Patricia joined ICSU as a Science Officer with primary responsibility for links to the ICSU Regional Offices. She was trained in Colombia (her native country) as a marine biologist and holds an MSc in Tropical Coastal Management and a PhD in Human Geography from her adopted country (UK). Prior joining the Secretariat she worked at Newcastle University (UK) as post-doctoral research fellow at the Developing Areas Research Network (DARN), where she focused on promoting interdisciplinary approaches to studying and understanding the social/nature interface and the international aspects of natural resource management in tropical countries.