Nico Helmsing

Nico R. Helmsing, a graduate of Hogeschool Larenstein in 2003, holds a degree in laboratory techniques with a specialization in environmental analysis. His academic journey culminated in a thesis at the Department of Aquatic Food Webs within the NIOO-KNAW Centre for Limnology. Here, he delved into the defensive mechanisms of algae belonging to the Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus genera against herbivory by the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus.

Following his academic pursuits, Nico embarked on a five-month project titled 'Inducible Defenses'. Since July 2003, he has been an integral part of the Department of Aquatic Food Webs. His core responsibilities encompass diverse chemical analyses of samples, including nutrients, stable isotopes, and metals.

Over the years, Nico has taken charge of various facilities, including Limnotron-, micro-, and aquarium facilities, alongside experimental rooms. His tenure at NIOO has equipped him with extensive experience in conducting aquatic ecological experiments. These range from overseeing microcosm and Limnotron experiments to managing small-scale batch experiments, as well as flow-through and chemostat experiments.

In 2020, Nico embarked on a LEAN journey, earning a Yellow Belt certification. This commitment continued in 2022 with the attainment of a LEAN Six Sigma Green Belt. In May 2024 he became LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt certified, further enriching his expertise in process improvement methodologies.