Get to know Sabita S. Soedamah-Muthu!

Sabita is the REMA IDA Elective coordinator, and supervisor for traineeships, first year papers and Master Theses.

How did your journey in teaching begin, and what keeps you passionate about it today?

When I was a PhD student at University College London I took a side job and set up a complete course for another university on epidemiology. I thought the course afterwards and it was a success. I really enjoyed it, starting something from scratch and then seeing how the students received it.

What inspired you to pursue a career in research, and what continues to drive your curiosity?

I am very curious and like to ask lots of questions. In my family there were a lot of people with type 2 diabetes, that made me wonder why that is, and I started my research on this topic and stayed in this field for all these years. I connected biomedical and lifestyle epidemiology to find out more and at Tilburg University I carry out research related to behavioral changes with lifestyle. I want to carry out research that will help people.

When you study people and human behavior, what aspects fascinate you the most?

The variety between people, the complexity of studying behavior, the insights we receive from our studies. I like starting from a research question, not knowing what comes out of it until you see the results. The analysis part and interpretation is the most exciting.

What do you find most rewarding about being in the classroom with students?

Inspiring and interacting with young and enthusiastic people and helping them to understand the topics I teach. I can see them wondering and learning. That gives me a lot of satisfaction. Especially when students come to me afterwards to discuss some more about what I taught, I find that really a great way to interact with the students.

Looking ahead, what topics or trends in your field are you most excited to explore with students?

The use of mixed methods, innovative statistical analyses and visualising data, co-creation to develop interventions, involving participants with low socio-economic positions in studies and the application and development of digital tools (JiTAIs, chatbots, virtual reality/augmented reality).

In your view, what makes IDA students stand out from others you’ve taught or worked with?

They have chosen to do research and are driven by curiosity, they want to dive deeper into topics and challenge themselves. They are creative and think more out-of-the-box and like statistical analyses.

Can you share a collaborative project with an IDA student that was especially meaningful or exciting to you?

I had a Master Thesis student who analysed data from over 900 participants in the PPS LIGHT project and explored the barriers and facilitators for lifestyle behaviours in people with type 2 diabetes. Interesting results came out.

What advice would you give future IDA students who want to make the most of the program?

For a PhD project it is important to choose a topic which you really like and want to become an expert in and which you like to dive in for 4 years. As an IDA student I would recommend to let teachers now your ambitions and make use of the opportunities in our school to explore different topics and different teachers. Sometimes outside your comfort zone, but it is good to be challenged.

What topics are you currently exploring in your work, and what new areas would you love to dive into in the future?

Outside of academia, what do you enjoy doing to recharge or spark creativity? (e.g., hobbies)

I love to dance salsa, I enjoy running, yoga, traveling, cooking, piano playing.