Claudia Maturana Bobadilla, PhD

What’s the work that you do?

I am an evolutionary biologist interested in understanding the evolutionary processes and possible mechanisms that can explain the current distribution of high latitudes organisms, in particular freshwater and marine invertebrates from Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions. I am also interested in improving the release of biodiversity occurrence information through open and free digital platforms. I am the founder of the Chilean counterpart of the APECS initiative which helps to involve polar early career scientists in outreach, education, and public debate.

What keeps you going?

What I like about my job is that it gives me a lot of freedom of action. I can ask new questions and learn new tools. It is a very dynamic world! This ensures that my enthusiasm never ends – I’m always looking for new destinations, collaboration networks and challenges in the professional (and social) areas. At present I am interested in contributing to science in a different way, with greater social and educational impact.

What’s your message to the world?

I believe that science and knowledge make us more aware of our existence and our effects on the landscape and environment. The world around us is much more connected to our behavior than we think. Today more than ever we need to have more empathy with our environment and allow new generations to have a glimpse of nature and its biodiversity. In this sense, it is very important to be creative and dare to break old paradigms with new ideas and methods!