Short Bio
Caroline Nieberding is a biologist and holds a permanent position of Professor in Terrestrial Ecology at the Earth and Life Institute at UCLouvain (Belgium) since 2008 . Caroline works on Adaptation and Evolution of animals to environmental changes, using a range of methods with focus on behaviour, both field-based and lab-controlled work, and molecular biology such DNA sequencing, transcriptomics, phylogenetics,…
As leader of the team “Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics”, my research interest is to understand how populations evolve and new species arise. We are also very concerned to understand how insects and spiders, that make 50% of all species on Earth, adapt (or not) to the current ongoing sixth Biodiversity major extinction.
For this, we rear several insect species all year long and we integrate an array of techniques and methods in behavioural ecology (reproductive success in semi-natural conditions), in chemical ecology, in molecular biology (gene sequencing, rt-qPCR, cloning), in comparative phylogenetics and phylogeography, in experimental evolution or artificial selection.
Research Gate profile here
Google Scholar profile here
I am also responsible for teaching in two masters: the interdisciplinary master in Sustainable Development and management of the environment, as well as the Master in Ecology. I teach ~150 hours every year from Bsc1 to Msc2 university level, with ~ 350 students in science and biology at UCLouvain. I am also invited to teach at Paris VI university (France), Amterdam university (NL) and Valencia university (Spain). Find the reports by my master students in Ecology on human activities that threaten biodiversity here.
I serve in a number of institutions and administrations, more info here.
Milestone career steps
Contact
Prof. Dr. Caroline Nieberding
Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics group
Biodiversity Research Centre
Earth and Life Institute
UCLouvain
Croix du Sud 4
1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Belgium
+32 (0) 10 47 34 88 (or +32 (0) 10 47 34 98 at secretary’s office)
caroline.nieberding@uclouvain.be
www.nieberdinglab.be
Outreach and media
I provide expertise in Ecology and Biodiversity to citizens and to the independent national media. Below some examples of my conferences to broad audiences and of my interviews to the radio, newspapers and tv.
I am a member of the Carta Academica, a Belgian group of academic experts who invest time and energy to communicate their expertise to the Belgian society, notably through a weekly article published in the national journal Le Soir.
2021: The biodiversity crisis and our responsibility in Belgium
2020: COVID-19 pandemy and the biodiversity crisis
Interview at national radio La Première show “Tendances” here (April 2nd, from 10.45-10.55 and from 11.05-11.20 am)
2020: The role of scientists in democracy – post COVID-19 pandemy
Two interviews in journal Le Soir here and here.
2020: Prospects by an Ecologist : is there space for hope?
2019: #We Change For Life in the media:
in 7sur7, in Imagine, in Le Vif, on RTBF radio, in l’Info durable, in the journal Le Soir,..
Conference for investors of CBC-KBC Bank on the climate and biodiversity crises with my ELI colleague Prof. Jean-Pascal van Ypersele (climatologist).
Caroline Nieberding presented the #WeChangeForLife initiative to the Belgian Queen Mathilde. Thank you to Michel Pirnay, Christophe Pels, Suzon Rondeaux and Jeanne Rezsohazy for their support!
2019 : June 26th, 13-14.00: Profile RTBF show “Les Eclaireurs”
2019 : The climate and biodiversity crises and the students’ strikes
March 7th to 15th, 2019: Interviews for the RTL-TVI TV journal and at radio in the morning journal of La Première and of Vivacité.