Maria is a PhD researcher in the School of Geography supervised by Dr. Tom Matthews, Dr. Jon Sadler, and Dr. Laura Graham. With a background in biology, her interest lies within some of the larger questions in ecology and island biogeography such as understanding the mechanisms responsible for patterns in biodiversity and community assembly. Her PhD research focuses on the changes in functional diversity with species extinctions and introductions on the worlds islands.

Maria completed her BSc in biology in 2017 at University of Copenhagen, which included six months spent at University of Tasmania. Her final bachelor thesis investigated the synergistic effects of herbicides and ocean acidification on coral health.
This was followed by an MSc in Ecology and Evolution from University of Copenhagen, but with time spent doing field work in both Greenland and Svalbard. Her master's thesis investigated the role of native functional diversity for establishment success of non-native birds on island, which lead her the current position as a PhD student at University of Birmingham.
Along side her studies, Maria has spent time working with scientific outreach, both in her position as guide/scientific communicator at Oresund Aquarium as well as through the establishment of the NGO "Os Om Havet", where she is currently Vice President.