Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
Growing up on a decommissioned naval vessel moored in Amsterdam gave me an unusual childhood and an unsinkable connection to the sea. Those early years, living between water and steel, watching the first BBC nature documentaries during Amsterdam’s cold and bitter winters while the boat creaked around me, shaped not only my fetal position on the sofa due to the cold, but also my future. The office life was never really meant for me, I wanted to feel connected and be part of conserving what is still beautiful in the world. My choice felt inevitable: I wanted to work with the ocean for the rest of my life, to help protect what remains wild. This conviction led me through a marine biology education that took me across continents. After completing my bachelor’s in Biology at the University of Amsterdam, with a minor in Marine Biology, I pursued an Erasmus Mundus joint master’s degree in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea). This journey connected me with marine professionals and experiences around the globe, including: - Université de Bretagne Occidentale (Brest, France) – Advanced Marine Biology - Università Politecnica delle Marche (Ancona, Italy) – Applied Ecology and Ecotoxicology - Davao Oriental State University (Philippines) – Internship on the impacts of extreme climate change events on fisher communities - Summer School in the Swedish fjords at Kosterhavet National Park - University of Gothenburg (Sweden) – Sea and Society - Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) – Master’s thesis on the behavioral ecology of green sea turtles in a Brazilian marine protected area I’ve logged over fifty research dives as an Advanced PADI diver, learned to conduct fieldwork in remote locations with minimal infrastructure, and spent so much time on moving decks that solid ground sometimes feels unstable to me. My work has ranged from microbiome sequencing in Amsterdam labs to stakeholder interviews with fishing communities in Davao, from ArcGIS mapping to taxonomic surveys in Nordic waters. When I’m not working, I’m usually still near water, pursuing wildlife photography, sailing, or exploring coastlines I haven’t seen yet. Some habits from childhood never really leave you. I’m currently based between Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro and am looking for opportunities in marine conservation, sustainability, or marine technology, either on-site in Rio or remote. After spending the past year researching here, I’m committed to contributing to Brazil’s marine conservation efforts while continuing to grow my career in ocean protection.
I traveled to Rio de Janeiro to study how tourism affects Chelonia mydas behavior in the Arraial do Cabo Marine Protected Area. Through underwater observations and approach trials, I discovered that chronic tourist exposure significantly alters turtle activity patterns - with habituated populations showing shifted feeding times and reduced flight responses, while naive populations completely suppress feeding during human presence. Key findings: Tourism can modify natural circadian rhythms through habituation, but expansion into pristine habitats may have serious energetic consequences for wildlife. This research provides crucial evidence for developing sustainable marine ecotourism guidelines that balance conservation with economic benefits. #MarineBiology #Conservation #Ecotourism #SeaTurtles #Brazil #Research #MarineProtectedAreas
Internship at Tjärno Marine Laboratory
Internship at Davao oriental state University to conduct effectivity of previously established MPAs, and community perspectives their effectivity, done by conducting Stakeholder interviews with local fishermen
Research Project about national jurisdiction, and global conservation efforts
Growth of Caulerpa prolifera with antibiotics in different culture media and assessment of the associated microbiome (7.2/10)