Hi everyone, my name is Gosse Bootsma, and I am a plant scientist. During my QUADRAT DTP at QUB I will be looking at peatlands, and specifically carbon storage dynamics over the last few centuries, in Northern Ireland and Scotland. I am really interested in the plant life, specifically mosses, found in peatland ecosystems. This, combined with the importance of peat in fighting the climate crisis, is why I am really excited to start my PhD.

In my spare time, I enjoy swimming, birdwatching and visiting nature, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know Northern Ireland (and Scotland!) better.