top of page

About me

RebeccaOester_ProfilePicture.jpg

As an ecologist, I am fascinated by the ingenuity and diversity of complex life strategies and interactions in nature. My research focuses on aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, particularly on community ecology and food web dynamics of arthropods on land and in water. Driven by curiosity, I aim to better understand the dynamic interactions between species and their environment and share my enthusiasm for biodiversity in nature with others, especially the next generation of scientists.

RebeccaOester_FieldWork.jpg

Activities

Here you can find a selection of my most recent science and non-science related activities. If you would like a more detailed update follow me on X here.

I have joined the research group of Prof. Dr. Jochen Fründ on Animal Network Ecology as a PostDoc/Lecturer at the university of Hamburg. I will continue my research on aquatic-terrestrial linkages now more incorportating a network perspective. I am affiliated to both the Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology (IPM), and the nstitute of Animal Cell and Systems Biology (IZS).

Field work

I have helped out a fellow PhD student on her project about water-filled tree holes. She examines the communities and food webs in these understudied ecosystems.

RebeccaOester_FieldWork_2.jpg

Nature & Science

Festival

At this outreach event I had the opportunity to teach people from young to old how interesting, cool and so close aquatic biodiversity can be! Judging by the number of happy faces, wet boots and critters collected, people seemed to enjoy it a lot!

RebeccaOester_ScienceFestival.jpg

WBF24

Together with my fellow co-conveners, we organised an exciting session on aquatic-terrestrial linkages and food webs.

WBF2024-Header-1-1024x381.jpg

Public statement on biodiversity loss

I have signed a public statement on the need to better protect Swiss biodiversity as the condition and development of biodiversity in Switzerland are causing concern among researchers. Urgent and effective measures are needed to ensure and enhance the protection and promotion of biodiversity in Switzerland.

AEN

I am the current president and co-founder of the Aquatic Ecology Network, which advocates for the collaboration between specialists in aquatic ecology. Our goal is to foster the development and exchange of knowledge, sharing expertise to contribute to the protection and conservation of aquatic habitats and biodiversity. We organise excursions, seminars and network events.

RebeccaOester_SummerSchool.jpg

My learning, teaching and supervision philosophy

01

Curiousity

Curiosity drives my approach to learning, teaching, and supervision. Getting inspired by nature and people around us not only broadens our horizon but also unlocks new insights and perspectives that enrich our lives. I try to foster a culture of curiosity and discovery that encourages to make mistakes, learn, and grow from them.

02

Collaborative and reciprocal learning

Collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential for novel insights and opening up new research avenues. By working together and learning from a diverse set of persective, we can advance our understanding beyond our areas of expertise.

03

Reflection

Reflecting on our progress and learning journey is crucial to allow new insights to sink in and build upon them. By taking the time to look back, we can gain a better understanding of our achievements and challenges, and use that knowledge to move forward.

04

Feedback

Regular feedback is a highly efficient tool for learning. It allows us to continuously improve in both the roles of a learner and a teacher. By giving and receiving feedback, we can enhance our collaborations and learn from each other.

CV

Here is a brief summary of my education, work experiences and scientific outputs. You can download a more detailed CV here.

CV

Education

2020- 2024

2018-2020

Teaching Certification in Environmental Sciences

ETH Zurich

Thesis: “The Role of Riparian Forests for Aquatic-Terrestrial Linkages, Ecosystem Functions, and Biodiversity in Stream Food Webs” (supervised by Dr. Andreas Bruder, Prof. Dr. Marcelo Moretti, and Prof. Dr. Florian Altermatt)

Didactic education on how to efficiently teach environmental sciences for different audiences

2017-2020

MSc Environmental Sciences
ETH Zurich

2014-2018

BSc Environmental Sciences
ETH Zurich

Thesis: “The influence of fish community on photoprotective compounds of copepods” (supervised by Dr. Blake Matthews)

Thesis: “Vegetative and sexual reproduction of Ranunculus ficaria as influenced by different environmental factors “(supervised by Dr. Sabine Güsewell)

Work experiences

2020

Project manager

Gutwasser GmbH

2019

Reseach assistant

Eawag

2018

Field assistant

WSL

2017-2019

Lab assistant

Eawag

Designing and executing biodiversity monitoring programs

Collecting limnological data from lakes

Surveying people’s perception of forests and their functions

Dissecting snails and extracting their parasites under the microscope

Teaching experiences

2021-2023

Microbial Ecology

University of Zurich

2021-2023

Animal Behaviour

University of Zurich

2021

Limnoecology

Eawag

2020

Biology

High school Lucerne

2018-2019

Vegetation Ecology

ETH Zurich

Organising field trips and morphological identification of diatoms and fungi

Supervision of students on study design, data collection, data analysis, and scientific writing

Supervision of student projects

Introduction to ecology and evolution

Introduction to field-based assessment of community ecology and biodiversity

Awards

2023

SME8

Switzerland

2022

PLPF9

Portugal

2021

SEFS12

Ireland

2019

CEEB

Switzerland

Best poster

Best oral presentation

Most active participant

Best poster

Reviewing for

Arthropod Plant Interactions

Ecological Monographs

FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Freshwater Biology

Fundamental and Applied Limnology

Hydrobiologia

bottom of page