Marine Biodiversity Networking Friday on Plankton: Small Organisms, Massive Impact
- DATEJune 20th, 2025, 1-2 PM UTC
- AIR Centre Networking Fridays
- Zoom Webinar registration is open
- Or watch it on YouTube
On June 20th, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM UTC+0, we will have a special session with Dr Maria Grigoratou and Dr Christian Lindemann focusing on the value of plankton.
Though tiny and often invisible, plankton are the unsung heroes of our planet. These diverse organisms drive biogeochemical cycles, sustain marine life, and provide essential benefits to humanity; from clean water and food security to advances in biotechnology. Plankton supports our well-being, culture, and economies, yet their value is too often overlooked. In 2020 and 2021, plankton experts from around the world gathered in four Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) workshops to explore the value of plankton to humanity.
What began as a workshop discussion grew into a global collaboration. Motivated by a shared commitment to plankton, we, 47 authors from 23 countries, joined forces to capture the value of plankton across six themes: Biogeochemistry, Ecology, Climate, Evolution of Science, Economy, and Culture, Recreation & Well-being. Using the 2022 IPBES Life Framework of Values, we mapped how plankton supports life from, as, in, and with nature. For the first time, the diverse contributions of plankton have been captured through this lens, offering a new way to understand and appreciate these vital yet often invisible organisms.
This seminar shares not only our findings but also our journey – from an initial idea to a global network. It’s a story of collaboration, vision, and the power of community science, with a clear mission: to raise awareness of the immersible value of plankton to humanity and provide a reference point for scientists, decision-makers, and anyone invested in the future of our planet’s waters.
Speakers
Maria Grigoratou
Executive Secretary, European Polar Board, SW
Dr. Maria Grigoratou is a Biological Oceanographer with expertise in plankton ecology and experience in Science Diplomacy and Coordination. She holds a PhD in Marine Ecology and Ecosystem Modelling (Bristol University, UK), an MSc in Environmental Biology (University of Crete, Greece), and a BSc in Marine Sciences (Aegean University, Greece). Maria has worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (USA) and as a Scientist and EU Coordinator for the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative (FSOI) at Mercator Ocean International (France). Since November 2024 she has been the Executive Secretary of the European Polar Board. She currently serves as a lead author for the IPBES monitoring assessment.
Christian Lindemann
Research Scientist, Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), NO
Dr. Maria Grigoratou is a Biological Oceanographer with expertise in plankton ecology and experience in Science Diplomacy and Coordination. She holds a PhD in Marine Ecology and Ecosystem Modelling (Bristol University, UK), an MSc in Environmental Biology (University of Crete, Greece), and a BSc in Marine Sciences (Aegean University, Greece). Maria has worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (USA) and as a Scientist and EU Coordinator for the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative (FSOI) at Mercator Ocean International (France). Since November 2024 she has been the Executive Secretary of the European Polar Board. She currently serves as a lead author for the IPBES monitoring assessment.
Moderator
Alexis A. Bahl
Ph.D. Candidate and Instructor, University of British Columbia, CA
Alexis Bahl is a Ph.D. Candidate in Oceanography, a Killam award-winning Teaching Assistant and Instructor in Ocean Ecology at the University of British Columbia, and a 2022 National Geographic Explorer. Her Ph.D. research focuses on the size- and stage-specific daily vertical migration behavior of zooplankton tunicate Salpa thompsoni and its role in Southern Ocean ecosystem structure and carbon cycling. Alexis also works as a Graduate Researcher with the Canadian Consortium for Science Equity Scholars (CCSES), a multi-institutional initiative aimed at enhancing inclusive teaching practices for first-year STEM students in Canadian universities. Alexis is an active member of the UN Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) programme, the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), and the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) Project. She holds an M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from Loyola University Chicago.
We will continue with the Networking Fridays during the next months. More information about future sessions as well as presentations and videos from previous sessions can be found here. Please do not forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Twitter Hashtag: #netfridays. Expect some very exciting mornings, afternoons or evenings, depending on where you are…
If you need any additional information please send an email to Catarina Duarte.
