A rising star on the RestPoll firmament is Zehra Başaran. As a PhD candidate, she is already coordinator of the 17 Living Labs around Europe. She is also conducting her own research on the socio-economic aspects of pollinator restoration. Somehow, she still managed to find time and talk to us about her role in and motivation for RestPoll.
Economics and nature
Unlike many economists of the past, Zehra has embraced the value of the natural world from a young age. For as long as she remembers, she has been captivated by the colourful flowers as well as the bees, butterflies and birds surrounding them.
When she later did her Master’s degree, her lifelong fascination with nature led her to the field of socio-economics. Here, her motivation was to ensure that the incredible ecosystems she admires will be preserved for future generations.
PhD candidate
For her PhD, she is involved in the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier (IAMM) at the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM). Her research is embedded in the Montpellier Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainable Agri-food Systems (MoISA).
Her PhD project aims to promote sustainable strategies for pollinator restoration. She uses both theoretical models and the practice of Living Labs to combine economic, ecological as well as institutional perspectives.
Living Labs coordinator
In wanting to prevent the loss of marvellous pollinators and their natural abundance, Zehra was very eager to join the dedicated team of the RestPoll project. As research engineer, she assesses the socio-economic co-benefits, barriers and incentives for pollinator restoration.
Moreover, she is closely connected to the coordination and monitoring of activities in the 17 Living Labs across 14 countries. In this role, she tries to establish the enabling conditions for long-term pollinator restoration.
Zehra has an international background, an interdisciplinary outlook and an interest in the socio-economic side of the natural world. For this reason, she is the ideal (PhD) candidate to create a collaborative platform for the Living Labs which takes pride of place in the RestPoll project.
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