• 2022 – present: Marine ecology researcher, Wageningen Marine Research, Den Helder.
    At Wageningen Marine Research I work as marine ecology researcher on a range of different subjects. I am specialised in zooplankton and their ecology and their role in food webs, from tiny larvae to big jellyfish, but also work on the bigger picture by investigating cumulative impact of human activities and their stressors on ecosystems such as North Sea and Wadden Sea.
  • 2020 – 2022: Marine ecology researcher (post-doc), Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Yerseke.
    Implementing imaging and machine learning techniques for zooplankton research and monitoring using an underwater microscope with tests in Grevelingen, Oosterschelde and North Sea.
  • 2016– 2020:  Marine ecology researcher (post-doc), Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel
    Investigating the environmental effects of Reverse Electrodialysis power generation (Blue Energy) on the environment and impact of clogging, fouling etc by organisms in the REDstack experimental power plant in the Netherlands.
  • 2015– 2017: Researcher Fisheries, Good Fish Foundation, Veenendaal
    Development, maintenance and improvement of the VISwijzer website en iOS en Android apps. Performing sustainability assessments for fisheries and aquaculture products for Good Fish Foundation and different clients.
  • 2010–2014 PhD, Royal NIOZ, Texel
    During my PhD I studied the occurrence, species composition, seasonal patterns and long-term changes in populations of gelatinous zooplankton in Dutch coastal waters. Focused on changes following the introduction of the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. First I qualified and quantified the role gelatinous zooplankton plays in the ecosystems of Dutch coastal waters, primarily the Wadden Sea. The invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi was found to be the most abundant species present in the area. Using field sampling, experiments and Dynamic Energy Budget modelling I investigated what makes this species such a successful invader.
    Promotor: Prof. Dr. Theunis Piersma, University of Groningen.
    Co-promotores: Dr. Ir. Henk van der Veer, NIOZ en Dr. Victor Langenberg, Deltares.
  • 2009–2010: Research assistant, Royal NIOZ, Texel
    Performing field- and lab work; sampling and identification of zooplankton and benthos in the Wadden Sea. Projects: SIBES (NIOZ/NAM) and PRODUS (Rijkswaterstaat)
  • 2009: MSc research internship, Royal NIOZ, Texel
    Investigating the species composition and seasonal patterns of gelatinous zooplankton in the Wadden Sea by means of a weekly sampling programme. I also participated in 6 week-long sampling cruises for the NIOZ NWO-ZKO project “Structure and trophic functioning of Wadden Sea fish fauna”.
    Supervisor: Dr. Ir. Henk van der Veer.
  • 2008: Research assistant, University of British Columbia, Olhão, Portugal
    Assisting Project Seahorse researchers with SCUBA diving fieldwork investigating distribution and ecology of seahorses. Underwater transects, measuring and tagging seahorses in the Ria Formosa nature reserve in southern Portugal.
    Supervisor: Dr. Iain Caldwell
  • 2007–2008: MSc research internship, Wageningen IMARES, IJmuiden
    Performing a study on fisheries induced evolution in North Sea plaice, more specifically on sexual dimorphism in reproduction and growth. For this project I sampled discards and bycatch of North Sea beam trawlers and joined several ICES IBTS and BTS surveys on the North Sea. I presented the results at the International Flatfish Symposium in Sesimbra, Portugal in 2008. The study is published in Journal of Sea Research.
    Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Adriaan Rijnsdorp.