Welcome Ignasi Bartomeus - new SE
Submitted by editor on 12 September 2017.
We are very happy to welcome Ignasi Bartomeus, Dpto. Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Sevilla, Spain, to our Editorial Board. Read more about him on his website https://bartomeuslab.com and in my interview below:
What's you main research focus at the moment?
I am broadly interested in understanding how global change drivers impact community structure and composition, and how those impacts translate to the ecosystem functioning. I like to work with plant-pollinator communities because they show complex responses to land use change, climate warming or biological invasions, and encapsulate a critical ecosystem function, pollination.
Can you describe your research career?
I did my PhD in Barcelona Auntonomous University (Spain 2004-2008) studying how invasive plants rewire the native plant-pollinator interactions. Since then I got really interested in pollinator responses to global change, and I did two postdoctoral stages at Rutgers University (USA, 2010-2012) and Swedish University of Agriculture (Sweden, 2012-2014). These experiences were complementary as they give me the opportunity to work in both natural systems and in agroecosystems. Since 2014 I run my own lab at Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) where we combine synthesis of large data compilations to elucidate patterns of community responses to global change, with observational and experimental work to test for particular mechanisms that may buffer ecological community from collapsing under current pressures. However, during my career, I had the chance to interact with other researchers and systems, including other invertebrates, plants, and birds.
How come that you became a scientist in ecology?
I think that a natural inclination for nature and a lot of chance brought me here, but to be honest I never had a clear idea of what I wanted to be. During my degree in biology, I had the chance to collaborate with the ecology department and it was fun. My grades were not too impressive, but the PhD responsible of the project I was helping on quit and suddenly I was in the perfect position to continue it. That was a lucky start because after a few years I realized that I really liked all this field work + reading + analysis thing. I think this is important to transmit to young potential scientists that it is ok not to be sure what do you want in life, but it's important also to be proactive if you see an opportunity.
What do you do when you're not working?
Nowadays I mostly play with my kids and we try to go camping all the family as much as possible. I also like running in dirty trails or hiking and I try to read non-science related old books before going to sleep (if I can manage not to fall asleep right away).
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