Meet the DEXLab Team

Get to know the brilliant minds behind DEXLab. Each member brings unique expertise and passion to our research center.

Our Core Team

Nea Saarreharju
Nea Saarreharju is the DEXLab Manager and supports the lab's research, education and the management of its technologies. She holds a Bachelor's in Educational Science from a German university and a Master's in Educational Science and Technology from the University of Twente. Her research interests center on how technology and games can support learning, in particular speaking and communication skills in foreign languages.
Nea Saarreharju
DEXLab Manager
Jonas Heller
Jonas Heller is a tenured Assistant Professor of Marketing at Maastricht University School of Business and Economics and co-founder and Scientific Director of DEXLab. His research examines how artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and other emerging technologies such as brain-computer interfaces shape consumer decision-making, service experiences, and well-being. He holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of New South Wales and has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles.
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Jonas Heller
Co-Founder & DEXLab Director
Tim Hilken
Tim Hilken is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management at Maastricht University School of Business and Economics and a co-founder of DEXLab. His research focuses on the user experience of augmented reality in consumer and business markets, in particular the psychological mechanisms through which AR creates experiential value and improves decision-making. He also studies digital marketing and the role of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, and collaborates with technology providers and firms on lab and field studies.
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Tim Hilken
Co-Founder & DEXLab Director
Dominik Mahr
Dominik Mahr is Professor of Digital Innovation and Marketing at Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, Scientific Director of the Service Science Factory, and a co-founder of DEXLab. His work integrates research, education and business practice in marketing, innovation, digitization, strategy, services and design thinking. His research covers customer co-creation, service innovation and emerging technologies such as service robots, the Internet of Things and augmented reality.
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Dominik Mahr
Co-Founder & DEXLab Director
Roberta Di Palma
Roberta Di Palma is an Assistant Professor in Educational Research and Development at Maastricht University School of Business and Economics and a co-founder of DEXLab, where she leads projects on digital and immersive technologies. Her research examines technology-enabled services in education and business, with a focus on virtual reality, including the role of feedback in VR-based presentation skills training. She holds a Bachelor's in International Business and a Master's in Strategic Marketing, both from Maastricht University.
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Roberta Di Palma
Assistant Professor

The Interns

Ilias Massignan
Intern of the DEXLab and a Master student at Maastricht University. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Strategic Marketing and writing his thesis on how immersive technologies can be connected to real-world applications in marketing and education.
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Ilias Massignan
DEXLab Intern
Yosune Uribe
Intern at the DEXLab and a Master’s student at Maastricht University. She is currently following the Strategic Marketing programme and exploring how AI-generated fashion recommendations can influence consumers’ sense of self-expression and purchase intentions.
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Yosune Uribe
DEXLab Intern
Wojciech Mandrysch
Intern at the DEXLab and a Master’s student at Maastricht University. He is currently following the Supply Chain programme and writing his thesis on how agentic AI can be used in procurement negotiations, while also contributing to projects investigating LLM use cases in education.
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Wojciech Mandrysch
DEXLab Intern

Affiliated Researchers

Corinna Rott
PhD candidate in psychology at Maastricht University and the University of Antwerp, specializing in stress regulation and team performance. Her research combines wearable technology, psychophysiological assessment, and immersive environments. At DEXLab, she co-hosted the (De)Stress VR study, exploring how virtual reality can induce and reduce stress through tailored interventions.
Corinna Rott
PhD Candidate
Anna Krispin
Researcher focusing on VR- and AI-based training for oral communication skills. Examining how immersive environments and generative AI can support learners in practicing public speaking and workplace interactions with realistic feedback. She investigates how these technologies can enhance communication skills, build confidence, and improve training outcomes in both educational and professional contexts.
Anna Krispin
PhD Candidate
Roman Briker
Assistant Professor
Joana Duhamel
PhD Candidate
Marc Becker
Assistant Professor
Alexandru Maris
PhD Candidate
Ibrahim Humdi
PhD Candidate
Stefan Bos
PhD candidate at SBE. His research focuses on emotional and behavioral change using Virtual Reality, in particular how Virtual Reality can be used to increase empathy and understanding towards stigmatized groups of people or situations.
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Stefan Bos
PhD Candidate