Black Sea Young Ambassador Programme

Country: Moldova

My activities aim at developing environmental education among the population, raising awareness, and mobilizing all citizens, as a joint effort of all the actors of the society (civil society, public authorities, business community, educational institutions, mass media, citizens) to restore natural balance and to tackle the path of sustainable and prosperous development.

My field of expertise is ecological chemistry and environmental protection that I have gained through my master’s and bachelor’s degrees at the State University of Moldova. I also hold a Ph.D. from the Institute of Chemistry. I love every minute of my work: especially the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge projects and discuss ideas with fellow environmentalists regarding water management.

In my spare time, I like reading books, painting. I am also a member of the Moldovan intellectual games club, which organizes each week a quiz-like game on a wide range of topics.

What makes me connect to the Black Sea?
We live in an inland country yet rivers connect us to the Black Sea.

My Keywords
#EnvironmentalProtection #EcologicalChemistry #EnvironmentalEducation

Country: Moldova

I graduated from the Faculty of International Relations in 2020. Within the framework of the Diversity Intern Program, I took an internship at UNDP Moldova, at the Effective Governance Cluster, where I learned about the main problems in the implementation of projects and the importance of interaction between government agencies and scientists while implementing ecological projects.

I want people to preserve this unique basin, improve it, and raise awareness about its significance and problems, including environmental ones. In these conditions, it is important to interact with the state agencies, which can take effective measures in this direction.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
Warm memories and beautiful times of my childhood connect me with the Black Sea.

My Keywords
#EcologicalProjects #GovernmentAgencies #EffectiveGovernance

Country: Moldova

My activities aim at developing environmental education among the population, raising awareness, and mobilizing all citizens, as a joint effort of all the actors of the society (civil society, public authorities, business community, educational institutions, mass media, citizens) to restore natural balance and to tackle the path of sustainable and prosperous development.

My field of expertise is ecological chemistry and environmental protection that I have gained through my master’s and bachelor’s degrees at the State University of Moldova. I also hold a Ph.D. from the Institute of Chemistry. I love every minute of my work: especially the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge projects and discuss ideas with fellow environmentalists regarding water management.

In my spare time, I like reading books, painting. I am also a member of the Moldovan intellectual games club, which organizes each week a quiz-like game on a wide range of topics.

What makes me connect to the Black Sea?
We live in an inland country yet rivers connect us to the Black Sea.

My Keywords
#EnvironmentalProtection #EcologicalChemistry #EnvironmentalEducation

Country: Romania

I graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Ovidius University Constanta, Romania. I have a Master's Degree in Biodiversity Conservation. I have been working for more than 3 years as a biologist at the National Institute of Marine Geology and Geo-Ecology GeoEcoMar, Constanta branch. I’m involved in different projects aiming at monitoring and managing the quality of the Black Sea ecosystems.

Currently, I’m a Ph.D. student at the Institute of Biology of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, studying the genetic diversity of benthic communities from the Danube-Danube Delta-Black Sea system, with a focus on molecular identification and characterization of benthic species and also bacterial communities of marine and freshwater macroinvertebrates and surface sediments.  At the same time, I regularly carry out interactive and proactive activities with children and students from schools and University, as part of the “School differently” program.  The activities consist of theoretical and practical lessons concerning the biodiversity of the Black Sea, organized on the Romanian Black Sea beaches.

What makes me connect to the Black Sea?
What connects me to the Black Sea is my research on its unique ecosystems and ocean literacy to engage and empower young generations for a healthy and resilient Black Sea.

My Keywords
#BenthicCommunities #Genetics #OceanLiteracy

Country: Romania

I am Sebastian, I graduated from “Mircea cel Batran” Naval Academy and then I started working as a Deck Officer on container vessels. Black Sea is a big part of my life because I live in Constanta, next to it, and also, I am navigating through the seas and oceans of the world. In the past, I had volunteered for different projects or internships like the environmental project “Let’s do it Romania” or internship at the Ministry of Transportation – Naval Transportation office, which gave me a better insight between the policymaking area and the field job differences.

I am passionate about traveling and discovering new people and I love being a Young Ambassador of the Black Sea to support and contribute to the desired outcome of the project.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
The Black Sea is a big part of my life because I work on the navigation principles of vessels for the sustainable future of shipping and a healthier Black Sea.

My Keywords
#CarbonNeutral #MarineTransportation #BlueEconomy

Country: Romania

I am a young coastal scientist with a love for the sea and its beaches. I got my Ph.D. from the University of Bucharest in Romania and Aix-Marseille University in France studying the river mouths of the Danube.

During my research, I found out that there is a big fight between two forces of nature which go on at river mouths, and which govern the evolution of our deltas and coasts. These are marine storms and river floods, and if we can measure them we can also attempt to predict what will happen in the future.

I am also interested in climate change and now I am working on how river deltas will respond to changes in wave climate worldwide.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
I spend my summer months in the Danube delta doing fieldwork and enjoying nature, whereas winters are reserved for the stressful activity of publishing scientific papers.

