
Katja
Irob
Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences
and Genetics in Agriculture
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Supervisor Prof. Efrat Sheffer and Prof. José GrünzweigDr. Katja Irob is a computational biologist and dryland ecologist researching how climate change alters the composition and functioning of Mediterranean woodlands and how it affects the benefits that this ecosystem provides. Combining modelling and fieldwork, she studies the resilience of Mediterranean woodlands under climate extremes, focusing on how to manage these systems to enhance their ability to withstand future climatic challenges sustainably.
Katja studies the resilience of Mediterranean woodlands under climate extremes, focusing on how to enhance their ability to withstand future climatic challenges sustainably.
Katja earned her BSc, MSc, and PhD at the Freie Universität Berlin, including research stays in La Réunion and Australia. Her PhD research, conducted in Namibia, investigated how the diversity of wild herbivores and plant functional types can strengthen savannah resilience against climate shifts and uncertainties. Raised in Berlin, Germany, she now resides in Tel Aviv, where she volunteers at an animal shelter and enjoys running, reading, ceramics, and marine sports.

About the Azrieli Fellows Program
The Azrieli Fellows Program was established in 2007 to create a network of leading academics and professionals committed to raising Israel’s profile while maintaining strong academic links between Israel and the rest of the world.
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