Michelle Bruijn appointed new professor of Regulation of Safety and Health

Expert in the field of tackling drug-related crime Michelle Bruijn has been appointed professor of Regulation of Safety and Health with effect from 1 September. She holds an Aletta Jacobs chair in the Department of General Law Studies and History of Law.

Bruijn investigates how the law can protect the safety and health of citizens, with a central role for (international) human rights. This involves, for example, tackling drug-related crime or establishing smoke-free zones.

On the other hand, her research also examines how the law limits the regulation of safety and health. This could involve, for example, a mayor who is not allowed to close down the home of a disruptive family because there are minor children living in the house.

Through her research, Bruijn seeks to formulate legally viable solutions to the increasing global threat to the safety and health of citizens and the associated expansion of the responsibilities and powers of national and local authorities. In doing so, Her work maintains a strong focus on legal safeguards and the protection of human rights. Through collaboration with health organizations, ministries and local authorities, Bruijn uses science to seek solutions to practical social issues.

She works closely with NGOs such as the Centre for Crime Prevention and Safety (CCV), municipalities, municipal health services (GGDs) and health and research institutions such as the Trimbos Instituut. Together with the CCV, she created a website for mayors and lawyers to support them in the administrative approach to drug-related crime.

Curriculum Vitae

Prof. Michelle Bruijn obtained her PhD cum laude in 2021 with her thesis ‘The alternative war on drugs’.

In 2024, she received a Veni grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) for the PROHOUSE project. In this project, she investigates the significance and impact of the right to housing and property rights in eviction cases in the Netherlands.

In 2023, Bruijn was appointed a member of the Young Academy Groningen (YAG). She is also a board member of the Dutch Lawyers Association (NJV) and a board member of the General Law and Legal History department of the Faculty of Law.

In 2022, Bruijn received the Ben Feringa Impact Award for the societal impact of her research.

In addition to her research work, Bruijn is actively involved in education and is the founder and project leader of the Groningen Centre for Legal Skills (GCJV). This is a knowledge and expertise centre in the field of skills education.