June 2025

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Oceanography | Vol. 38, No. 2

88

CAREER PROFILES Options and Insights

Degree: When, where,

what, and what in?

I hold a bachelor’s degree in

oceanography (2004) from the

Federal University of Paraná,

Brazil; a master’s degree in

remote sensing (2008) from

the National Institute for Space Research, Brazil; a postgraduate

specialization in observational oceanography (2010) from the

Nippon Foundation-Partnership for Observation of the Global

Ocean (NF-POGO) Centre of Excellence in Observational

Oceanography at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences,

Bermuda; and a doctorate in marine and environmental sci­

ences (2018) from the University of Algarve, Portugal.

Since my undergraduate studies, I have worked on various

applications of satellite remote sensing and modeled data to

ocean and coastal research, including shallow water bathymetry,

coral bleaching prediction, sea-air CO2 exchange, and phyto­

plankton phenology and variability, as well as their environ­

mental drivers.

Did you stay in academia at all, and if so, for how long?

I remained in academia throughout my education and profes­

sional development until I completed my PhD in 2018. My aca­

demic journey began in 2001 with an internship during my sec­

ond year as an undergraduate. During all this time, I alternated

between roles as a student and a research assistant—often bal­

ancing both simultaneously—gaining experience in both funda­

mental research and applied science.

How did you go about searching for a job outside of

the university setting?

For me, the transition happened quite naturally. During my

time at the NF-POGO Centre of Excellence, I had the opportu­

nity to learn from and work alongside Trevor Platt and Shubha

Sathyendranath, who were leading the POGO Secretariat at the

time. Shortly after completing the program, they invited me—

along with a few other former scholars—to explore the idea of

creating an alumni network, which later became NANO (the

NF-POGO Alumni Network for the Ocean, https://nf-pogo-​

alumni.org/).

Lilian (Lica) Krug, Scientific Coordinator, Partnership for Observation

of the Global Ocean (POGO), Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve

(CCMAR) – Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal

(lakrug@ualg.pt)

I initially worked on NANO remotely from Brazil, with a

small fellowship, helping to establish its foundation—building a

database, website, and newsletter, and connecting with alumni.

The following year, I moved to Portugal for a research assis­

tant position and began my PhD studies. My involvement with

NANO continued part-time because I was so invested in it—

it felt like my “baby”! Over time, I became deeply embedded in

POGO’s capacity development activities, and it felt like a natural

aspiration to one day join the POGO Secretariat team.

When the position of Scientific Coordinator became avail­

able around the time I completed my PhD, I was encouraged

to apply. My experience with NANO and capacity development,

along with my background in ocean science, positioned me well

for the role.

Is this the only job (post-academia) that you’ve had?

If not, what else did you do?

Yes. My other engagements with ocean science capacity devel­

opment are also very much entangled with POGO and NANO.

Between 2015 and 2024, I contributed as an instructor at the

Centre of Excellence, and since 2021, I have been a volun­

teer member of the Trevor Platt Science Foundation (TPSF)

Secretariat, an Indian not-for-profit that aims to continue

Platt and Sathyendranath’s amazing work in capacity devel­

opment for early career ocean professionals from low-income

countries. My main activity at TPSF is to coordinate its online

mentorship program.

What is your current job? What path did you take

to get there?

I am the scientific coordinator for POGO. In this role, my

responsibilities include coordinating our training programs and

other capacity development activities, including NANO, liaising

with members and partner institutions, and managing inter­

actions with trainees and alumni. I also represent the organiza­

tion at scientific and high-level events.

My journey to this position began with my involvement in

NANO, where I gained experience in network-building, project

coordination, and ocean science advocacy. This, combined with

my academic background, allowed for a seamless transition into

my current role.

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