About Karolien
I am a Soil Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and Managing Director of the NREL’s analytical facility “EcoCore”, a CSU specialized facility which provides analytical, training and educational services related to ecology and ecosystem research. I also spent 2 years in the private sector working as a consultant at Environmental Resources Management (ERM), where I led the climate change and sustainability business practice for ERM Belgium. As Managing Director of EcoCore, I coordinate the day-to-day operations of the lab and strategize our long-term vision. I constantly strive to improve our operational efficiency, build strong customer relationships and expand our analytical capabilities and expertise to enable future research at CSU.
WebsiteInterests
- I am particularly interested in the role of plant-soil-microbe interactions in soil C and N cycling and the impacts of agriculture and land use on soil C sequestration. I am an expert on compound-specific stable isotope analysis, which I specifically apply in my research to explore the role of soil microbes in soil organic matter formation and stabilization. I enjoy teaching, which I mostly do through guest lectures at CSU and short intensive courses, such as those recently offered through the GHG-ACT training center. I’m hoping to develop some short workshops on analytical techniques through EcoCore in the future.
Education
Ph.D., Applied Biosciences - Catholic University of Leuven
Leuven, Belgium, 2003
B.A., Bio-Engineering - Catholic University of Leuven Belgium
Leuven, Belgium, 1999
Awards, Honors, Grants
- Best Paper Award- Division S6, Soil Science Society of America, 2010
Memberships
- Soil Science Society of America