My main research interest is to understand what determines biodiversity in mountain regions, by studying the impact of climate dynamics at various time scales (past, present, future). I am particularly interested in the way how historical environmental factors (climate and geology) and humans influenced contemporary biodiversity patterns. I use a biogeographical and palaeoecological approach, taking advantage of recent developments in palaeoecological data availability (e.g. Neotoma) and landscape modelling (GIS). Most of my work has dealt with the tropics where I also have organized and participated in numerous field expeditions of the Europe, USA, and Latin America (especially Northern and Central Andes, and Amazonian lowlands). I also supervise students and lecture in courses, organize scientific events, and take responsibility in committees. In addition, I am passionate about communicating my research to a broader audience through the use of video and talks about sustainability.

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2012-2017), Thesis ‘Climate change and topography as drivers of Latin American biome dynamics’ (23-06-2017). Main supervisor: Henry Hooghiemstra, co-advisor: John van Boxel.
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Biology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2004-2008). Thesis: Land use and land-cover changes in the sector II: Kamarata in the National Park Canaima, Venezuela (28-03-2008; magna cum laude). Main supervisor: John van Boxel.
  • Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Biology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands (2000-2004; cum honore).
  • Pre-University education (VWO). De Klop, Utrecht, The Netherlands. (1992-1998). With majors in biology and mathematics

Professional experience

CURRENT POSITION:

Senior Researcher and Project leader of Mountains-in-Motion-lab, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway.

PREVIOUS POSITIONS:

  • Researcher, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway (2020-2022). 5-year European Research Council Advanced Grant to Prof. H. John Birks.
  • Postdoc, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway (2018-2020). 5-year European Research Council Advanced Grant to Prof. H. John Birks.
  • Fellow Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (2017). Assembling the origin of hyper-diverse Andean sky islands: a novel phylogeographic approach.
  • Spatial analyst & Geographical Information System (GIS) Consultant:
    • Royal Botanical Garden Kew, UK (2017-2018): Plants for life: impact of climate change on important plants for the ecosystem services of the páramos of Boyacá (Colombia)
    • University of Amsterdam (2017): GIS and database handling support to Dr. Daniel Kissling. Part-time.
    • 4D Elements Consultores SAS, Colombia (2010-2015):
      • Conservation, restauration and sustainable use of ecosystem services in the National Parks of Chingaza and Sumapaz, and their influence zones between the páramos of Guerrero, Chingaza, Sumapaz, and the Eastern Cordilleras of Bogotá, Colombia
      • Generation of a proposal for a conservation vision of sustainable oil palm landscapes in the northern and eastern palm regions in Colombia
      • Organization of cartographic information, training and connectivity analysis in the interpretation of environmental determinants of three municipalities of the department of Vichada (Spring, Cumaribo and Puerto Carreño)
      • Development of an assessment of the implications of ecosystem services and biodiversity tradeoffs in a landscape management plan in the Colombian savanna highplains, including a proposal for ecosystem monitoring programs in agro-industrial landscapes
      • Protocol design for a compensation assessment at regional level in the department of the Atlantic, Colombia
      • Development of land cover map and maps of ecosystem interpretation and definition of the baseline for deforestation in the area of influence of the project NZD - Caquetá, Colombia
      • Assessment to update and reformulate the management plan of the National Park Chingaza, Colombia ▪ Georeferencing and mapping eight community councils of displaced Afro-Colombian communities nationwide
      • Plan for managing impacts on the agricultural sector caused by the flood emergencies in Cundinamarca and Boyacá, Colombia
      • Balancing spatial planning, sustainable biomass production and conservation: - A practical multi-stakeholder approach to spatial planning for climate mitigation according to the protocols of the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC) of the European Union
      • Development of the Conceptual Framework for the definition and implementation of the Ecological Network: Pilot-study in the Orinoco Basin, Colombia
      • Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología, y Estudios Ambientales – IDEAM, Colombia (2012) Scenarios of the evolution of glaciers based on the cartographic information of IDEAM’, including the development of cartographic figures for the book Glaciares de Colombia – más que montañas con hielo. (Spanish; ‘Glaciers of Colombia – More than mountains with snow’)
      • EcoCiencia, Ecuador.(2010-2011). RAISG - Red Amazónica Environmental Geo-referenced Information ◦ Fundación Gaia Amazonas, Colombia (2011). Design of the Medicinal Plants Database of Indigenous Communities in the Rio Isana basin of Vaupes, Department Guinier, Colombia
      • Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC), Venezuela (2009). Biodiversity database of the Centre of Ecology (BioDiversa) ◦ University Simon Bolivar, Venezuela. (2006-2009).
      • Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources of Pemón habitats in the Canaima National Park, Venezuela.
      • Risk Assessment in the reduction of habitats in the Canaima National Park, Venezuela: Vulnerability and tools for sustainable development
      • In the footsteps of the Ancestors: An assessment of indigenous land use and an application of participatory mapping in Kavanayén, Canaima National Park, Venezuela
    • Ecological consultant:
      • University of Amsterdam (2008-2010, parttime)
        • Pilot study of the geographical distribution of plant functional types in the Amazonian lowlands
        • Reviving the Latin American Pollen Database – LAPD
      • Asesorías de Diseño Sostenible, Colombia (2012-2014, parttime)
        • Consultancy on the implementing of sustainable practices at company level, governance, projects, communities and other stakeholders
        • Development of seminars and online courses in topics such as sustainable landscape and project design, natural resources management, innovation & biotechnology, ‘green cities’, sustainable consumption |

Awards

  • 2024: The collaborative work behind The Mini-encyclopedia of the Páramo earned an award for the “Best Collaborative Editorial Project”, by the Ministry of Culture in Colombia.

