“As an ocean scientist, I’ve travelled to coral reefs and kelp forests far away. I kept asking why I felt such a pull toward distant places. I think it’s because those oceans made me feel something. Øresund never did - it was just white noise in my life - or so I thought.

Øresund has been part of every step of my life - privately and professionally - and still, I never truly saw it. Øresund has always been my soundtrack. I just wasn’t listening.

I think many of us living along its shores feel the same. But Øresund is not background noise. It is a unique ecosystem - a gateway between two seas, where currents and salinity create conditions for life to flourish, if we allow it. It may be a human border, but the ocean does not recognise it. Neither should we.”

Nathalie spent her summers swimming, sailing, and getting to know Øresund. Later, she began sharing its stories through her work at Den Blå Planet and Havhøst.

Driven to protect ocean life under pressure, she earned a BSc, MSc, and PhD in marine microbiology. Her work and studies have taken her to leading marine institutions including James Cook University in Australia, the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California. She is an active science communicator, TEDx speaker, and winner of Denmark’s PhD Cup 2024, broadcast nationally on DR1.

You can watch her TEDtalk about the importance of microorganisms here: https://youtu.be/Zaf-Md520ho

Today, Nathalie is our Science Program Director – fascinated by the ocean’s smallest inhabitants and passionate about making science impossible to ignore. At Øresund Patrol, she turns knowledge into action, and action into connection so others can see that Øresund is worth protecting.

We’re incredibly happy to have Nathalie on the team - bringing sharp insight, curiosity, and a lot of good humour.