Sander van Zon

Background

About Sander van Zon

MSc student in biology at Leiden University specialized in botany, with broad interests and experiences across the botanical field, most fascinated by the taxonomy, evolution and ecology of lichens, bryophytes and vascular plants. My dream is to use an integrated approach of molecular methods and classical morphology to map and describe diversity, reconstruct evolutionary history and unravel ecological interactions - to advance the knowledge of the world's flora, and make these findings accessible to a broad public. Through previous research projects, I have acquired a wide botanical skillset. During my BSc, I investigated the ecology, phytosociology and climate indicator value of epiphytic lichens in the urban environment through extensive fieldwork and vegetation-mapping. Subsequently, I studied the evolution of a woody growth habit in the Brassicaceae, for which I performed target capture sequencing (Hyb-Seq) and evolutionary modelling (SSE) and trait reconstruction on large-scale phylogenies. For my MSc thesis, I am preparing a taxonomic revision of the genus Compsoneura (Myristicaceae), using a field expedition to Surinam and detailed morphological analysis of often historical specimens to elucidate species distinctions and chart biodiversity within this group. In the summer of 2025 I will graduate from my MSc, and will be looking for a new challenge/opportunity, preferably a PhD position in botany.