Dr. Emma Pleeging is a senior researcher and project coordinator at the Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organisation (EHERO) at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her work focuses on the role of positive experiences such as happiness and hope in society, organisations and for individuals. She has written extensively on the meaning, relevance and measurement of hope from an interdisciplinary perspective. Indeed, she has published six papers on hope in international journals since 2020, one received a best paper award, and her dissertation on hope also received a best dissertation award in 2022. Also, she coordinates projects aimed at increasing worker-wellbeing in Dutch organisations.

In my dissertation, I focused specifically on the definition, role and measurement of hope. This topic will always stay close to my heart, but I also believe it will become increasingly important in the field of quality-of-life. People are inherently forward looking creatures, and how we view our future is so important for both how we feel in the moment, and how we behave to create a better future. Especially in a time where we are increasingly aware of the challenges that lay ahead, hope is a constructive force to help us prepare for the future, without closing our eyes to the uncertainties of the future.

I’ve been a member of ISQOLS since the first year I visited its conference in 2016. The community surrounding ISQOLS has been incredibly uplifting and supportive in the development of my career. I’ve greatly enjoyed both the informal talks with a greatly diverse and positive-minded group of people, as well as the formal opportunities to present my work and receive recognition from academics I greatly admire.