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 coordinate the Centre for Wetland Ecology since 2017
• 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

• 2022 Postdoctoral researcher
  • Department of Aquatic Ecology, NIOO-KNAW, The Netherlands  

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

• 2021 Postdoctoral researcher/teacher
  • Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology, Radboud University, The Netherlands
• 2017 – 2021 Junior Group Leader and Marie S-Curie Fellow
  • Department of Aquatic Ecology, NIOO-KNAW, The Netherlands
• 2016 – 2017 Postdoctoral researcher
  • Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
• 2013 – 2016 Postdoctoral researcher
  • Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Norway and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Norway
• 2012 Postdoctoral researcher
  • Department of Aquatic Ecology, NIOO-KNAW, The Netherlands

SUPERVISION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS

• Co-promotor María José Navarro-Ramos, “Migratory birds as key vectors of co-dispersal of native and exotic species in different biomes” (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)