I am an early career Marine and Lacustrine Scientist, with a strong interest in freshwater ecosystems. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Tanzania. I am VLIR-UOS alumni, with a Master’s degree in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management from three Belgian Universities: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ghent University and University of Antwerp.
My master’s thesis “Species Competition and Trophic Interactions Under a Climate Change Scenario” sparked my research interest in food web ecology, trophic interactions and climate change in addition to my early interest in fisheries ecology and stock assessment. Following my master’s studies, I spent over a year teaching an undergraduate course on the ecology of lakes and rivers at UDSM.
Currently, I am a PhD candidate at Nord University, working on Project CHIPOLATA where I am studying the ecological changes in the pelagic fish communities of Lake Tanganyika in response to overharvesting and climate change, under supervision of Prof. Joost Raeymaekers. My research focuses on the changes in trophic ecology, morphological traits, dietary composition and growth trajectories of the Lake Tanganyika’s clupeids (sardines), Stolothrissa tanganicae and Limnothrissa miodon, together with the latid perch Lates stappersii. Apart from academia, I enjoy reading books, music and the art of cooking.