  • 2019: Best poster award from INQUA Congress meeting

  • 2017: Ernst Mayr Fellowship Award at Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute given to outstanding short term fellowship candidates.

  • 2010: Europe Prize for Innovation for Sustainable Development for the project ‘Factors of risk in the reduction of habitats in the Canaima National Park: vulnerability and tools for sustainable development’.

  • 2008: Master thesis at University of Amsterdam awarded cum laude (distinction awarded to ~10% of MSc candidates based on average course scores and quality of thesis)

Teaching

  • Note: No teaching allowed during ERC project HOPE (2018-2022) and TMS-UiB (2022-2027) due to funding restrictions in Researcher position.
  • 2025: Participant in UPED659B Leveraging Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence for Teaching and Learning (15 hours). Approved course in Program of University Pedagogy, University of Bergen. In progress.
  • 2025: Participant in UPED600E 25V Course ’Introduction to Teaching at University and Course Design. Approved course (24 h) in Program of University Pedagogy, University of Bergen.
  • 2024: Participant in UPED600EB ´Introduction to Teaching and Course Design´. Approved course (18h) in Program of University Pedagogy, University of Bergen. (partial overlap UPED600E).
  • 2023: Participant in ´Effective Supervision´, Bjerkness Centre for Climate Research, approved course (15h) in Program of University Pedagogy, University of Bergen.
  • 2022: Participant in ´Leadership for Group Leaders Course´. EMBO Lab Leadership. Heidelberg, Germany.
  • 2017: Teaching assistant in Undergraduate course ‘Digital Earth’ (5 ECTS, lectures and project supervision, University of Amsterdam [student supervision and assessments, GIS assignments]
  • 2016: Teaching assistant in Undergraduate course (5 ECTS) ‘Biodiversity & Global Change’, lectures and project supervision, University of Amsterdam [covered introductory lecture into GIS, student supervision and assessments, GIS assignments]
  • 2014, 2015: Guest lecturer in Undergraduate course (5 ECTS) ‘Biodiversity & Global Change’, University of Amsterdam
  • 2014, 2015, 2016: Co-teacher in Undergraduate course (6 ECTS) ‘Palaeoecology’, University of Amsterdam [covered lectures, student supervision and assessments, fieldwork assistant]
  • 2012, 2013: Coordinator of Online courses on ‘Introduction to Sustainability’ (16h) and ‘Sustainable landscape design’ (16h). Asesorías de Diseño Sostenible. Medellin, Colombia. [covered 20h course design, lectures]
  • 2012: Co-coordinator of Postgraduate course (2 ECTS) ‘Introduction to environmental information systems at national and international level, GIS and Remote Sensing’, University de Tunja, Colombia. [covered course design, designed educational material and computer work, lectures on GIS, paper discussions, student supervision & assessments]
  • 2011: Co-coordinator of Postgraduate course (2 ECTS) ‘Introduction to environmental information systems at national and international level, GIS and Remote Sensing’, University de los Llanos, Colombia. [covered course design, lectures into GIS, paper discussions, student supervision & assessments]
  • 2000: English teacher (6 months, full time). ESL Institute. Manizales, Colombia

Supervision

SUPERVISION (Ongoing): As main supervisor:

  1. Diana Vásquez (Postdoc, University of Bergen, 2025-present): On the origin of Andean plant species: the role of climate change, historical connectivity and plant dispersal in producing hyperdiverse floras’.
  2. Lotta Schultz (PhD, University of Bergen, 2023-present): ‘Assessing the legacy effect of past connectivity dynamics on present-day global alpine biodiversity’.
  3. Eline Rentier (PhD, University of Bergen, 2023-present): ‘Spatiotemporal reconstructions and connectivity modelling of alpine biomes during the late Quaternary’.
  4. Augusto Cezar Lima Do Nascimento (Research Assistant, University of Bergen, 2024-present): ‘The Global Mountain Paleoglacier Atlas: A Last Glacial Maximum Synthesis’.
  5. Sjur Barndon (Research Assistant, University of Bergen, 2025-present): ‘The use of Artificial intelligence and Machine Learning for paleoglacier simulations in mountains’.
  6. Jonathan Soulé (Senior Technician, University of Bergen, 2025-present): ‘The use of audio-visual tools to increase public awareness and engagement into climate change research’.
  7. Liliya Kirilova Draganova (MSc, University of Bergen, 2024-present): ‘How does reproductive ecology vary across key species in the highly diverse Paramos of Ecuador?’. Co-supervised with Ørjan Totland.

