climate distress, hope and behavioural intentions in young UK residents

2023

Journal Article

Predicting reliability through structured expert elicitation with the repliCATS (Collaborative Assessments for Trustworthy Science) process

Fraser, Hannah, Bush, Martin, Wintle, Bonnie C., Mody, Fallon, Smith, Eden T., Hanea, Anca M., Gould, Elliot, Hemming, Victoria, Hamilton, Daniel G., Rumpff, Libby, Wilkinson, David P., Pearson, Ross, Singleton Thorn, Felix, Ashton, Raquel, Willcox, Aaron, Gray, Charles T., Head, Andrew, Ross, Melissa, Groenewegen, Rebecca, Marcoci, Alexandru, Vercammen, Ans, Parker, Timothy H., Hoekstra, Rink, Nakagawa, Shinichi, Mandel, David R., van Ravenzwaaij, Don, McBride, Marissa, Sinnott, Richard O., Vesk, Peter ... Fidler, Fiona (2023). Predicting reliability through structured expert elicitation with the repliCATS (Collaborative Assessments for Trustworthy Science) process. PLoS One, 18 (1) e0274429, 1-16. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274429

Predicting reliability through structured expert elicitation with the repliCATS (Collaborative Assessments for Trustworthy Science) process

2022

Journal Article

Reimagining peer review as an expert elicitation process

Marcoci, Alexandru, Vercammen, Ans, Bush, Martin, Hamilton, Daniel G., Hanea, Anca, Hemming, Victoria, Wintle, Bonnie C., Burgman, Mark and Fidler, Fiona (2022). Reimagining peer review as an expert elicitation process. BMC Research Notes, 15 (1) 127, 127. doi: 10.1186/s13104-022-06016-0

Reimagining peer review as an expert elicitation process

2022

Journal Article

A toolkit for open and pluralistic conservation science

Burgman, Mark, Chiaravalloti, Rafael, Fidler, Fiona, Huan, Yizhong, McBride, Marissa, Marcoci, Alexandru, Norman, Juliet, Vercammen, Ans, Wintle, Bonnie and Yu, Yurong (2022). A toolkit for open and pluralistic conservation science. Conservation Letters, 16 (1) e12919. doi: 10.1111/conl.12919

A toolkit for open and pluralistic conservation science

2022

Journal Article

Current understanding of the impact of climate change on mental health within UK parliament

Pirkle, Lucy T., Jennings, Neil, Vercammen, Ans and Lawrance, Emma L. (2022). Current understanding of the impact of climate change on mental health within UK parliament. Frontiers in Public Health, 10 913857, 1-13. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.913857

Current understanding of the impact of climate change on mental health within UK parliament

2022

Journal Article

Psychological responses, mental health, and sense of agency for the dual challenges of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in young people in the UK: an online survey study

Lawrance, Emma L., Jennings, Neil, Kioupi, Vasiliki, Thompson, Rhiannon, Diffey, James and Vercammen, Ans (2022). Psychological responses, mental health, and sense of agency for the dual challenges of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in young people in the UK: an online survey study. The Lancet Planetary Health, 6 (9), e726-e738. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00172-3

Psychological responses, mental health, and sense of agency for the dual challenges of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in young people in the UK: an online survey study

2022

Journal Article

Understanding citizen scientists’ willingness to invest in, and advocate for, conservation

Agnello, Gaia, Vercammen, Ans and Knight, Andrew T. (2022). Understanding citizen scientists’ willingness to invest in, and advocate for, conservation. Biological Conservation, 265 109422, 109422. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109422

Understanding citizen scientists’ willingness to invest in, and advocate for, conservation

2021

Journal Article

Pre-screening workers to overcome bias amplification in online labour markets

Vercammen, Ans, Marcoci, Alexandru and Burgman, Mark (2021). Pre-screening workers to overcome bias amplification in online labour markets. PLoS One, 16 (3) e0249051, e0249051. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249051

Pre-screening workers to overcome bias amplification in online labour markets

2021

Journal Article

Young Persons’ Psychological Responses, Mental Health and Sense of Agency for the Dual Challenges of Climate Change and a Global Pandemic

