About me and my research
I'm a German-Italian ecologist with a PhD focused on forest restoration from the University of Oxford.
My goal is to create restoration interventions backed by the best possible science and to inspire students and practitioners to get involved with meaningful ecological restoration.
As a triathlete, and former German national team rower I am exceptionally energetic, efficient and hard working and bring these virtues to the academic and professional world.
PhD in Geography & the Environment, University of Oxford
Doctoral degree as part of the Ecosystems Lab and Disturbance ecology Lab. Research on tropical mountain restoration and satellite techniques and social methods for restoration.
Thesis title 'Revisiting the science and practice of ecosystem restoration in tropical mountains'
MPhil in Biodiversity, Conservation & Management, University of Oxford
Two-year international research master spanning knowledge of biodiversity science, conservation governance & technologies to global change and ecosystem science.
Master thesis 'Conservation and functional ecology of mountain ecosystems in South America'
BSc Ecology & Environmental Planning, TU Berlin
Four-year bachelor degree focused on environmental science and conservation in Germany. Specialisation on climatology, meteorology, modelling and plant sciences.
Bachelor thesis 'How do urban grasslands respond to the urban heat island?'
Scholarships & awards
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Rhodes Scholarship
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Twofold award of Sir Peter Elworthy Grant for environmental research
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Deutschlandstipendium
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Sporthilfe Deutsche Bank Stipendium
Research projects
Restoration of high altitude forests in the Peruvian Andes
Socio-ecological research on the barriers and success factors for restoration of mountain forests in the High Andes. For this research I work with multiple NGOs, government actors and communities and use interviews to elucidate on how to best restore these threatened ecosystems.
Professional experience
Teaching
2023
Lecturer in Conservation Biogeography University of Oxford
2021-2022
Teaching assistant on Master in Biodiversity, Conservation & Management
2020-2022
Teaching of various geography field courses
Teaching of online seminars on remote sensing and GIS
Consulting
2023
Restoration science advisor for RainforestBuilder Ltd
2021-2022
Scholar program facilitator for the Rhodes trust
Academic
2021-2023
Editor for Restoration Ecology
Reviewer for Restoration Ecology, Philosophical Transactions, Forests
Practical skills
Applied ecology
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Restoration ecology
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Restoration project design: planning, implementation, monitoring
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Vegetation cartography
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Biodiversity assessments
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Hydrological and climatological measurements
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Carbon cycle measurements
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Functional trait assessments
Ecological modelling
Remote sensing theory & applications
Satellite data analysis in R, ArcGIS, QGIS and Google Earth Engine
Statistical modelling in R Studio
Planning
Geoinformation Systems (ArcGIS, QGIS) for environmental planning
Knowledge of German landscape planning and international environmental impact assessment procedures
Outreach
2023: Presentation at the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery on forest restoration in the Andes
2022: Poster presentation at the European Tropical Biology conference in Montpellier
2021: Presentation at the Oxford Germany Society Graduate Research Symposium.
2021: Guest editor for Restoration Ecology special feature 'Young voices in the UN Decade of restoration'
2021: Symposium organisation and presentation at the Annual Conference of the Association of Tropical Biology (ATBC) on 'A roadmap for restoration in tropical mountains'
2021: Oxford School of Climate Change, Presentation on 'Ecosystem restoration in tropical mountains in the light of climate change'
2021: Tropical Forest Coffee Series, Presentation on 'Functional ecology of tree islands in the Atlantic forest'
Languages
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Fluent in German, Italian, English and French and Spanish
Collaborators and partners
