About me

As an environmental and soil scientist, my research centers on the role of soil within both natural and managed ecosystems. The interplay of chemistry, biology, and physics in soils fascinates me, as does their fundamental significance for ecosystems and our daily lives. My primary focus lies in the carbon cycle and the ways in which climate change influences soil dynamics, as well as the effects of soil on climate change interactions. 

I began my research journey studying grassland soils in New Zealand, investigating how deep soil modifications affect their organic carbon stocks. During my doctoral studies, I explored the influence of wildfire-related pyrogenic carbon on soils, particularly in the permafrost-affected regions of Northern Canada. This project also extended to examining pyrogenic carbon in tropical soils of India. Following my doctorate, I shifted my attention to regenerative land management practices in the tropical soils of Sub-Saharan Africa. More recently, I focus on the effects of agricultural management on soil organic carbon stocks and quality across Germany on a national scale. I am currently in charge of the German Agricultural Soil Spectral Library (GASSL), hosted at the Thünen Institute.  

I am passionate about designing manipulative experiments in both field and laboratory settings. Soil sampling and fieldwork are essential for my work and a great joy. I am particularly intrigued by the challenge of connecting findings across landscape scales to microscales, thereby enhancing our understanding of soils and their vital role in the Earth's system. In addition, I am passionate about teaching and train the next generation of soil scientists.