When should we use virtual reality? Comparing immersive and non-immersive perspective-taking in poverty simulations
Bos, S., Brüggen, E., Heller, J., van der Werf, M.
Under Review2nd roundTarget journal: Computers in Human Behavior
Curriculum Vitae
Dr. Jonas Heller
Tenured Assistant Professor (Universitair Docent 1), Marketing at Maastricht University. Co-Founder & Scientific Director of DEXLab and Co-Founder of the Limburg Immersive Technologies Network.
Universitair Docent 1 is the tenured senior rank below Associate Professor in the Dutch academic system.
Experience
Professional Experience
Tenured Assistant Professor (Universitair Docent 1)
Oct 2020 – PresentMaastricht University
Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management, School of Business and Economics
- Co-Founder & Scientific Director of DEXLab — the first innovation laboratory at SBE focusing on AR, VR, AI, service robots, and neuroscientific tools (EEG, GSR, eye-tracking)
- Co-Founder of Limburg Immersive Technology Network (LIT Network)
Scientific Researcher
Jul 2022 – Feb 2023Jimdo (remote)
Research collaborations with academic institutes & quantitative data collection & analysis
Post-doctoral Researcher
Oct 2019 – Oct 2020Brightlands Institute for a Smart Society (BISS), Maastricht University
Academic Tutor & Research Assistant
Mar 2016 – Sep 2019University of New South Wales (UNSW), School of Marketing
Academic Tutor & Lecturer
Apr 2014 – Jan 2016Maastricht University, Marketing & Supply Chain Management
Project Manager Logistics Services
Jun 2014 – Aug 2014Zalando HQ, Berlin
Process Manager
Feb 2014 – Apr 2014Zalando, Mönchengladbach
Project Manager Logistics Services
Feb 2013 – Jan 2014Zalando HQ, Berlin
Education
Academic Degrees
Ph.D. in Marketing
Mar 2016 – Sep 2019University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Thesis: "Augmented reality's impact on consumer decision making in frontline services"
Top 10% dissertation · Dean's Award for Outstanding Dissertation
Supervisors: A/Prof. Mathew Chylinski & Prof. Ko de Ruyter
M.Sc. in International Business: Supply Chain Management
Feb 2014 – Aug 2015Maastricht University
Cum laude · Top 5% Master thesis
B.Sc. in International Business
Sep 2009 – Aug 2012Maastricht University
Major: Supply Chain Management · Minor: Finance
Publications
Publications
Manuscripts Under Review
Perspective-taking and meaning-making among public policy professionals experiencing an immersive poverty narrative
Bos, S., Brüggen, E., Heller, J., van der Werf, M.
Under Review2nd roundTarget journal: Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
From augmentation to autonomization: A longitudinal multiple case study of dynamic capability development for AI-enabled procurement transformation
Herold, S., Heller, J., Rozemeijer, F., Mahr, D.
Revise and ResubmitMajor revisionTarget journal: Journal of Supply Chain Management
Effective immediately? A mixed-methods study of immediate feedback in virtual reality training systems
Di Palma, R., Beausaert, S., Mahr, D., Hilken, T., Heller, J.
Under ReviewTarget journal: International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction
Manuscripts in Preparation
Enterprise metaverse meetings: The role of device heterogeneity for creative teams' performance and perception
Heller, J., Hilken, T., Aliman, D. N., Hennig-Thurau, T.
In PreparationTarget journal: Academy of Management Journal
Meeting your future self: Exploring the impact of augmented reality on psychological connectedness and financial decision-making
Heller, J., Hilken, T., Mahr, D., Brüggen, E.
In PreparationTarget journal: Journal of Marketing Research
You win some, you lose some: Performing a cognitive task in virtual reality increases task enjoyment but decreases task performance
Heller, J., Köcher, S., Ciuchita, R., Köcher, S.
