Leonie has a background in biology, bioinformatics and computer science. She received her doctoral degree in 2023 from the ETH Zurich, Switzerland. The primary focus of the thesis was on understanding cattle ranching and linked environmental and social impacts in the Brazilian Amazon, including deforestation, intensification and equity problems. A key aspect of her research involves examining how cultural systems influence land use processes. Her methods include both big data and deep learning-driven spatial analysis and political ecology theory.

Leonie joined GLUE in March 2024 as a postdoctoral researcher, where she continues studying cattle ranching in the Brazilian Amazon, specifically looking cattle productivity dynamics and gender-related aspects in the cattle supply chain. In her free time she likes to read, swim, explore new places in the city and listen to podcasts.