The research of Professor Van der Zwan aims to understand why volcanic and magmatic provinces occur where they are and the processes by which they form. In addition, she studies hydrothermal systems and their effect on magmatic processes and the formation of related mineral resources. Her research examines these processes on land as well as in the oceans in various geodynamic settings but with a focus on continental breakup — from its initial stages, to the transition from rifting to spreading of a young ocean basin, to later stage intraplate volcanism at the continental margin. Her research methods are igneous petrology and geochemistry and volcanology, with a focus on in-situ methods, combined with data from other (geoscience) disciplines, including field and/or sea expeditions. ​