Van Donk initiated the below mentioned innovative research lines and they still form the main core of the research program of her department. She combines curiosity-driven research in aquatic ecology with more strategic-applied research in nature conservation and ecosystem restoration.
Postdocs: Miquel Lürling, Klaus Schwenk, Brigitte Goser, Susanna Romo, Peter Schippers, Wouter van de Bund, Matthijs Vos, Eric van Hannen, Stephan Hülsmann, Bas Ibelings, Maiko Kagami, Gerben van Geest
PhD students: Frederique van Holthoon, Arnout de Bruin, Miguel Dionisio Pires, Gabi Mulderij, Anthony Verschoor. Thomas Jensen, Irene van de Stap, Camilla Blikstad, Dedmer van de Waal, Iris Charalambidou, Ellis Penning, Daan Gerla, Susanne Wilken, Anne Immers, Ilse Cornelissen, Bart Grutters.