Kim Boltjes

Kim is one of our PhD candidates for the Healthy Start ambition ‘Digital empowerment of (children’s) physical activity’. Within her research she focusses on how we can empower children with a chronic disease and their families through an evidence-based (smart) digital platform design. This work aims to increase physical activity in the daily lives of children with a chronic disease to improve their quality of life. By addressing key system determinants regarding physical activity and well-being, looking at effective strategies to identify these crucial determinants and exploring the facilitation of design for these crucial determinants she hopes to answer this question.

Using methodologies such as participatory design, qualitative research, research-through-design and reflective practices, Kim strives to make an impact. By collaborating with external partners as the STAMINA project and the So Fit & Fun Centre she aims to combine insights from various studies to develop a unified platform that promotes physical activity.

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Ir. Maaike Kleinsmann, Prof. Dr. Renske Keizer, Dr. Arend van Deutekom, and Dr. Ir. Jiwon Jung, Kim’s goal is to create an innovative, user-centred solution that improves the well-being and physical activity of children with chronic diseases and support their families.