Antonia is a 17 year old high school student from Germany. Born and raised in the southwest of the country, she had limited exposure to the ocean. Then, family holidays and finally an exchange year in 10th grade in Gisborne, New Zealand, sparked her passion for marine science and conservation. The two sided realisation of the oceans vital importance as well as their increasing endangerment motivated her to dive deeper into the field of marine science. After pursuing an internship at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, she gained deeper insides into diverse research fields, current research, and developed advanced knowledge in marine biogeochemistry with a particular focus on artificial reefs.

Additionally she is an active member of the Young Citizens’ Council for the Ocean, a program financed by the EU. It aims to connect European teenagers with a passion for marine conservation to gain political influence to further protect and sustain the Oceans.

Antonia is determined to pursue a career in marine geoscience starting off with a bachelors degree at the University of Bremen. She also aims to expand her political engagement to help apply and communicate scientific knowledge for sustainable ocean stewardship.