Scientists with dirty hands.

Alex is a social scientist whose work explores human-nature interactions, as well as humans' relationships to the natural world. She takes a lifespan perspective, starting with the importance of early childhood nature experiences and interactions, through to our ever-developing connection to nature. Her focus remains on equitable human and planetary flourishing.

Alex is pioneering the concept of 'Dirty Play', — the unstructured, tactile engagement with soil, mud and other microbially rich natural materials — as a critical intervention for promoting health equity among children.

Jake is an ecologist and microbiome scientist, author and speaker exploring how invisible biodiversity (i.e., microbes!) keeps humans and other species healthy. 

He leads the Aerobiome Innovation and Research Hub and the OH Zone (a One Health Lab and Studio) at Flinders University. He also co-leads the Grounded Minds Consortium, which investigates how soil health influences mental health through links with food, the gut microbiome and the wider environment.

With a passion for innovation, Jake combines cutting-edge science with storytelling to inspire healthier, more meaningful lives. His mission is simple: to help restore the relationships that allow both people and ecosystems to flourish...

Jake co-developed Dirty Play with Alex, bringing microbial ecology into the partnership.

Marja is an environmental scientist with a focus on connections among nature, biodiversity loss, urbanisation and human health. Currently, she works on the BIWE project — Biodiversity Interventions for Well-being.

In BIWE, microbiologically oriented biodiversity interventions are performed to enhance biodiversity in urban built areas. The results of these intervention trials, jointly with publicly available land cover and ecological data, are analysed from the viewpoint of shifts in ecological and human well-being and health, ecological quality and urban planning.

BIWE interacts with people who are vulnerable to biodiversity loss in the everyday living environment — including disabled people, people with autism spectrum disorder, and children.

Marja has pioneered biodiversity interventions, showing that interaction with natural materials can enhance the human microbiome and immune regulation.