Employees

Dr. Rea Pärli

Center Manager - WSL

Since my studies in environmental systems science, I have been fascinated by the topic of cooperation between research and practice as well as participatory methods and processes. In my doctorate, I researched the factors that promote or inhibit successful cooperation between research and practice and across disciplinary boundaries. In my position as Centre Manager of the Biodiversity Synthesis Center, I coordinate and integrate a wide range of issues and act as the primary contact person for our practice partners.

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Dr. Karen Bussmann-Charran

Specialist aquatic biodiversity - Eawag

Life under water has fascinated me since my early age. While studying at the University of Tübingen I did research on reproductive ecology at the Baltic Sea, as well as bioacoustics and behavioural biology at the Northern Atlantic in Norway. For my PhD at the University of Basel I studied invasion biology, specifically on the topic of invasive round gobies in Switzerland. The close collaboration with practitioners during this time inspired me to follow more applied research questions to contribute directly to nature and biodiversity conservation. Here at the Translational Centre Biodiversity Conservation I can make this aspiration a reality.

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Dr. Sarah Richman

Specialist terrestrial biodiversity - ETHZ

I am a community ecologist interested in the interplay between climate change, shifting species distributions, and species interactions. I focus on plant-​pollinator interactions, both because of a lifelong adoration of flying insects and floral morphological diversity, and because pollination is essential for biodiversity maintenance and global food systems. In my research, I have used plant-​pollinator interactions to answer basic (how are between-​species mutualisms promoted and maintained?) and applied (how do pesticide exposure and climate change affect pollinator fitness?) questions. I am very excited to join the Translational Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and expand my work into the science-policy interface.

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Alanis Camichel

Specialist Policy & Governance - ETHZ

The interactions within the human-environment system have fascinated me since my studies, as they form the foundation for understanding ecological and societal challenges. With my background in environmental sciences, particularly in the analysis of environmental systems and policy, I engage intensively with these dynamic relationships. I am especially interested in participatory processes in all forms and their potential to effectively address ecological and societal challenges. The TCBC allows me to explore the interactions between the Swiss societal system and biodiversity in greater depth and to compile this knowledge for practical application. 

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