My Keywords
#Geomorphology #Deltas #Coasts #RiverMouths

Country: Romania

I work as a (postdoctoral) scientific researcher at the European Research Institute Faculty of European Studies, “Babeș-Bolyai” University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. I graduated from the Faculty of Political Science, BBU. I hold one MA in International Relations from Central European University (Budapest) and another one in European Affairs and Project Management from the Faculty of European Studies (Cluj-Napoca).

I also hold a Ph.D. in International Relations and European Studies from the Faculty of European Studies, BBU in cotutelle with the Institute for Political Science, Otto-von-Guericke University, Germany. I have been teaching a course on the Black Sea region at the Faculty of European Studies and for the last decade, I conducted research on the Black Sea regionalization process and the Black Sea regional cooperation with a focus on the energy security sector.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
With a focus on the energy security sector, I connect to the Black Sea by researching its regional cooperation and regionalization process.

My Keywords
#PoliticalScience #EnergySecurity #EuropeanStudies #EnvironmentalEducation

Country: Bulgaria

I have an MSc in Marine Biology from the University of Brest, France, and a Ph.D. in benthic invertebrate communities in the Black Sea from the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Since 2011, I have worked as a researcher at IBER-BAS. My scientific interests include the biodiversity and ecology of the Black Sea benthic invertebrate communities, human impacts on coastal ecosystems, environmental quality assessment, habitat mapping, and marine ecosystem functioning.

I have participated in several national and international projects, with tasks focused on the assessment of benthic community diversity and health, benthic indicator performance, and suitability in the Black Sea, habitat mapping in MPAs, mapping, and assessment of ecosystem services in the Bulgarian Black Sea.

I deeply believe that scientists should have a responsibility to share their knowledge and passion with the public to engage people of all ages and professions in working together to protect the Black Sea’s unique and diverse ecosystems.

What makes me connect to the Black Sea?
I have always loved the sea, so a career in studying and working to protect it seems natural; In a way, the Black Sea has always been my sea.

My Keywords
#ScientificKnowledge #Biodiversity #HealthAssesment

Country: Bulgaria

I am currently a Ph.D. student at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Bulgaria and a young graduate trainee at the European Space Agency in ESRIN, Italy. I have graduated in physics with a BSc at the University of Stuttgart and an MSc at the Free University of Berlin in Germany. My research work is focused on studying satellite data of the Black Sea for detecting animal structures on the sea surface, caused by anthropogenic pollution. I’m passionate about oceans, understanding the Earth ecosystem, and passing that knowledge to others.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
I'm passionate about oceans, understanding the Earth ecosystem, and conveying that knowledge to others. I've chosen my professional path to be connected with the Black Sea, as it's a unique water basin with great importance for both Europe and Asia.

My Keywords
#OilPollution #Oceans #Physics

Country: Bulgaria

I am working in the Institute of Oceanology “Fridtjof Nansen'', Bulgaria. As for my educational qualifications, I have a bachelor’s degree in marine science and a master's degree in Oceanography (both from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain). During my degree, I have also participated in the Erasmus+ program for half a year, in Bergen (Norway) and could join some scientific expeditions during my master´s.

Having grown up in a coastal town, the sea has always been an important role in my life, always wondering and questioning myself about the processes taking place there. My experience in marine science has led me to understand more about how important seas and oceans are for the global processes and the importance of their awareness.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
One of my concerns has always been the implication and impact of humans in the natural environment and what we can do to improve our lives more sustainably.

My Keywords
#ChemicalOceanography #Biogeochemistry #HumanImpact

Country:Türkiye

I’m a marine biologist and a population geneticist, from Istanbul, Turkey. Marine life has influenced me a lot since my childhood and I have been very inquisitive about marine biology since the beginning of my intellectual awareness. I have just got my Ph.D. in the Department of Marine Biology at Istanbul University.

I aimed to focus on studies about marine mammal genetics and combine both ecology and genetic basis for marine biology studies. I have been working in the Marine Biology Laboratory since 2013 and investigating the genetic structure of the bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), and harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Black Sea and plan conservation strategies for the species. Since the dolphins are the top predators in the seas, conserving them means conserving the seas/oceans. If you follow the dolphins through the Turkish Straits System, they will take you to the Black Sea for sure.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
Dolphins connect me to the Black Sea. If you follow the dolphins through the Turkish Straight System, they will take you to the Black Sea.

My Keywords
#Cetacea #Dolphins #PopulationGenetics #MarineMammal

Country: Türkiye

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences at Middle East Technical University and my master’s degree at the Marine Biology and Fisheries Department in the METU, Institute of Marine Sciences. I am recently a Ph. D. candidate in the same department and I have been a Research Assistant at METU-IMS Oceanography Department since 2017.

The Black Sea and its fishery are my main study areas. The motto of my studies is “sustainability.” The assessments of the fish stocks, sustainable exploitation of the marine sources, the growth-environment relationship of the Black Sea Anchovy, age determination from the fish otolith, and interpreting the growth responses of anchovy to environmental drivers and climate change by using otolith biochronology are my primary research interests.

