The University of Groningen is a research university with a global outlook, deeply rooted in Groningen, City of Talent. Quality has had top priority for four hundred years, and with success: the University is currently in or around the top 100 on several influential ranking lists.
Researchers
Dr Jacqueline Klooster
RUG Team Leader (until July 2025)
Jacqueline Klooster (PhD 2009, University of Amsterdam) is an assistant professor of Ancient Greek Literature at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, and editor of Mnemosyne Journal. She has worked extensively on Hellenistic Poetry, both from the perspective of the sociology of literature and more focused on narratological analysis (Poetry as Window and Mirror, Brill, 2011). She also has a longstanding interest in the intersection of leadership ideology and literature in antiquity. She studied leadership figures like Solon and Dionysius of Syracuse, who combined their leadership activities with a literary profile (Leadership and Literature in Ancient Greece, forthcoming with Routledge).
More recently, she has developed an interest in the representation of ancient women in popular contemporary fiction. Her new book about this, Medusa in de Spiegel (Medusa in the Mirror), will appear in April 2025.
Dr Bram van der Velden
RUG Team Leader (from August 2025)
Bram van der Velden (PhD, University of Cambridge, 2017) is Assistant Professor of Latin Language and Literature at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. His research focuses on the reception of the classical past in schools and universities. In addition to his university role, he recently spent some time teaching at a Dutch high school. His interest in games inspired by antiquity began at a young age with Caesar III and Caesar IV, and has stayed with him ever since.
Mr Douwe van der Tuin
RUG PUA Project Manager
Douwe van der Tuin, MSc. is project manager of the Pre-University Academy (PUA) at the University of Groningen. He has a background in science communication and science education. At the PUA he focuses on making current scientific research accessible to primary and secondary school students in development teams with researchers and teachers. In the CITADEL-project the PUA participates in the teaching campaign.
Ms Rina Copinga
Student Assistant
Rina Copinga (2003) is currently a Bachelor student in Classics at the University of Groningen. Her academic focus lies in the intersection of poetry, theatre and feminist perspectives. She is also involved in theatre, with Trojan Women being a noteworthy project. Together with three other students, she translated the play by Euripides and portrayed the character of Andromache. The script has also recently been published. She currently plays in an adapted play based on the myth of Tereus.