Sophie Koch, PhD

Researcher
sophie@sjokovin.fo

CURRICULUM VITAE

Sophie Kock is a marine environmental researcher specialized on seaweed farming, focusing on topics at the intersection of natural- and social sciences. With a background in environmental mediation, I worked 5 years in green projects in Africa (mostly Cameroon and Madagascar) aiming at closing the gaps between theoretical sustainable solutions for the environment and the reality of communities having to implement them. After these years, I returned to oceanography and marine research. My current research is focused on ecosystem services from seaweed cultivations, monetization of ecosystem services and the socio-economic as well as ecological carrying capacity of an ecosystem with seaweed farms. Linked to my current projects I am also working on my PhD and working as a scientific researcher at Sjókovin.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

PhD
Christian Albrecht University of Kiel and GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (2022 - )
Seaweed aquaculture and its ecosystem services

Master of Arts
Aix-Marseille University (2012 - 2014)
Terrestrial Environmental Sciences (SET) with specialisation in Scientific mediation

Bachelor in Oceanography with specialisation in Biogeochimie
Aix-Marseille University (2009 - 2012)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

2024

Byron, C. J., Koch, S., Callier, M. D., Kluger, L., Angel, D. L., Vanaverbeke, J., & Filgueira, R. (2024). Indicators for ecological carrying capacity of bivalve and seaweed aquaculture. Reviews in Aquaculture, n/a(n/a). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12945

Eger, A., Aguirre, J. D., Altamirano, M., Arafeh-Dalmau, N., Arroyo, N. L., Bauer-Civiello, A. M., Beas-Luna, R., Bekkby, T., Bellgrove, A., Bennett, S., Bernal, B., Blain, C. O., Boada, J., Branigan, S., Bursic, J., Cevallos, B., Choi, C., Connell, S. D., Cornwall, C. E., … Vergès, A. (2024). The Kelp Forest Challenge: A collaborative global movement to protect and restore 4 million hectares of kelp forests. Journal of Applied Phycology, 36(2), 951–964. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-023-03103-y

2023

van den Burg, S. W. K., Koch, S. J. I., Banach, J. L., Hoffmans, Y., van Hoof, L., Nauta, R. W., Jak, R. G., Makri, E., Wadsworth, E., Post, S., & Kristensen, K. (2023). Learning to discuss safety within the European seaweed aquaculture sector. Aquaculture International. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-023-01358-3

van den Burg, S., Koch, S., Raoult, J., Tsvetkov, B., & Selnes, T. (2023). Time to Include Blue Carbon from Seaweed in Voluntary Carbon Removal Certification. EuroChoices, 22(2), 13–19. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/1746-692X.12398

van den Burg, S. W. K., Koch, S. J. I., Poelman, M., Veraart, J., Selnes, T., Foekema, E. M., & Lansbergen, R. (2023). Seaweed as climate mitigation solution: Categorizing and reflecting on four climate mitigation pathways. WIREs Climate Change, 15(2), e868. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.868

2022

Banach, J. L., Koch, S. J. I., Hoffmans, Y., & van den Burg, S. W. K. (2022). Seaweed Value Chain Stakeholder Perspectives for Food and Environmental Safety Hazards. Foods, 11(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11101514

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

Scientific Researcher
Sjókovin (Jan 2024 – )

Research for projects with international consortia, specialized in seaweed cultivation, ecosystem service quantification and valuation and an interdisciplinary approach to carrying capacity assessments.

  • Ecological and socio-economic data collection,

  • Systematic literature reviews, desk research,

  • Proposal writing, peer reviewed articles and project deliverables writing

Scientific Researcher
Wageningen University and Researcher (Apr 2021 – Sep 2023)

  • Ecological as well as socio-economic empirical data collection

  • Literature research (including systematic reviews) for peer reviewed publication and reports in several projects regarding:

    1. risks and benefits of seaweed farming

    2. ecosystem services analysis of seaweed ad other lower trophic species

    3. business cases of seaweed farming

    4. cost benefit analysis

Technical Advisor
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationalen Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Jun 2018 – Jun 2020)

  • Creation of links between the private sector and the value chains supported by a biodiversity- and environment protection program

  • Consultant coordination

    Community Manager / SNRD Africa Secretariat (June 2017 - December 2019) Administrative coordination of working groups and management committee (budget, events, membership, external communication, etc.).

  • Organization of a regional conference

Junior Advisor
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationalen Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Dec 2015 – Jun 2018)

  • Design of several capitalization formats for in a forest and environment program (ProPFE), oriented towards the local population or the international community

  • Organization of Open Spaces in a working group of the Sector Network for Rural Development in Africa (SNRD Africa)'

Intern
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationalen Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Apr 2015 – Sep 2015)

  • 6 month internship with the International Water Stewardship Programme (IWasP) in HQ and Grenada

Intern
IOC-UNESCO Sub Commission for Africa and the adjacent island states (IOCAFRICA) (Jan 2014 – Jun 2014)

  • Initiation and organization of an Africa wide public outreach project to raise awareness about ocean related issues and to enable connectivity amongst the Member States of the organization as well.

SELECTED RESEARCH PROJECTS

SeaMark: Horizon Europe:

  • Grant agreement ID: 101060379 - DOI 10.3030/101060379 (July 2022 – June 2026)

  • Major contributor to Work Package 9 - Ecosystem service quantification, assessment and monetary valuation of seaweed aquaculture

    Safe Seaweed by Design

  • Grant agreement ID: 100395 (Jan 2021 - Des 2022)

  • Task leader and Contributor to other tasks

  • For more information about the project, see https://www.wur.nl/en/project/Safe- Seaweed-by-Design.htm.

OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS AND DISTINCTIONS

CONTRIBUTION TO INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE EXPLORATION OF THE SEA (ICES)

  • Working group on ecological carrying capacity for aquaculture (2023 – 2024) Invited member

  • Working group on ecological carrying capacity for aquaculture (2024 – 2026) Co-chair