Maria Blasi

I have a PhD in Environmental Sciences from Lund University (2021) and I am currently working on the EU projects BioAgora and RESPIN.

m.blasi@creaf.cat

I hold a PhD in Environmental Sciences from Lund University (2021), a Master’s in Conservation Biology from Lund University, and I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Biology at the University of Barcelona.

I am currently working on the EU projects BioAgora (Biodiversity Knowledge Agora: Developing the Science Service for European Research and Biodiversity Policymaking) and RESPIN (Reinforcing Science-Policy INterfaces for integrated biodiversity and climate knowledge and policies).
The BioAgora project aims to connect biodiversity knowledge with policymaking needs and will develop the new European Science Service for Biodiversity (SSBD), a combination of tools, technical platforms, and networks that will help bridge science with policy and society. The SSBD will support the ecological transition required by the European Green Deal and the successful implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

I am a landscape ecologist with a strong background in biodiversity and pollinators. My research has focused on studying the effects of climate change and land-use change on wild pollinators. I have studied the historical patterns of bee phenology in Sweden, developed models to try to find common processes driving pollinator densities across Europe, and investigated the effects that extreme climate events may have on bee population dynamics and ecosystem services. In my research, I combine the use of pollinator field observations, monitoring data, long-term museum and citizen science data, with statistical and spatially explicit modeling.

I have previously worked on projects in both academic and non-academic settings, such as the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Lund University, and the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN-Med), where I focused on terrestrial protected areas in the Mediterranean basin.
In addition to research, I have been teaching landscape ecology, international biodiversity conventions, and ecosystem functions and services in the Master’s program "Conservation Biology" at Lund University. I also enjoy outreach events and engaging in bringing science to the general public.

I am part of the Young Ecosystem Services Specialists (YESS) network, and together with the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), I have enjoyed fruitful collaborations in writing reports or organizing debates on science and policy.