I hold an Assistant Professor position at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, consisting of 60% educational and 40% research activities.

My research integrates multidisciplinary knowledge from hydrology and ecology in the study of the interactions between the structure and function of dryland ecosystems at several spatiotemporal scales, and on how they modulate dryland’s response to climatic and human pressures, as well as to management actions. I combine modelling, observational and manipulative experiments, including measurements from the field, lab, and aerial photographs. One of the main goals of my current research is the improvement of ecological realism in dryland vegetation models by developing stronger links between modelling and field experiments. Among other topics, I would like to use this research to contribute to knowledge on early-warning indicators of desertification, which often lack empirical testing and sufficient understanding of the mechanistic linkages between pattern and processes related to sudden changes.

I teach System Analysis within the Bachelor program Global Sustainability Science; and Environmental System Analysis, Research Design and Research Project within the Master program Sustainable Development. I am also involved in the supervision of BSc, MSc, and PhD students.