I am a marine microbiologist with a strong focus on microbial community dynamics in ocean ecosystems, particularly in the Southern Benguela Upwelling System. With over ten years of experience all over the world studying how resident microbial communities influence critical nutrient cycling, my work bridges microbiology, ecology, and oceanography to better understand ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change.

As Chair of Working Group F: Environmental Microbiomes and Climate Change for the World Microbiome Partnership, I hope to foster interdisciplinary collaborations to develop holistic approaches to environmental microbiome research. My work explores microbiome responses to climate-driven stressors, including ocean warming, deoxygenation, and pollution, with an emphasis on integrating microbiome science into global climate and biodiversity frameworks.

Through international partnerships, policy engagement, and the application of advanced metagenomics and ecosystem modeling, I am committed to ensuring that microbial communities are recognized as key players in the health of all environments, climate resilience, and sustainable ecosystem management.