The Leibniz Association is turning 30 — but instead of looking back, we’re looking ahead. To mark the anniversary, we’re speaking with researchers at the very beginning of their careers. What determines their attitude towards life? What are their experiences as early-career scientists — and how might their findings help shape a better world 30 years from now? In Episode 10, we hear from marine biologist Giulia Bellon, who is doing her PhD at the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research in Warnemünde.
LEIBNIZ How would you explain your research topic to someone at a party?
GIULIA BELLON I’m on a mission to make seaweed the new steak. It’s tasty, eco-friendly, and won’t judge your cholesterol levels.
And what would you say to a colleague?
I’m investigating reef restoration in tourism-heavy coastal zones and exploring small-scale blue economies. Think sustainable seaweed farming – both as a tool for environmental protection and a way to support local livelihoods. It's science meets social resilience.
What has been the best (or most important) moment in your life as a researcher so far?
I spent six months living on an island with just 15 other people – Robinson Crusoe style!
How could your research have made the world a little better in 30 years? (It's okay to dream big.)
By making seaweed mainstream, we can shift from destructive industrial fishing to regenerative aquaculture — food without footprints. It’s nutritious, non-exploitative (no slavery, seriously), climate-friendly, and delicious.
In which era would you have liked to have been a scientist? Or is now the best time?
I would have loved to be a researcher in the 1800s, travelling to pristine and unexplored places, discovering species in their uncontaminated natural habitats, and observing their behaviour for days on end.
‘A life for science’ – could that be the subtitle of your biography one day? If not, what subtitle would you find appropriate?
Ugh this one is hard. I am also an artist. I love to create jewellery and if I do not find time for that, I do not feel like I have a balance in my life. I love doing research, but I don’t think it is healthy to let it take over your life. Maybe A Balanced Life: Between Algae and Art
is more appropriate, because both research and jewellery design require curiosity, precision, and a bit of sparkle.
When you meet people your age who do not work in science: What is the biggest difference between you?
I don’t think there’s a science–non-science divide. People are fascinating regardless of their career — although I might be the only one who gets excited about finding seaweed on a beach walk.
When you meet older researchers in your discipline, what is the biggest difference between you?
Experience, of course. And maybe a bit less existential dread when their funding runs out.
What quality do you consider most important for a career in science?
Relentless curiosity.
How are you perceived as a scientist in society?
I listen, I don’t judge, and I show people that science isn’t separate from their lives — it’s how we protect the things they care about.
And how would you like to be perceived?
Exactly like that — as a connector, not a preacher.
Please complete the following sentences. You can express realistic wishes or let your imagination run wild.
My work would be so much easier if ...
... I had a clone (or three)!
I would like more of:
Sea spray, salty hair, and spontaneous field insights.
If I could stop doing something right now, it would be ...
... fighting R, I'd rather sketch graphs on napkins.
Everyone should know that ...
... seaweed is not slime – it’s salad with superpowers.
To set the record straight once and for all:
Yes, seaweed can taste good. No, it is not just sushi wrap.
What is your greatest uncertainty in relation to your career?
What comes next. At the end of each contract, you never know if, where, and when you will find the next job.
How do you manage to stay calm despite this?
I don’t need to panic about this until 2027. That’s future me’s problem.
Do you sometimes dream about work? If so, are they pleasant dreams?
No, I draw a clear boundary. But I used to work with whales – and sometimes, they still visit me in my dreams. We are on very good terms.
Your favourite place to work?
The field. The real one, with water and wind and no Wi-Fi.
A still life on your desk?
After waking up: How does your day start well?
With yoga. Nothing like warrior pose to prepare for battling inbox chaos.
What do you look forward to on a normal working day?
That glorious moment when I check something off my to-do list. Pure dopamine.
What do you look forward to when your working day is over?
My jewellery bench, where metal meets mindfulness.
A helpful snack for in between meals?
Fruiiiiiits!
A little escape from everyday (working) life that helps you recharge your batteries quickly?
A walk on the beach. Always the beach. Sand in my shoes, clothes, hair … everywhere!
What helps you come up with ideas?
A walk on the beach.
What helps you stay focused?
Breathing exercises … or a deadline breathing down my neck.
When do you forget everything else around you while you're working?
When I hyperfocus. The world fades, time bends, and suddenly it’s 5 pm and I forgot to eat lunch.
GIULIA BELLON, 33, is a marine biologist with a decade of hands-on experience in just about every corner of the ocean world. She is currently doing her PhD in the field of costal development at the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research in Warnemünde. Her research tackles challenges through social, environmental, and economic lenses. It’s messy, meaningful, and she wouldn’t want it any other way – all in pursuit of protecting the marine life she loves.
