The esGLEON network, in collaboration with ATL Water Supply Company, is delighted to introduce the Freshwater Futures Fellows to the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) community.
The Freshwater Futures Fellows are 11 early-career scientists selected to join the upcoming GLEON 2026 All Hands’ Meeting at Lake Banyoles (Spain) in recognition of their inspiring backgrounds and strong potential. Their participation will bring valuable new perspectives on lake research and management, especially from regions and contexts that have traditionally been underrepresented at GLEON meetings.
Below, you will find a short bio and a few words from each of them. We warmly invite you to meet and welcome this exceptional group to the GLEON community. We are very much looking forward to learning from them and beginning new collaborations together at Lake Banyoles.
Adejuwon Mustapha (Nigeria)
Background in fisheries and aquatic biology, with research interests in freshwater ecology, water quality, environmental pollution, aquatic communities, and the sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems. “I look forward to contributing to meaningful discussions, building global collaborations, and advancing research that supports the conservation and sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems.”
Diamela Gianello (Universidad de la República, Uruguay)
Background in Andean-Patagonian lake monitoring, currently working on pond ecology and aquatic communities. “I am looking forward to attending the GLEON meeting in Banyoles to exchange knowledge, learn from international colleagues, and establish new collaborative networks.”
Edwin Wagah (Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary)
Research in freshwater governance, traditional ecological knowledge, and social-ecological resilience in Lake Victoria. “At GLEON 2026, I look forward to connecting African freshwater perspectives with global collaborative lake research.”
Irma Carvalho Silva (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil)
Research in cross-ecosystem interactions between aquatic and terrestrial environments, with a special interest in semiarid regions. “I look forward to developing collaborations and discussing cross-ecosystem interactions between aquatic and terrestrial environments, especially in semiarid regions.”
Kareem Brown (University of Guyana, Guyana)
Research in high-frequency sensor applications for monitoring water quality dynamics in river and brackish systems, with a focus on freshwater conservation and sustainable tourism. “As a Freshwater Futures Fellow, I am excited to join the GLEON community to learn, collaborate, and share perspectives from Guyana’s unique freshwater systems.”
Lucía De Stefano (INIBIOMA-CONICET, Argentina)
Research on lake surface temperature (LSWT) and warming patterns in Andean-Patagonian lakes using remote sensing. “I’m excited to share my postdoctoral research on satellite remote sensing of lake surface water temperature and warming patterns in Andean-Patagonian lakes.”
Momodou ‘Jasseh’ Faal (GREAT Institute, Gambia)
Background in physics, with research interests in mangrove ecosystems, aquatic physics, carbon stocks in the River Gambia, and freshwater sustainability. “I look forward to joining the next GLEON meeting and contributing to discussions on freshwater sustainability and future research collaborations.”
Onur Doğan (Boğaziçi University, Türkiye)
Research in eDNA metabarcoding and urban aquatic ecosystem assessment. “At GLEON 2026, I hope to share my work on eDNA metabarcoding and urban aquatic ecosystem assessments, while engaging with interdisciplinary working groups and collaborative freshwater research initiatives.”
Pedro Gabriel Grochocki (Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil)
Research on the effects of floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems on lake metabolism and air-water gas exchange. “At GLEON 2026, I hope to exchange ideas on aquatic ecosystem functioning, sensor development, and collaborative freshwater research.”
Sèlomè Karen de Lespérance Ague (WASCAL/University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin)
Research in water quality, aquatic greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental change in Lake Nokoué, with an interest in freshwater sustainability. “I am excited to join GLEON 2026, and I look forward to connecting with researchers working on freshwater sustainability and interacting with scientists from around the world.”
Sulung Nomosatryo (National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia)
Research in aquatic biogeochemistry in Indonesia’s tropical freshwater ecosystems. “Joining GLEON 2026 Meeting will be a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge and strengthen global collaboration in freshwater science.”
