EXPERTISE
Profile
Sophie is an Environmental Manager and Scientist holding a BSc in Aquatic Ecotechnology from the Hogeschool Zeeland (NL) and a MSc in Environmental and Resource Management from the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (DE). Sophie was a PhD candidate in the department of Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research and the University of Oslo (NO), and an Early Stage Researcher of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks project ECORISK2050. During her PhD, she developed and applied a modelling tool for assessing the risk of agricultural chemicals under future scenarios. In order to do so, she developed a generic Bayesian Network to carry out probabilistic risk assessment of pesticides. The quality of this research was recognised by the journal Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, which awarded a key PhD paper an Exceptional Paper award (2022). As a research assistant and researcher at NIVA, she has contributed to various projects, mainly as a supporting role in dashboard development, administrative support and data preparation and transformation. Beyond research, Dr Mentzel has worked to enrich the working culture for Early Career staff at NIVA and other research institutes in Norway by establishing two Early Career networks. Sophie has also demonstrated an ability to manage and organise effectively, through the co-chairing or organisation of several sessions and workshops at large international scientific conferences or meeting. She has also taken several opportunities to gain valuable experience working with others around the world through study abroad trips and research secondments throughout her education.