Appointments
2023 – present
Research Scientist, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).
2020 – 2023
Research Associate, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
2018 – 2020
Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Arizona, USA.
Education
2018
PhD in Natural Resources and Ecohydrology. University of Arizona, USA. (Dissertation defended 2017; degree conferred 2018.)
2011
MSc in Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology. Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany.
2007
Forest Engineering. Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile.
Research Leadership & Methodological Development
2025–present
Carbon use and stem CO₂ isotope dynamics
Conceptual lead of a field programme combining stem CO₂ efflux and δ13C with sap flow, stem growth, soil respiration and environmental measurements in managed boreal forests.
I designed and implemented the field pilot and developed the LI-7825 measurement workflow, including chamber protocols, calibration checks, field metadata, quality control and R-based processing.
The work investigates how respiratory carbon use varies with water availability, management and recovery, and how these processes contribute to the isotope signals preserved in wood.
Role: Conceptual lead, experimental design, isotope methods and data integration. Project details
2026–2029
Luke coordinator, Adapting drained forests to future climates
I coordinate Luke's contribution to the NordForsk consortium and lead the tree-physiology component at the Finnish site. Project details
Research Grants
- 2026–2029 · Luke coordinator · NordForsk · Adapting drained forests to future climates: Ensuring sustainable forest production, water quality and biodiversity · €500,000 to Luke
- 2023–2025 · Original PI · CONACYT Ciencia de Frontera · Seasonal variations in forest growth and ecophysiology during the transition to the current megadrought in Mexico · USD 50,000
Awarded to Szejner and subsequently transferred to Laura Beramendi following his move from Mexico, because the funding could not be transferred between institutions.
- 2022 · Project lead · International Mobility Research Fellowship Program for Latin American and Caribbean early-career scientists · Strengthening collaboration networks and scientific capabilities through tree-ring research in Mexico and Chile
- 2021–2023 · Co-PI · PAPIIT, UNAM · Temporal variations in the isotopic composition of atmospheric CO₂ as indicators of emission sources in Mexico City · USD 30,000
- 2021–2022 · PI · PAPIIT, UNAM · Ecophysiological variations along the tree growing season recorded in the dendrochronological archive · USD 20,000
- 2012–2013 · PI · Private-sector research funding · Precipitation and streamflow reconstruction in the Choapa basin · USD 80,000
Awards
2022
Sistema Nacional de Investigadores de México, SNI Nivel 1
2022
Fellow of the International Mobility Research Fellowship Program for Latin American and Caribbean early-career scientists on past global changes.
2019
Invited trainee, Expert Witness Training Academy for climate scientists, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, MN.
2017
Outstanding Research Award (Graduate Studies), College of Science, University of Arizona.
2017
College of Science Galileo Circle Scholar, University of Arizona.
2016
Andrew Ellicott Douglass Memorial Scholarship · outstanding academic achievement and high expectations of future contributions to dendrochronology.
2016
Invited DAAD Lecture, European Conference of Tropical Ecology and the International DAAD Alumni Seminar, Germany.
2016
Ameridendro Travel Grant, 3rd American Dendrochronology Conference, Argentina.
2014
Research-in-Residence Award, Inter-University Training for Continental-Scale Ecology (ITCE), Salt Lake City, UT.
2009
DAAD Scholarship (2 years), Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany.
2008
Best Student Award (2007 Forestry Cohort), Universidad Austral de Chile.
Teaching Experience
- Lecturer, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) · Biogeoquímica de isótopos estables (Graduate level).
- Lecturer, UNAM · Introducción a la Dendrocronología (Graduate level).
- 2012 · Lecturer, Workshop on Applied Dendrochronology in Tropical Species, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. “Steps and tools to develop tree-ring chronologies in the Tropics.”
- 2011 · Lecturer, Workshop on Applied Dendrochronology in Tropical species, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. “Methodological considerations in the analysis of forest dynamics and disturbances.”
Selected presentations
- Szejner, P. (2020). “Some perspectives from the forests during the transitions to the Anthropocene.” Instituto de Geología, UNAM (Invited).
- Bailey, K., Szejner, P., Strange, B., Monson, R.K., Hu, J. (2020). “Differential use of North American monsoon precipitation by Pinus ponderosa in the American southwest.” Ecological Society of America (ESA).
- Hu, J., Szejner, P., Clute, T., Anderson, E., Evans, M. (2020). “Reduction in lumen area increases the amount of δ18O exchange with source water during cellulose synthesis.” EGU, GU2020-11215.
- Belmecheri, S., Szejner, P., Frank, D., Voelker, S., Lavergne, A. (2020). “Global trends of tree-ring carbon isotope discrimination and changing climate.” EGU, GU2020-12240.
- Szejner, P., Belmecheri, S., Ehleringer, J.R., Monson, R.K. (2019). “Recent increases in drought frequency cause observed multi-year drought legacies.” AGU, B31I-2503.
- Belmecheri, S., Szejner, P., Frank, D. (2019). “Global trends of forests’ water use efficiency responses to rising CO₂.” AGU Fall Meeting, B24D-06.
- Szejner, P., Belmecheri, S., Ehleringer, J.R., Monson, R.K. (2018). “Increased drought frequency over the past two decades.” MntClim2018, Gunnison, CO.
- Full presentation list available on request.
Academic Service
- Reviewer of Scientific Journals: Global Change Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, and others.
- Reviewer of Research Proposals: The National Science Foundation (NSF, USA).
- Guest Editor: Frontiers in Forest and Global Change; JoVE.
- Co-organizer / Convener: Chair & convener, “New Avenues of Multiproxy Dendroecology” session; Co-Chair & convener, “High Resolution Dendrochronology: Extracting the Mechanism Behind Plant–Atmosphere Interactions” (EGU/AGU sessions).
Skills & Languages
- Coding in R: Quantitative data analysis, spatial and temporal analysis.
- Languages: Spanish (native), English (fluent).