My name is Andrés Mena and I am an Ecuadorian/Swiss biology student. I was born and raised in Ecuador, where I was lucky enough to do my Bachelor's degree in biology in one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Now I am in Switzerland working on a Master's degree in epidemiology at the University of Basel. In Ecuador, I had the opportunity to conduct studies in the Galapagos Islands on land bird populations living in areas with different degrees of human land use. Now, as part of my master thesis at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, I am investigating the establishment of tiger mosquito populations in Basel and their ability to adapt to the winter season. I am interested in general in the relationship between land use changes and their impact on biodiversity and the health of humans and wildlife. As part of my civil service as a Swiss citizen I am lucky to work as an assistant at the International Programme Office of the Global Land Programme. I am very happy to be part of this community and I look forward to contributing and learning more about land systems and sustainable development.
