Curriculum Vitae 

PROFILE SKETCH

Aquatic Ecologist studying interactions of species with their biotic and abiotic environment in wetland ecosystems. My work contributes science-based knowledge with the aim to mitigate human impacts on natural systems.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Obtained a MSCA Individual Fellowship EU-grant, plus funding from sources in NL, FR and SP
  • Lived and worked at scientific institutes in six different countries
  • Contributed two important review papers to the field of dispersal ecology
  • My Oikos publication (2022(9):e09254) was selected as “Editors choice”
  • Invited as expert by the European Food and Safety Authority on invasive species
  • I coordinated the Centre for Wetland Ecology between 2017-2023
  • Co-promotor of four PhD students (plus one ongoing), all still work in academia
  • Supervised 30 MSc students of which 20 co-published on peer-reviewed publications

EDUCATION

  • 2007 Master of Science in Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
  • 2012 PhD degree in Ecology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,
    • Promotors: Prof. J.M. van Groenendael, Prof. M. Klaassen
    • Thesis: Speeding up the snail´s pace: bird-mediated dispersal of aquatic organisms download full text pdf

CURRENT POSITION

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

 

SUPERVISION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS

  • Co-promotor María José Navarro-Ramos, “Waterbirds dispersing native and alien plant species: new methods, new interactions, new insights” (Doñana Biological Station, Spain, ongoing)
  • Co-promotor Hui Jin, “Restoring aquatic food webs bottom-up: Improving trophic transfer through lake restoration project Marker Wadden” (Wageningen University & Research 2021)
  • Co-supervisor Victor Martin, “Wintering gulls as key vectors for dispersal of seeds, nutrients and contaminants in Andalusia” (Doñana Biological Station, Spain, 2021)
  • Co-promotor Antonella Petruzzella, “Biotic resistance to alien plant invasions in tropical and temperate freshwater ecosystems” (Utrecht University, 2019)
  • Co-promotor Peiyu Zhang, “Trophic interactions in warming waters: aquatic plant-consumer interactions under climate change” (Utrecht University, 2018)

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH

  • 2018 Doñana Biological Station, Spain (3 months)
  • 2013 – 2016 University of Oslo, Norway (27 months)
  • 2010 - 2011 Deakin University, Geelong, Australia (6 months)
  • 2006 Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada (4 months)
  • 2006 US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bethel, USA (3 months)

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

  • 2008 onwards: Supervision 30 MSc students (i.e. UU, WUR, RUG, RU, UvA, University of Ås, University of Oslo); 10 BSc student projects; 8 students from Applied Sciences.
  • 2021 Co-teaching MSc course Management of Ecosystems, Radboud University, Nijmegen, NL
  • 2019 Co-teaching MSc course Aquatic Biodiversity, Wageningen University & Research, NL
  • 2017 Co-teaching BSc course Evolution & Biodiversity, Utrecht Uiversity, NL
  • 2017 Workshop leader, Avian anatomy, Dutch Ornithological Union meeting, NL
  • 2012 Workshop leader, Statistical analyses in R, University of Tübingen, Germany
  • 2011 Co-teaching BSc course Aquatic Ecology, Utrecht University, NL
  • 2010 Co-teaching BSc course Aquatic Ecology, Utrecht University, NL
  • 2009 Co-teaching BSc course Aquatic Ecology, Utrecht University, NL
  • 2005 Teaching assistant, BSc course “Nutrient cycles in wetlands”, Utrecht University, NL

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  • 2023 onwards: Board member and treasurer of the “Huib Kluijver Fonds”
  • 2019-2023: Postdoc Representative for NIOO-KNAW
  • 2017-2023: Coordinator of the Centre for Wetland Ecology www.wetland-ecology.nl
  • 2013 – 2016 Organizer of the weekly seminar series, University of Oslo, Norway

EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES

  • 2018 onwards: Editorial board Limosa (quarterly journal of the Dutch Ornithological Union)
  • 2007 onwards: Peer-reviewer for >30 international journals and funding bodies
  • 2017 - 2019 Editor Research Topic “Animal-mediated dispersal in understudied systems”, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution