Untangling the Evolution of a Balanced Lethal System (continued work, see under PhD). I work for the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), in collaboration with Naturalis Biodiversity Center.

Untangling the evolution of a 'balanced lethal system'. For my PhD, I study chromosome 1 syndrome in marbled and crested newts, a genetic anomaly considered "an evolutionary failure" as it consistently halves the reproductive output. Yet, it evolved in the face of natural selection, posing a fascinating paradox. Other than that, I am involved in numerous studies as well, most of which relate to invasive populations, species identification, and conservation.I work with the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), in collaboration with Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Each year, I also contribute to teaching at the University, to (co-)supervising HBO, BSc and MSc student projects, and to engaging the public with our scientific work. I am considered the 'media spokeswoman' of our research group (both at Leiden University and at Naturalis).◾️ Oral talk Netherlands Society of Evolutionary Biology PhD & Postdoc meeting 2021. (Award winner) 🏆◾️ Oral talk Programming For Evolutionary Biology Conference 2021, Freie Universität Berlin. (Award winner) 🏆

As an apprentice to Becky Desjardins, I am learning the art and science of taxidermy (with a primary focus on mammals and birds). My role involves preparing study skins and to a lesser extent mounts for the scientific collection at Naturalis Biodiversity Center. I occasionally work in the LiveScience hall of Naturalis, where the museum visitors can observe the process and ask questions. Performing taxidermy live in front of the public allows me to sharpen both my taxidermy skills as well as my science communication abilities at the same time - and I enjoy it very much!

The lab-work required for my PhD and Postdoc projects is carried out at the laboratories of Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Next to that, you can regularly find me in the offices and the museum of Naturalis as a guest researcher, as Naturalis lends itself well for for instance science communication and public engagement. The "Manon's DNA talk" vlogs are an example of this (online), but I regularly work on my research in the LiveScience hall, where I answer the questions of our museum visitors while I work on my genomic data analyses or on writing my manuscripts. I enjoy talking to the public very much! I am also considered the 'media spokeswoman' of our research group (both at Leiden University and at Naturalis).

The biodiversity of the world is in jeopardy. Especially the younger generations are worried for the future of the planet. A core group of young scientist and young activists are therefore joining forces through JXN: Jongeren X Naturalis (Youth X Naturalis). During my time at JXN, I supported the initiative by generating ideas for events, organizing the underlying organizational structure and team strategy, and providing input on the subject of biodiversity as a young scientist.

As a PhD council member I helped organize events and workshops for the PhD and Postdoc communities of Naturalis. The purpose of these activities ranged from simply providing socializing and networking opportunities, to providing excursions, scientific workshops, and personal development & career orientation training. Furthermore, as a member of the PhD council I served as a contact point for my peers, in case they had questions or concerns. The PhD council aims to act as a representation of the young scientist community of Naturalis and is therefore in close contact with the Research Coordination Office and higher management. Being part of that taught me a ton.

🏆 In 2023, I was honored to be selected by the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences as a young scientific ambassador through the Faces of Science program. My role involved blogging, vlogging, and speaking at events and to the media about my work as a biologist, inspiring younger generations to follow their passions. Since the 2024 nominees took over, my contributions have become less frequent, but I still occasionally collaborate with the program through blogging or connecting with journalists for interviews.

As a (science communications) blogger I contribute to the Faces of Science program of KNAW. For more information, read the description under KNAW on my profile or read the selection of blogs attached here.

My passion for understanding life - especially animals, including humans - drives my work in genetics, biology, and evolution. I founded Wild DNA to share this knowledge and help others appreciate and protect the natural world. Through Wild DNA, I offer a range of services, firstly as a science communicator and educator specialised in animals and academic outreach, and secondly as a 'DNA artist,' creating personalized keepsake jewelry.Recent projects include: ◾️ Co-authoring books and texts (e.g., 'PromovendA tot Z,' 'Otje & ik') ◾️ Delivering guest lectures at universities, summer schools, and symposia ◾️ Giving keynote talks and performances (e.g., Trinity: Art & Science exhibition) ◾️ Creating educational art, such as DNA keepsake items with real DNA molecules embedded.Contact me to discuss potential collaborations, and be sure to explore my website (www.wilddna.nl, also available in English) for more information and testimonials.

I work as a trained actress for Walibi Holland during the Halloween Fright Nights and the Halloween Spooky Days, two of Europe's largest Halloween events. Make-up and costume are done by professionals. In this job it is important to be able to be quick on your feet, improvise, and work with an extremely large, varied team of artists, actors, support crew, designers, security, producers, medical staff, etc. The outside world is not always aware that this is a high responsibility job behind - and even more so in front of - the scenes. I am generally cast in a leading role, in which I regulate the throughput of the area as a bouncer in close cooperation with supervisors and safety guards. I do all this while in character, entertaining large crowds, following both written and improvised scripts:◾️ 2023: Lead role in "Urban Explhorror" as Dionea, a botanist housing enormous, carnivorous plants.◾️ 2022: Lead role in "Slaughterhouse" as Kani de Baal, an evil, cannibalistic butcher with rotten teeth. ◾️ 2021: Lead role in "Final Hideout" as Rox, an early-stage infected zombie outbreak survivor.◾️ 2020: Lead role in "Psychoshock Outbreak" as Megan, a rebellious, vengeful patient leading a big riot.◾️ 2019: Lead role in "Below" as a strict but nervous chief, guiding visitors through sewers in waders.◾️ 2018: Lead role in "Jefferson Manor" as Milady Jefferson, a mourning noblewoman in an old mansion.◾️ 2017: Scare-zone role in "Game Over" as 'evil Princess Zelda' (only role with no script/text).

Together with an enthusiastic group of volunteers, I managed the Facebook, LinkedIN, Twitter and Instagram accounts of JGI NL for almost four years. As a behavioral biologist, I also authored a series of online articles about chimpanzee behavior called "ChimpGlimp": these do not occur on the new JGI NL site, but will in the future be re-posted on the www.wilddna.nl blog page. Furthermore, I was the group's main source of information when it came to the biology and behavior of chimpanzees, and I helped organize and support JGI NL events as one of the crew members behind the scenes - which was always a great adventure!

While working for Datura, I led the development and organization of an (environmental) DNA course for ecologists, in order to bridge the gap between ecology and molecular biology. This course continues to be successfully offered on a regular basis. Also, at Datura I also supervised a population genetics student project on badgers (microsatellite data) in the Netherlands, which eventually got published with me as last author in Lutra (the journal of the Dutch Mammal Society). Link provided below. Additionally, I managed digital content production, including writing and editing web articles and blogs, overseeing social media channels, and creating promotional materials. I was also involved in acquiring new projects and establishing new collaborations.

In this diverse role, I balanced office work and fieldwork as an ecologist. My fieldwork focused on conducting quick scans and monitoring Dutch flora and fauna, with an emphasis on species protected under Dutch environmental laws.I advised clients on compliance with legislation, alternative solutions, and setting up mitigation measures for landscape development projects. Moreover, I decided to stimulate more in-depth research at the company by initiating and subsequently supervising three MSc student projects on;◾️ badger genetics (see Datura section), ◾️ bat hibernacula, and, ◾️ house sparrow nesting ecologyLastly, I also took the initiative to contribute to content production for Econsultancy’s website and social media platforms, driven by my passion for communication and education.(Econsultancy became part of Sweco in 2024).

At the Jane Goodall Institute Global (JGIG), I proposed a renewed behavioral research protocol for the long-running ChimpanZoo program, designed to enhance data collection on captive chimpanzees in zoos and sanctuaries.I also analyzed decades of behavioral data from the existing database and contributed to the program’s promotion by creating booklets, flyers, posters, and presentations. Additionally, I helped prepare JGIG for the 2018 online relaunch of ChimpanZoo.During this time, I received several personal letters from Dr. Jane Goodall herself — an unexpected and deeply meaningful honor that I treasure to this day.

I conducted studbook analyses of the captive populations of black crested and grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus aterrimus and L. albigena), species with limited known biology. This research was supported by the AZA and EAZA Old World Monkey Taxon Advisory Groups, and I was supervised at the time by Emile Prins from GaiaZOO. Additionally, I contributed to zoo management practices and assisted in updating the monitoring report on non-managed Macaca species in the EAZA region, as well as in updating educational materials of the zoo.

I studied whole genomes of the highly threatened pygmy hog (Porcula salvania) and a wide range of other wild and domesticated pig species for my MSc Major Thesis. "The importance of genomics for the conservation management of the critically endangered pygmy hog (Porcula salvania)."This resulted not only in a thesis that I was very proud of, but also the chance to work on this project thought me a lot about bioinformatics, scientific presentations, and publishing. See the links attached:◾️ Main authorship on Current Biology Quick Guide (see link)◾️ Co-authorship on scientific paper in Evolutionary Applications (see link)◾️ Oral talk at Zoology 2016 Conference, University of Antwerp ◾️ Oral talk ELLS Scientific Student Conference 2017, University of Copenhagen. (Award winner) 🏆Years later, I even got to see the one and only specimen of a pygmy hog that exists in the Netherlands in the collection tower of Naturalis. Personally, I found it a shame that this smallest pig species was not visible to the public in the museum, hence I made sure it was shown off in a temporary exhibition.

For my MSc Major Thesis, 'The effect of exposure to visitors on stress in the critically endangered blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur flavifrons) and other primate species at Apenheul Primate Park,' I studied four lemurs over several weeks. While measuring visitor sound levels, I found that these levels and visitor behaviors did not directly correlate with stress in the animals. Instead, husbandry and housing practices had a more significant impact. I provided recommendations to adjust these practices to improve the welfare of the lemurs.◾️ Oral talk at ISAE (International Society of Applied Ethology) Benelux Conference 2016. (Award winner) 🏆

During my academic consultancy training, I collaborated with a team of students to explore how societal support for nature conservation in the Netherlands could be increased. We conducted street surveys and - to the surprise of some - we discovered that many people misinterpreted the Birdlife logo as representing a gull: a species they mostly felt little affinity for, which may impact donations.In this project, I took on roles as a controller, consultant, and researcher. This experience was especially memorable because of the collaborative, reflective tasks and meetings that taught us valuable teamwork skills.

I guided a group of bachelor’s Biology students through several presentation sessions, assessing their presentations and self-reflection reports. I was responsible for a group that required additional support with both presenting and providing constructive feedback, as many of the students had neurodivergent traits. This experience proved to be both fun and enlightening for everyone involved, and it taught me valuable lessons about what it means to be a good mentor.

As a teaching assistant, I helped students during practical sessions in microscopy and dissection, and I guided them through their ethological research essay assignments. I noticed that the Professors and assitants were all using paper manuals, which frequently became dirty during the practicals (posing a potential hygiene issue). Taking the initiative, I thus developed a plasticized manual, which was highly appreciated by the Professors coordinating the course. The improved document continued to be used in the classroom after my contract ended, benefiting future students and assistants.

For my BSc thesis I visited Reserva Playa Tortuga in Costa Rica to conduct fieldwork and collect data for an extended amount of time. This was combined simultaneously with volunteering work:◾️ Thesis/Literature Study: 'The influence of Global Warming on the Temperature Dependent Sex Determination of sea turtle species'. (Literature review)◾️ Research/Report: 'The influence of the incubation temperature on the development of Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle eggs and factors that influence this incubation temperature'. This particular document that I wrote is currently still on the web pages of the nature reserve (see link below).◾️ Volunteering: Helping with educational projects, supporting the caiman and mammal projects, placing camera traps in the wild and going through the recordings to search for rare observations, re-building the butterfly garden, conducting street monitoring of road-kills on the highway (which was tough), and performing safety inspections of tourist jungle trails.

As part of this internship, I developed a new flyer and a Wikipedia web page for Trésor Foundation - a creative process I enjoyed very much!