Verified by Jessica M Alleva Ph.D.
Jessica Alleva, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of psychology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Her mission is to help people develop a healthier relationship with their own bodies. To this end, her research investigates novel strategies for improving body image, as well as the factors that can make us feel better (or worse) about our bodies. Her work has been published in numerous journals and local and international media outlets, and has been presented at academic conferences around the globe. She also teaches university-level courses on the topic of body image, and is regularly engaged in community-based events that bring together researchers and members of the public. Her work has received recognition including the Distinguished Women Scientists Fund from the Dutch Network of Women Professors and the Rubicon Grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, and she was named on the VIVA400 – a list of ambitious and inspiring women in the Netherlands who have made a difference in their field and the community. As of 2018, Alleva is also an Associate Editor for Body Image, the leading scientific journal in the field of body image research.
