Ana Novoa

My research focuses on the ecology, introduction, impacts, and management of invasive plants worldwide. I am also engaged in projects that explore the human and social dimensions of biological invasions, aiming to build a more comprehensive understanding of these complex phenomena. I participate in the editorial board of three scientific journals (Biological Invasions, Journal of Ecology and Management of Biological Invasions) and I am the co-Editor-in-Chief of NeoBiota. I am a member of a variety of international expert groups, including my role as Secretary of the European Group on Biological Invasions (NEOBIOTA). I am the PI of IRIS and am also associated with the Department of Invasion Ecology at the Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

novoa.perez.ana@gmail.com; novoa@eeza.csic.es

Paula Gervazoni

I am an Argentinian researcher with a PhD in ecology, specializing in the ecological aspects of invasive plants. My current research at IRIS focuses on examining both the ecological and social dimensions of alien plant invasions, as well as exploring a range of management practices.  

paulagervazoni07@gmail.com

Theresa Henke

I am a German researcher based at IRIS, and after living in Iceland for the past 8 years for my Masters & PhD degrees, I joined the team in September 2024. My research interests lie in exploring the human dimensions of biological invasions, culturomics, & interdisciplinary approaches.

henke@eeza.csic.es; theresa.henke.93@gmail.com

Julian W. Zeller

I am a German Master student in Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology at Freie Universität Berlin. I am currently at EEZA (CSIC) in Spain with a JAE Intro Scholarship. I joined the IRIS team in October 2024. In general, my focus is on ecology and in particular on the impacts of global change drivers. In IRIS, I focus on the impact of invasive species.

julian.zeller@fu-berlin.de; julian.zeller.jz@gmail.com

Óscar Muñoz

I’m a Spanish student. I graduated in Environmental Sciences and I am currently finishing my Master’s degree in Ecology. In IRIS I am working on my Master’s thesis which focuses on understanding the introduction and dispersion pathways of invasive alien plants in high mountain areas, and aims to use this information to help understand how we could prevent future plant invasions in these areas and manage current ones.

Felipe Carlín Alcázar

I am a Spanish student with a degree in Environmental Sciences, currently pursuing a Master’s in Ecology. I have a strong interest in studying the dynamics of exotic species in today’s world. My thesis focuses on assessing the impact of exotic plant species in regions such as Almería.

Arnau Bosch Guiu

I’m a Spanish PhD student at EEZA-CSIC specializing in biodiversity conservation and invasion ecology. My research at IRIS focuses on plant invasions in mountain ecosystems worldwide, particularly through ecological modeling, assessing the impacts of invasive plant species, and characterizing invasive syndromes to better understand and manage biological invasions.

Lucas Borges de Lima

I am a Brazilian PhD student specializing in invasion science. At IRIS, my research focuses on plant invasions in Brazil, assessing their impacts, characterizing invasion syndromes, and addressing the socio-ecological and management dimensions of these invasions.

lucasborglima@gmail.com

Jonathan Almeida

I’m a Brazilian PhD student specializing in urban ecology. My research explores how Urban Nature-Based Solutions, like rain gardens, support biodiversity. During my exchange at IRIS, I’m studying the role of rain gardens in conserving biodiversity by comparing exotic and native plant communities in these spaces and other urban areas.  

Lida Choursoglou

I’m a Greek student doing my diploma at the Agricultural University of Athens: Department of Natural Resource Utilization and Agricultural Engineering. I joined the IRIS team in March 2025 for my internship. The main focus is based on a global research, trying to give answers about the management of invasive alien plants in mountain areas.