The winner of the 7th edition of the CETAF E-SCoRe Award was announced during the 59th CETAF General Assembly (CETAF59) in Florence, Italy. This year’s award, dedicated to Early Career Researchers, was presented to Mariana Marques in recognition of her outstanding contributions to taxonomy, collections management and biodiversity science.
The E-SCoRe Award recognises outstanding contributions by emerging researchers and collection professionals working in taxonomy, collections management and biodiversity science, helping to highlight the importance of these disciplines for understanding and conserving biodiversity.
A specialist in African herpetofauna, Mariana’s research focuses on the diversity, systematics and conservation of amphibians and reptiles across Africa. Throughout her career, she has combined field exploration, taxonomy and museum collections research to advance knowledge of some of the continent’s least studied biodiversity hotspots. The award also recognises her commitment to implementing best practices in specimen care and collections management, ensuring the long-term scientific value of natural history collections.
To date, Mariana has contributed to the description of 45 species new to science, helping to expand our understanding of African biodiversity and supporting evidence-based conservation efforts.
Taxonomy at the heart of biodiversity conservation
Accepting the award remotely during the General Assembly, Mariana reflected on the broader significance of the recognition for the taxonomic community.
“This is not just a win for me, but for our entire community.”
She highlighted the essential role of taxonomy in addressing biodiversity loss and informing conservation actions, emphasising that understanding biodiversity must come before it can be protected.
“How can we save what we don’t even know exists?”
Drawing on examples from her PhD research in Angola, Mariana demonstrated how the combination of fieldwork, taxonomy and museum collections can transform poorly known regions into recognised centres of biodiversity importance. Her work led to the discovery of ten species new to science and helped establish a stronger scientific basis for future conservation initiatives.
The enduring value of natural history collections
A recurring theme throughout Mariana’s work is the importance of museum collections as foundations for research and conservation.
During her presentation, she highlighted the unique value of collections in documenting biodiversity through time and supporting future scientific discoveries.
“Each specimen tells an unrepeatable story of an individual in a specific time and place.”
Her research has involved the study of specimens and associated data from more than 28 natural history collections across 13 countries, while also contributing more than 500 newly collected specimens to permanent repositories in Angola, Portugal and the United States. These efforts help ensure that future generations of researchers can continue to build on current knowledge.
Supporting the next generation of taxonomists
Reflecting on the significance of the award, Ana Casino Rubio highlighted the importance of recognising and supporting emerging researchers within the taxonomic community.
“Mariana’s achievement is truly inspirational and motivating. It reminds us why supporting the next generation of taxonomists is so important for the conservation of biodiversity. Institutions have a key role to play in supporting these efforts and the people behind them.”
The E-SCoRe Award was established to recognise excellence among early-career professionals working in taxonomy, collections management and biodiversity science, while helping to raise the profile of disciplines that remain essential for understanding and protecting the natural world.
Applications now open for the 8th edition
During the General Assembly, CETAF also announced the launch of the 8th edition of the E-SCoRe Award, which will be dedicated to PhD students. Applications are now open, and further information can be found on the CETAF website.
CETAF congratulates Mariana Marques on this well-deserved recognition and looks forward to following the next stages of her scientific career.
This article is part of CETAF’s coverage of the 59th General Assembly (CETAF59) held in Florence, Italy. Explore related articles on CETAF’s newest members, the 2026 e-SCoRe Award, and key discussions on integrative taxonomy and colonial collections.