I care about the future of the Black Sea and its sustainable use, and I work for it.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
I am here to give a hand to the Black Sea by working to ensure its sustainability and taking part in stock assessment of the Black Sea fisheries.

My Keywords
#Sustainability #FishSources #Anchovy

Country: Ukraine

I am a marine biologist and Ph.D. Student at the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany NASU. My research interest in the Black Sea marine algae started in high school and continued until now. I’ve got my Master's Degree from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. In addition, I completed courses on environmental management in Germany (CIPSEM, Dresden) and Israel (Arava Institute), as well as a course on maritime policy from the International Ocean Institute (Malta). Studying marine ecology, I spent nine months in Israel working in the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR, Haifa). Apart from that, for the last few years, I have been working in environmental NGOs with the issue of climate change policy and currently, I am Coordinator of a Climate Campaign in the NGO Eco-action. Aiming to preserve the Black Sea’s unique ecosystems, I’m also a member of the NGO “Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group”, where I work with topics related to the conservation of marine habitats.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
I am connected to the Black Sea to discover its unknowns and better protect this unique region.

My Keywords
#ConversationBiology #EvolutionaryBiology #MarineBiodiversity

Country: Ukraine

I have a Bachelor's degree in Earth Sciences (Oceanography and Hydrography) Odesa State Environmental University, Ukraine, 2016. Later, I was awarded a Master’s degree in Oceanography, 2018, at Odessa State Environmental University. The thesis title: was “Ice Conditions in the Sea of Azov ''.

I am now a Ph.D. student, of Science in Earth Sciences at Odesa State Environmental University, Ukraine; The subject of my scientific research is forecast and verification of marine characteristics such as salinity, temperature, waves, and sea level, ice, etc.

I have been working at Hydrometeorological Centre for Black and Azov Seas, Odesa, Ukraine, since 2018. Present Position– Oceanographer.

My responsibilities are analyzing and interpreting data, developing new and improvement of existing methods of marine hydro-meteorological forecasts and calculations, their use, and implementation.

The research of my Ph.D. thesis I’m currently doing in my scientific research is because modern global climate changes have affected the changes in the characteristic parameters of sea regimes.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
I believe that working together with Black Sea countries can make a piece of the world better and fairer.

My Keywords
#MarineCharacteristics #EarthSciences #MarineForecasts

Country: Georgia

I am a Ph.D. student at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU). I have a degree of Master of Social Sciences in Human Geography from 2012-2015 and a Degree of Bachelor of Social Sciences in Human Geography from 2008-2012 from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi (Georgia) Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. She is the Director of Algeti National Park Friends Association since 2017.

What makes me connect to the Black Sea?
My connection with the Black Sea began when I first heard the term blue economy and decided to conduct my Ph.D. research on the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.

My Keywords
#HumanGeography #BlueEconomy #SustainableDevelopment

Country: Georgia

I hold a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources (Environmental Protection and Ecology) from Ilia State University’s Science and Engineering Faculty. I graduated with a B.A. from the same university, majoring in English Science and minoring in Ecology. I also graduated from a vocational programme in photography and have a degree in directing.

I am a very active young leader in society, with around eight years of experience in different fields, these include leadership, volunteering, entrepreneurship, project management, communication, partnership, journalism, youth training, and more. I am the founder of the NGO “EMG” and the “GeoWheat'' project, and I run a start-up selling arabica coffee seeds. I am a former Board member of ESN Tbilisi and a member of AESEC Georgia. I am also involved as a partner in different NGO programmes. Former Social Media Outreach and journalist of TOK TV and MDF Mith Lab Georgia fake news checker. I am an alumna of Think Young Entrepreneurship School and other programmes, a former delegate of EYP Georgia. I am now an advisor for Diamond Challenge Georgia.

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
Sea is a magical world, which is not visible to everybody, with its wave, its energy, and strength, a breathtaking and calm atmosphere.

My Keywords
#MarineLife #OceanEngagedCitizens #OceanLiteracy

Country: Russia

I am a marine environmental researcher with research interests in ocean sustainability, marine pollution, marine spatial planning, ocean clusters, and climate change, and food security. I am currently working at the Center for Coordination of Ocean Research at the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in Moscow. I was responsible for the project on the achievement of SDG14 in the Russian parts of the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and the Caspian Sea, which lasted from 2018-2019.

I am a member of a working group on sustainable development of the Caspian Sea region and the Caspian Integrated Scientific Network (CASPISNET) and a member of the Informal Working Group of Early Career Ocean Professionals, one of the stakeholders for the preparation and development of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. I also act as the Focal Point of the International Ocean Institute (IOI; Malta) in Moscow, Russia.

I have a degree in Regional Studies from the Moscow State Linguistic University (Russia) and an MSc degree in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Bristol (UK).

What does make me connect to the Black Sea?
I have always been passionate about the seas and oceans and the Black Sea is very dear to my heart. The Black Sea brings a lot of happiness and we should respect it by taking good care of it.

My Keywords
#ClimateChange #MarinePollution #OceanGovernance