In PreparationTarget journal: Computers in Human Behavior
Recognition
Awards & Honors
2024
SBE Junior Researcher Award
Awarded to one researcher at the School of Business and Economics
2022
SBE Team Science Award
Outstanding team science, awarded to the research group 'AugmentedReseARch'
2020
Dean's Award for Outstanding Dissertations, UNSW
Dissertation required no to minimal revisions and ranked in the best 10% according to all reviewers
2020
Service Special Interest Group (SERVSIG) Dissertation Award — Finalist
2018
Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC) Best Paper Award
2018
UNSW Postgraduate Council Outstanding Research Student Award
One of four winners among all research students across all UNSW faculties
2018
Winner, UNSW Business School Research Fair
PhD research presentation competition — 1st of 40 UNSW Business School PhD students
2017
Winner, ANZMAC Strategy Challenge Award
International PhD competition — 1st of all Australian and New Zealand business schools
2017
Competitive Advantage in a Digital Economy (CADE) Best Paper Award
2016
Excellence in Teaching Award, Maastricht University
Teaching evaluation average above 8.5/10 across all courses taught 2014–2016
Funding
Grants & Third-Party Funding
€2.1M+ in research funding across 23 grants · €1.5M+ of it external competitive third-party funding
External Competitive Funding
Subtotal: €1,510,000| Year | Funder | Project | Role | Total volume | Own share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ERASMUS+ | ATLAS.TI — Assisting Teaching and Learning with AI-based SolutionsMaastricht University portion of a €400,000 consortium project | Work Package Lead (WP2) | €400,000 | €35,000 |
| 2024 | NETSPAR (via Institute GAK) | Theme Grant: See4YourFutureSelf | PI | €350,000 | €350,000 |
| 2023 | Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) | PhD Project: Immersive Horizons — VR's Impact on Customer Engagement, Localization & Strategic Marketing | PI | €405,000 | €405,000 |
| 2023 | Zayed University, UAE | Research Incentive Fund: Exploring how XR Technologies Support Value Co-creation in Service | Co-PI | €80,000 | €80,000 |
| 2022 | China Scholarship Council (CSC) | PhD Grant: Digital Realities for Healthy and Sustainable Consumption | Co-PI | €220,000 | €220,000 |
| 2022 | Comenius (NRO) | Teaching Fellowship: Technology-enhanced Personalized Feedback | Co-PI | €50,000 | €50,000 |
| 2021 | European Commission — Marie Skłodowska-Curie | Individual Fellowship: AugmentPension | PI | €190,000 | €190,000 |
| 2016 | Australian Government | International Postgraduate Research Scholarship | PI | €180,000 | €180,000 |
Internal & Strategic Funding
Subtotal: €620,812| Year | Funder | Project | Role | Total volume | Own share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | UM–Zuyd Strategic Investment Budget | Growing Limburg Immersive Technologies Network (Year 2)50% Maastricht University / 50% Zuyd Hogeschool | Co-PI | €100,000 | €100,000 |
| 2025 | GSBE | PhD Co-funding — Maarten Ramaekers: Preparing Procurement for an AI Driven Future | Co-PI | €50,000 | €50,000 |
| 2025 | GSBE | PhD Co-funding — Joana Fernandes Duhamel: Emerging Technologies & Future Self | PI | €72,637 | €72,637 |
| 2024 | UM–Zuyd Strategic Investment Budget | Limburg Immersive Technologies Network (Year 1)50% Maastricht University / 50% Zuyd Hogeschool | Co-PI | €164,000 | €164,000 |
| 2023 | SBE | Education Innovation Voucher: Realistic Research Settings with AR and VR | Co-PI | €10,000 | €10,000 |
| 2022 | Maastricht University EDLAB | VR Enhanced PBL | Co-PI | €50,000 | €50,000 |
| 2022 | SBE | Education Innovation Voucher: Reality Check — Automated Student Feedback at SBE | Co-PI | €10,000 | €10,000 |
| 2022 | GSBE | PhD Co-funding — Roberta di Palma: VR in Education | Co-PI | €82,126 | €82,126 |
| 2021 | GSBE | PhD Co-funding — Silke Herold: Digital Procurement | Co-PI | €46,649 | €46,649 |
| 2020 | GSBE | Small Scale Research Grant MSCM | PI | €4,000 | €4,000 |
| 2019 | UNSW | Placement Scholarship for Research Excellence | PI | €1,900 | €1,900 |
| 2016 | UNSW BizLab | 4× Higher Degree Research Grants | PI | €7,500 | €7,500 |
| 2016 | UNSW Business School | Supplementary Scholarship | PI | €22,000 | €22,000 |
Conference & Event Funding
Subtotal: €5,000| Year | Funder | Project | Role | Total volume | Own share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | SWOL | Scientific Event Grant: 10th International XR Metaverse Conference | Co-Organizer | €2,500 | €2,500 |
| 2025 | GSBE | Conference Funding: 10th International XR Metaverse Conference | Co-Organizer | €2,500 | €2,500 |
Subtotals sum the amount attributable to Jonas Heller / Maastricht University, not the full consortium volume.
