Theunis Piersma

Prof. Dr. Theunis Piersma is a Senior Research Leader at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and holds the Rudi Drent Chair in Global Flyway Ecology at the University of Groningen. His work focuses on migratory birds, particularly shorebirds like bar-tailed godwits and red knots, emphasizing flyway ecology and climate impacts on migration patterns. He leads the Global Flyway Network, a collaborative initiative studying shorebird migration globally.

Education: BSc (1980), MSc (1984), and PhD (1994) in Biology from the University of Groningen. His research interests include habitat selection, physiological ecology, and conservation strategies for migratory species.

Key achievements include over 300 peer-reviewed publications, the Spinoza Prize (2014), and the Marsh Award (2017). He advises numerous PhD students and coordinates international projects on avian migration and wetland conservation.

Advising: Mentor to 25 completed and 18 ongoing PhD projects. Grants: PI/co-PI for 18 national/international projects. Labs/Teams: Leads the Wadden Sea research team at NIOZ and co-founded BirdEyes, a climate-focused research center.