As co-supervisor:

  1. Arnaud Gallou (PhD, University of Bergen, 2019-present): ‘Elevational range distributions of plants around the world’. Co-supervised with John-Arvid Grytnes.
  2. Adrian E. George (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, 2020-Sept/2025): ‘A pantropical assessment of ecoclimate sensitivity based on fossil pollen records’. Co-supervised with Jack Williams.

SUPERVISION (past): As main supervisor:

  1. Raul Pérez Prats (MSc, University of Barcelona, Feb-July/2025): ‘Mountains under change: Artificial intelligence and machine learning for future ecosystem predictions’
  2. Remko Pape (BSc, Avans University of Applied Sciences, 2024): ‘A deep dive into the topographic and paleoclimate characteristics of mountains worldwide’.
  3. Julien Seguinot (Postdoc, University of Bergen, 2022-2023): ‘Global reconstruction of mountain glaciers since the last glacial cycle’.
  4. Midori Yajima (MSc, University of Bergen, 2019-2020): ‘Human impact in the Northern and Central Andes as detected from fossil pollen records’
  5. Reineke van Tol (MSc, University of Amsterdam, 2017): ‘Are vulnerable and endangered plants being conserved in tropical dry forests? A GIS study on prioritized plant species in Colombia’
  6. Jesse R. Zondervan (BSc, Imperial College London, July-Aug 2016): ‘Population dynamics and choice of settlement in Peru from carbon-14 dated archaeological sites’.
  7. Seringe Huisman (MSc internship, University of Amsterdam, 2016): ‘Review of the Latin American Pollen Database’.
  8. Mayke Nieuwkerk (MSc internship, University of Amsterdam, 2016): ‘Review of the Latin American Pollen Database’.
  9. Nina Witteveen (MSc internship, University of Amsterdam, 2016): ‘Review of the Latin American Pollen Database’.
  10. Johnny Vogel. (MSc internship, University of Amsterdam, 2016): ‘Review of the Latin American Pollen Database’.
  11. Susana Velásquez (BSc internship, University los Andes, Colombia, 2014): ‘Review of the Latin American Pollen Database’.
  12. Jessica Moreno (BSc internship, University los Andes, Colombia, 2014): ‘Review of the Latin American Pollen Database’.

As co-supervisor:

  1. Sara Lien (MSc, University of Bergen, 2024-2025): ‘Mapping and analysis of the snowbed habitat and its decline in Finse’. Co-supervised with John-Arvid Grytnes.
  2. Helene Røstbø Treeck (MSc, University of Bergen, , 2024-2025): ‘Thermal lags in the Sunnhordlandsfjella mountains’. Co-supervised with John-Arvid Grytnes.
  3. L. Camila Pacheco (PhD, University of Bergen, 2019-2023): ‘High elevation plant community responses to climate change: Synchronicity or out of pace?’ Co-supervised with John-Arvid Grytnes.
  4. Arthur Luikink (MSc, University of Amsterdam, 2017): ‘Sky islands: evolutionary isolation and connection’. Co-supervised with Henry Hooghiemstra.
  5. Anna Schwarz (MSc, University of Amsterdam, 2014): ‘Connectivity and isolation in the Puna of Peru and Bolivia and its effect on species distribution’. Co-supervised with Henry Hooghiemstra.

Outreach

PUBLIC OUTREACH

  • Open Day Amsterdam Science Park. Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2018). ‘Sky islands: A time travel of the Andes Mountains’. Short movie.

  • Youtube video Sky islands: A time travel of the Andes Mountains (>1000 views), on the biogeographical history of the high Andean páramos during the last 1 million years (2017)

  • Open Day Amsterdam Science Park. Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2016). ‘Fieldwork through time: From microscopes to mountain tops’. Presentation.

  • Forum for the regional planning of sustainable oil palm production in Colombia. Bogotá, Colombia. (2016). ‘Landscape connectivity at a regional scale’ (In Spanish). Presentation.

  • New publications featured on websites of University of Amsterdam, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute website, University of Bergen and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research

  • Papers featured in newspapers and scientific websites:

    • Science paper (2023) on Amazonian rates of change
    • Science paper (2021) on global rates of vegetation change
    • Journal of Biogeography paper (2019) on the biogeographic history of the Andean páramos,
    • Nature Geoscience paper (2018) on mountain biodiversity
    • Science paper (2015) on the closing of the Panama Isthmus.

  • Radio interviews:

    • NPO: Interview about Science paper on Amazonian rates of change
    • BBC Inside Science. Human use of plants beyond the limits of history. (May 2021)
    • BBC Vroege Vogels. Birding and research in Norway (Dec 2020)
    • BBC Radio 4. Interview and report on fieldwork expeditions in Colombia. Boyacá Plants-for-life project. Royal Botanical Garden Kew, UK (Feb 2018)