W3 Professor in Ecophysiology

ORCID 0000-0002-3322-4487 

 

Academic degrees

• Ph.D. in Plant Sciences, 2005, University of Cambridge, UK
• Master in Biology, 2001, University of Bern, Switzerland

 

Research interests

• Impacts of global change on ecosystem functioning
• Linking organismal traits to ecosystem processes
• Plant-soil interactions
• Tropical forest nutrient and carbon cycling
• Forest carbon dynamics and carbon storage
• Drought impacts on plant-microbial interactions

 

Professional experience

• 2022 - date   Professor in Ecosystem Ecology, Lancaster University
• 2019 - 2022    Reader in Ecosystem Ecology, Lancaster University
• 2014 - 2019    Lecturer in Ecology, Lancaster University
• 2013 - date    Smithsonian Research Associate (honorary position)
• 2012 - 2014    Lecturer in Environmental Sciences, The Open University (Honorary Fellow from 2014-17)
• 2009 - 2012    Research Associate, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), Wallingford
• 2006 - 2009    Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Cambridge and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
• 2005 – 2006    Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

 

Awards and recognition

• 2022 - 2023   Guest professorship at the University of Zürich, Switzerland
• 2022 - 2023   Senior Fellowship of the Collegium Helveticum, Switzerland
• 2020 & 2022  Visiting Professorship, Federal University of Lavras, Brazil (CAPES, Ministry of Education, Brazil) 
• 2018   British Ecological Society (BES) Award in recognition of outstanding service to the ecological community
• 2017   Merit award in recognition of sustained exceptional performance, Lancaster University
• 2014 Shortlisted for the Engage Competition (National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement)
• 2013 Elected Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe
• 2013 Merit award in recognition of sustained exceptional performance, The Open University

 

Current academic service roles

• Deputy Director of the Botanical Garden of Ulm University
• Ombudsperson - Faculty of Natural Sciences
• Biology Exam Board Member

 

Other activities

• Senior Editor, Functional Ecology (2021 - date)