In addition, ongoing industry contract income for DEXLab workshops since 2022 (approx. €50,000). Reported separately, as contract income is not competitively awarded funding.
Teaching
Teaching
Courses are taught in Maastricht University's Problem-Based Learning format, combining plenary lectures with tutorial groups.
Evaluations use the Dutch 10-point scale, where 10 is best and 6 is a pass. UNSW courses were rated on a 6-point scale.
Maastricht University — Course Coordination & Tutoring (since 2020)
- Bachelor's Thesis Supervision (2025)Course Coordinator · evaluation 9.2/10
- B.Sc. Marketing Management (2024, 2025)Coordinator & Tutor · evaluation 6.4/10
- B.Sc. Marketing Research and Supply Chain Management (2024)Coordinator & Tutor · evaluation 8.2/10
- B.Sc. Customer-Centric Supply Chain Management (2021)Coordinator & Tutor · evaluation 7.7/10
- M.Sc. Supply Chain Relationships (2020, 2021)Coordinator & Tutor · evaluation 8.7/10
Maastricht University — Tutor (2014–2016)
Average 8.5/10 across all courses (10 is best)
- Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management (2014, 2015)Tutor
- Management of Organizations & Marketing (2014, 2015)Tutor
- Marketing Management (2014, 2015)Tutor
- Marketing & Supply Chain Management Tutorial (2015)Tutor
University of New South Wales — Lecturer (2016–2019)
Average 5.4/6 (6 is best)
- Consumer Behavior seminar (2016, 2017, 2018)Lecturer · evaluation 5.3/6
- Marketing Research seminar (2016, S1 2018, S2 2018)Lecturer · evaluation 5.5/6
- Laboratory Staff Training on Emerging Technologies (2018)Lecturer
Executive Education (via DEXLab)
Selected clients: Allianz Insurance, APG, ANWR, CBS, Dutch Ministry of I&W, MSM, UM, UMIO
- MBA Digital StrategyLecturer
- Executive workshops and in-company training on emerging technologiesLecturer
Supervision
Doctoral Supervision
Current
- Maarten Ramaekers — "Preparing Procurement for an AI driven future" (with Prof. D. Mahr & Prof. F. Rozemeijer)
- Joana Duhamel — "Emerging Technologies for future-self connectedness" (with Dr. Tim Hilken & Prof. Max Louwerse)
- Imbrahim Humdi — "VR in hedonic service settings" (with Prof. D. Mahr & Dr. Tim Hilken)
- Stefan Bos — "Immersive Technologies to combat poverty" (with Prof. E. Brüggen & Dr. Minou van der Werf)
- Roberta di Palma — "VR in Education & Service Marketing" (with Prof. D. Mahr, Dr. Tim Hilken & Prof. Simon Beausaert)
Completed
- Silke Herold — "Digital Procurement" (with Prof. D. Mahr & Prof. F. Rozemeijer) — Graduated 2025
Additional
- 50+ Master's and 10+ Bachelor's thesis students supervised on marketing, service, and supply chain management topics (since 2020)
- Co-supervised UNSW honours student (A. Carrozzi, 2018–2019) — thesis published in the Journal of Interactive Marketing
- International co-supervision and project-level doctoral collaboration beyond Maastricht University
Service
Academic Service
- Member of the Maastricht Young Academy (2026–present)
- Columnist for Maastricht University Newspaper "Observant" (2025–present)
- Member of Assessment Committee of Learning, SBE, Maastricht University (2024–present)
- Junior group representative, MSCM department, SBE, Maastricht University (2023/2024)
Reviewing
Peer Reviewing
Journal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceJournal of Consumer PsychologyJournal of Service ResearchJournal of RetailingJournal of Services MarketingJournal of Business ResearchJournal of Service ManagementEuropean Journal of MarketingTechnology, Mind, and BehaviorAustralian Journal of ManagementInternational Journal of Human-Computer StudiesVirtual RealityComputers in Human BehaviorJournal of Wine Research