Lawrance, Emma, Jennings, Neil, Kioupi, Vasiliki, Thompson, Rhiannon, Diffey, James and Vercammen, Ans (2021). Young Persons’ Psychological Responses, Mental Health and Sense of Agency for the Dual Challenges of Climate Change and a Global Pandemic. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3847782

Young Persons’ Psychological Responses, Mental Health and Sense of Agency for the Dual Challenges of Climate Change and a Global Pandemic

2020

Journal Article

Practice matters: pro-environmental motivations and diet-related impact vary with meditation experience

Thiermann, Ute B., Sheate, William R. and Vercammen, Ans (2020). Practice matters: pro-environmental motivations and diet-related impact vary with meditation experience. Frontiers in Psychology, 11 584353. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.584353

Practice matters: pro-environmental motivations and diet-related impact vary with meditation experience

2020

Journal Article

Introduction: New directions in conservation psychology at a critical time

Dietsch, A. M., Wallen, K. E., Clayton, S., Kretser, H. E., Kyle, G. T., Ma, Z. and Vercammen, A. (2020). Introduction: New directions in conservation psychology at a critical time. Conservation Biology, 34 (6), 1335-1338. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13629

Introduction: New directions in conservation psychology at a critical time

2020

Journal Article

A Reflection on the Fair Use of Unpaid Work in Conservation

Vercammen, Ans, Park, Caroline, Goddard, Robyn, Lyons-White, Joss and Knight, Andrew (2020). A Reflection on the Fair Use of Unpaid Work in Conservation. Conservation & Society, 18 (4), 399-404. doi: 10.4103/cs.cs_19_163

A Reflection on the Fair Use of Unpaid Work in Conservation

2019

Journal Article

Untapped potential of collective intelligence in conservation and environmental decision making

Vercammen, Ans and Burgman, Mark (2019). Untapped potential of collective intelligence in conservation and environmental decision making. Conservation Biology, 33 (6), 1247-1255. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13335

Untapped potential of collective intelligence in conservation and environmental decision making

2019

Journal Article

Preliminary findings of four-week, task-based anodal prefrontal cortex transcranial direct current stimulation transferring to other cognitive improvements in schizophrenia

Weickert, T. W., Salimuddin, H., Lenroot, R. K., Bruggemann, J., Loo, C., Vercammen, A., Kindler, J. and Weickert, C. S. (2019). Preliminary findings of four-week, task-based anodal prefrontal cortex transcranial direct current stimulation transferring to other cognitive improvements in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Research, 280 112487, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112487

Preliminary findings of four-week, task-based anodal prefrontal cortex transcranial direct current stimulation transferring to other cognitive improvements in schizophrenia

2019

Journal Article

The Application of Wearable Technology to Quantify Health and Wellbeing Co-benefits From Urban Wetlands

Reeves, Jonathan P., Knight, Andrew T., Strong, Emily A., Heng, Victor, Neale, Chris, Cromie, Ruth and Vercammen, Ans (2019). The Application of Wearable Technology to Quantify Health and Wellbeing Co-benefits From Urban Wetlands. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01840

The Application of Wearable Technology to Quantify Health and Wellbeing Co-benefits From Urban Wetlands

2019

Journal Article

Evaluating the impact of accounting for coral cover in large-scale marine conservation prioritizations

Vercammen, Ans, McGowan, Jennifer, Knight, Andrew T., Pardede, Shinta, Muttaqin, Efin, Harris, Jill, Ahmadia, Gabby, Estradivari,, Dallison, Thomas, Selig, Elizabeth and Beger, Maria (2019). Evaluating the impact of accounting for coral cover in large-scale marine conservation prioritizations. Diversity and Distributions, 25 (10) ddi.12957, 1564-1574. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12957

Evaluating the impact of accounting for coral cover in large-scale marine conservation prioritizations

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    Measuring the quality of collective reasoning (The University of Cambridge administered British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant)
    University of Cambridge
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Ans Vercammen is:
Available for supervision

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