Catarina Jakovac holds a degree in biological sciences from the University of São Paulo and a master’s degree in plant biology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). She obtained her doctorate in production ecology and resource conservation from Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

Her academic research zigzagged between the Amazon and the Atlantic rainforest, which gave the biologist the insight to formulate the hypothesis that human activity in forests favors plant species of drier forests, harming wet ones. Even though she spends her days studying the negative effects of humans on forests, Catarina is passionate about nature and loves to spend her leisure time in the forest. She enjoys climbing, hiking, and biking in the middle of nature. At parties with friends, she never turns down an opportunity to accompany the music by playing a tambourine.