Lynn Theunissen

PhD Candidate

My name is Lynn Theunissen. I was born in Enschede, but I grew up in South Limburg from an early age. At Maastricht University, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences, followed by master’s degrees in Biomedical Sciences and Health Education and Promotion. At the end of 2025, I started as a PhD candidate in the Department of Health Promotion at Maastricht University. In my research, I focus on loneliness, social connection, and the physical environment. I investigate how social connection and the physical environment are associated with loneliness, as well as how different aspects of social connection and the physical environment are associated with one another.

I also consider social connectedness very important in my personal life. I enjoy taking part in activities in my village, training with my dance team, and attending concerts and festivals. I highly recommend going to a concert and experiencing the atmosphere: everyone is excited to be there after months of anticipation. Through social media, dress codes and traditions emerge (such as the Boot Scoot during Treat People With Kindness by Harry Styles and the exchange of friendship bracelets at concerts by Taylor Swift) that are continued all over the world. The fact that an idea from social media can grow into something so large through the contributions of so many people shows how powerful social connectedness can be.

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