Oceanography | Vol. 38, No. 2
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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.