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Each year, ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht honors one exceptional educator with its Teacher of the Year award—a recognition not just of expertise, but of the ability to inspire, connect, and create lasting impact. This year’s recipient, psychology lecturer Dr. Robert Renes, brings a deeply personal and refreshingly humorous touch to his teaching. We spoke with him about what the award means, how his teaching style has evolved, and why a good joke might be the key to student engagement.

What does winning Teacher of the Year mean to you personally and professionally?
Even being nominated was a huge honor—an ultimate validation that what I do in the classroom works well for our students. That alone was all the professional satisfaction I could ask for. However, winning the award, especially in front of a full Tivoli, was a delightful cherry on top. Who doesn’t like being celebrated like that? It was a great rush and a moment I’ll remember for a long time.

How would you describe your teaching style? Has it evolved over the years?
I like to think of my teaching style as “authentic”. I try to show a lot of who I am as a person when I teach. When I started at UCU ten years ago, I was still figuring out who I wanted to be as a teacher—and as a person. Once I got a solid grip on the course material, I found that shaping my teacher persona to closely reflect who I am outside the classroom felt most natural. Over time, as I became more confident and relaxed within the UCU community, I was able to shift the focus more onto the students. I also grew in my ability to foster and encourage critical thinking, which now plays a key role in how I plan and conduct classes.

What do you think makes a great teacher—especially in psychology?
Honestly, I think what makes me great is that the students think I’m great. If I can create a classroom atmosphere where students feel positive and motivated, they’ll be enthusiastic and will largely learn on their own. My main strength lies in fostering a relaxed, positive vibe. It helps that I teach engaging courses like Introduction to Psychology and Social Psychology. But I see the same results even in Methodology and Statistics — a less naturally appealing subject — where I rely even more on motivation and creative examples to keep students interested. Finally, having a happy life and a healthy work/life balance gives me the emotional availability to be present for students, which I think matters a lot.

What makes me a great teacher is that students think I’m great.

Are there particular techniques or methods you’ve found especially effective in keeping students engaged?
I’m a big believer in playing to your strengths. One of mine is my brain’s tendency to make all kinds of associations while processing and presenting information. I lean into that. It helps me come up with unexpected examples and crummy jokes—which are surprisingly effective attention-grabbers! It’s entertaining for both the students and for me.

How do you create a safe and open classroom environment for discussing complex or sensitive topics?
UCU students are already pretty open-minded, and my relaxed teaching style helps create a safe atmosphere. But when we approach sensitive topics—like prejudice or racism—I guide students to focus on the psychological processes involved. That not only reduces the emotional intensity in the room but also equips students with analytical tools to better engage with the material, both now and in the future.

What first drew you to psychology, and what keeps you excited about it today?
Growing up, I was always observing social situations and questioning norms. Why do people at Dutch birthday parties sit in boring circles? Why do women kiss everyone but men only kiss women? Why does everyone do things they don’t want to do? Psychology asked the same questions I had. Studying it helped me understand human behavior—and shape a life that makes me happy, even if that means going against the grain. To this day, psychology remains a powerful tool for understanding people and inspiring change.

Studying psychology helped me shape a life that makes me happy, even if that means going against the grain.

Do you have a favorite psychological concept or theory to teach? Why?
I love ranting about gender norms—why do we treat kids so differently based on the genitals they’re born with? Another favorite is a lecture on moral psychology. For example, when someone refuses to eat meat for moral reasons, others often feel judged—even when they aren’t being judged—and react defensively. It’s a perfect example of how our automatic responses don’t always make rational sense, but they’re fascinating to unpack.

Is there a particular moment or piece of feedback from a student that has stuck with you?
After a semester of teaching Introduction to Psychology, I got a letter from two anonymous students who made a full-page list of “Robert quotes.” It was full of silly anecdotes, odd examples, and weird things I’d said in class. I was really touched. Because my brain works associatively, I often don’t remember what I’ve said in the moment—so it was fun (and kind of surreal) to see it all written down!

What advice would you give to new or aspiring university teachers?
To create positive class dynamics and build trust, involve students in your course design. In lower-level courses, that might mean simply explaining why you structured things a certain way—what goals or trade-offs are involved. In upper-level courses, you can give them real input into how the course unfolds. We all put a lot of thought into our teaching, and sharing that thought process helps students feel invested in their own education.

Are there any upcoming teaching projects, courses, or research you’re excited about?
I’ve really enjoyed teaching Research in Practice, and now I’m looking forward to possibly teaching the Multivariate Statistics summer course. It seems like a fun challenge—and I’ve always loved the chill vibes of summer term!