Department of Earth Sciences
Downing Site
Room M08
Phone 0044 1223 333 424
I am a Marine Biologist and graduated from the University of Bremen where I also completed my PhD in association with the Max Planck Institute for Marine Biology (MPI MM) and Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Biology (AWI) in Bremen and Bremerhaven, Germany.
Since my undergraduate studies I work with electrochemical microsensors which I have learned to construct and utilize in the group of Dirk de Beer at the MPI MM. I have since applied them in many different systems: diver-operated in the Mediterranean Sea, Arctic and Temperate Waters; operated by remotely operated vehicles from research vessels in deep sea sediments and in laboratories on corals, sediment cores and microalgae.
After my studies in Germany which were mainly focused on primary production of benthic microalgae, I moved to France and started my research on the biomineralization of tropical corals at the Centre Scientifique in Monaco (CSM).
I am fascinated by the real-time information we can get from these small scale instruments and the insights that we gain through them on fundamental processes.
Beyond my hands-on research on land or at sea, I very much like to get involved in public outreach events and activities at the science-policy interface, such as work for the IPCC.
BIO
2021, 2022/2023
Post Doctoral Research Associate on two three-months research cruises to the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (Pacific Ocean) to assess the impact of polymetallic nodule mining on the deep sea (RV Island Pride IP2021 and RV Sonne SO295). Blog entry and arte documentary (ENG, FR).
2019-2022
Contributing Author and Chapter Scientist for Cross Chapter 4 – “Mediterranean Region” of the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) working group II (WGII-AR6-CCP4).
2016-2021
Post Doctoral Research Associate working on coral biomineralization of tropical corals by means of electrochemical microsensors and inverted confocal microscopy. Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Team Physiology and Biochemistry. Interview with the BBC (Science in Action), following a research publication.
2014-2016
Work in a consulting agency for environmental planning, hydrology, and environmental research (Bremen, Germany). Project lead for the coordination of a trilateral agreement between GER, DK & NL for the management of Invasive Alien Species in the Wadden Sea (North Sea).
2013-2014
Scientific employee at the MPI MM and member as microsensor specialist during two research cruises (RV Janan, Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) Project “Desert Dust” and RV James Cook (JC089) within the National Environment Research Council/ UK- Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (NERC/ UK-IODP)
2014
PhD (Dr. rer. nat., magna cum laude) from the University of Bremen and at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI Bremerhaven)/ Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI MM Bremen)/ Stipendiary of the Helmholtz Graduate School POLMAR (Germany). Title “Microphytobenthos in cold water sublittoral systems – their ecological role and response to changes in environmental conditions”.
2009 – 2014
PhD work including two expeditions for diver operated microsensor studies to the Koldewey Station, NyÅlesund/Svalbard, Norway (Laboratory work and Scientific Diving) and two expeditions to the Alfred Wegener Institute/ Biological Institute Helgoland, North Sea, Germany.
2008
Diploma of Biology (equivalent to MSc.), University of Bremen, Germany.
2004
Pre-diploma (equivalent to BSc), University of Cologne, Germany.
