Dedmer van de Waal
Dedmer Van de Waal (age 34) received his PhD in June 2010, and currently has a tenure-track position at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology. Dedmer has substantially contributed to the conceptualization of harmful algae research. His most outstanding work couples the production of stoichiometrically distinct toxins to the elemental composition of its producer, and thus linking toxin production to the general ecological framework of Ecological Stoichiometry. Doing so, he has worked across salinity boundaries and his experimental work includes various marine dinoflagellate as well as freshwater cyanobacteria species.
Dedmer not only has a cumulative record related to this work, but also two ‘breakthrough’ papers in Ecology Letters, the second highest ecological journal for which he recently also became member of the Editorial Board. Beyond this topic, his publication record is impressive (currently 29 publications) and rapidly expanding.
Dedmer contributed substantially to the studies on the effects of climate change on harmful algae, notably the impacts of elevated pCO2. His work crosses a range of organizational scales, from the regulation of genes, to eco-physiological responses (carbon and nutrient acquisition), and resource competition. Besides, his recent work includes the role of genetic diversity and phenotypic traits in the success of toxic algal blooms.Finally, Dedmer is an exceptionally creative thinker, ambitious, and active in the field of harmful algal research. He does not only bring harmful algal research to a broader scientific audience, but is also actively communicating HAB topics and respective research to the public, with various recent appearances on the Dutch national radio. Moreover, he is determined to connect HAB scientists and water managers of the Netherlands by organizing annual meetings.
