David Buchwalter is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at North Carolina State University (NCSU). His research focuses on contaminants and abiotic stressors in freshwater environments, with particular emphasis on aquatic insects' physiological responses. He leads the Buchwalter Lab, studying ecological physiology and toxicology in aquatic invertebrates, linking biological organization levels to understand human impacts on aquatic life. Research interests include trace metal bioaccumulation, thermal stress, osmoregulation, and PFAS effects. His work integrates comparative physiology, ecotoxicology, and environmental monitoring. Key projects involve the NCSU Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS and Center for Human Health and the Environment (CHHE). Awards: 2015 Fulbright Senior Scholar (University of Otago, New Zealand). Advising includes students like Dr. Jamie Cochran and Dr. Sara Orr. Collaborative grants include NSF-funded studies on thermal physiology and ion transport in freshwater ecosystems. The lab emphasizes experimental approaches to understand stressor impacts across physiological and ecological scales. Lab affiliations: Biological Sciences; Affiliated with Toxicology & Environmental Health Sciences, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, and Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology programs.
Dr. Rachel Seary is a Lecturer in Marine Conservation at the University of Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE). She holds an MSc from the University of St Andrews and a PhD in Geography from the University of Cambridge. Her work focuses on applied marine conservation solutions that balance ecological preservation with community needs, particularly in coastal and fishing communities. Key areas include dynamic ocean management, mangrove-fisheries interactions, and mitigating human-wildlife conflicts in fisheries. Professional Roles: Member of PICES Working Group 51, Editorial Board Member for Frontiers in Marine Science and Bulletin of Marine Science . Education: PhD in Geography, University of Cambridge (2019) MSc in Ecosystem-based Management of Marine Systems, University of St Andrews Research Interests: Social-ecological systems, sustainable fisheries, marine protected areas, and participatory conservation approaches. Her research spans global contexts including California, Indonesia, Cambodia, Greece, and the UK. Notable projects include studying whale-fishery interactions on the US West Coast and assessing mangrove-fisheries in South-East Asia. She advocates for interdisciplinary solutions to ensure biodiversity goals align with human well-being under climate and regulatory changes. Teaching includes modules on environmental sustainability, the Anthropocene, conservation policy, and climate change impacts. She supervises postgraduate research in marine conservation and resource management topics.
Barbara Drossel is a Full Professor at the Institute of Solid State Physics within the Faculty of Physics at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where she has been conducting research since February 2002. Her work bridges theoretical physics, complex systems theory, and theoretical ecology, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to understanding emergent phenomena in natural systems. She leads the AG Drossel research group that investigates the theoretical foundations of complex networks, ecological communities, and quantum systems. Professor Drossel's research spans multiple domains with emphasis on complex systems theory, where she has made significant contributions to understanding random Boolean networks, food web modeling, and the physics of ecological communities. Her work demonstrates how simple rules can lead to complex emergent behavior across different scales, from quantum systems to ecological networks. She investigates how top-down causation operates in complex systems and explores the relationship between microscopic dynamics and macroscopic patterns in diverse contexts. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on theoretical frameworks that connect physics with ecology. Her work shows increasing integration of quantum mechanics with ecological modeling, particularly in understanding emergence and time evolution in complex systems. She frequently employs network theory to analyze ecological communities and has developed innovative approaches to studying species interactions, mutualistic networks, and spatial dynamics in meta-communities. Minerva Fellowship Heisenberg Fellowship DFG Fellowship for research at MIT Professor Drossel has supervised numerous doctoral students whose work spans theoretical ecology, complex systems, and statistical physics. Her research group has secured funding for projects examining the stability of ecological networks, quantum decoherence, and the mathematical foundations of complex systems. She maintains active collaborations with researchers across Europe and has contributed to major theoretical advances in understanding how complexity emerges from simple interactions in diverse systems. The AG Drossel research group operates at the intersection of physics and theoretical biology, maintaining strong connections with both the physics and biology departments at TU Darmstadt. The group combines mathematical rigor with biological relevance, developing models that capture essential features of complex natural systems while remaining analytically tractable. Their work has influenced both theoretical physics and ecological theory, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary approaches to complex systems.
Professor Guy Woodward is a Professor of Ecology at Imperial College London's Department of Life Sciences (Silwood Park), part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He leads the NERC ERCITE Programme and holds affiliations with the Freshwater Biological Association, serving on its Board of Directors. His research focuses on the impacts of stressors like chemical pollution, climate change, and habitat alteration on aquatic ecosystems, particularly food web dynamics and metabolic theory. Woodward has secured over £13M in grants, including a £2.5M ERCITE grant, and collaborates with international experts such as Dr. Jose Montoya and Prof. Owen Petchey. His work emphasizes individual-based approaches to ecological networks and the application of allometric scaling laws. Key contributions include studying geothermally heated streams in Iceland and experimentally warming mesocosms to understand climate impacts. Woodward has supervised numerous PhD students, including Dr. Gabriel Yvon-Durocher, Dr. Julia Reiss, and Dr. Eoin O'Gorman. Education: PhD in Ecology from the University of London and BSc (Hons) in Ecology & Environmental Management from Cardiff University. His research spans over 20 years, with notable grants from NERC, the European Science Foundation, and AXA Insurance. He co-authored the Next Generation Biomonitoring series and serves as Series Editor for Advances in Ecological Research (Elsevier). Current affiliations include the Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet and the Grantham Institute. Research highlights include quantifying climate-warming effects on food webs, developing metabolic theory applications, and investigating synergistic stressor impacts. His team explores ecological resilience, with projects like 'Restoration of Chalk Rivers' and 'Climate Change Impacts on Freshwater Food Webs'. Woodward's work bridges theoretical and applied ecology, aiming to inform conservation and ecosystem restoration strategies.
Jens Krause is a Professor and Head of Department at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin, leading the Research Group on Mechanisms and Functions of Group-Living. He holds a full professorship in Fish Ecology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Faculty of Life Sciences, Thaer-Institute, and since 2018 has been an Adjunct Professor at Technical University Berlin within the Excellence Cluster 'Science of Intelligence'. His research is centered on collective intelligence, social networks, decision-making, and behavioural ecology in fish and other animals. Full Professor in Fish Ecology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Adjunct Professor at Technical University Berlin (since 2018) Head of Department, IGB Berlin PhD, University of Cambridge Diploma, Free University Berlin His work integrates experimental biology, network analysis, and biomimetic robotics to understand how animals make collective decisions. His expertise spans animal behaviour, evolution, and ecological physiology, with a strong focus on group-living dynamics. Recent research explores group hunting, predator evasion, social foraging, and the impact of environmental stressors on collective behaviour. The analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend in understanding collective behaviour in fish, including escape waves, social foraging, group hunting in marlins and sailfish, and the use of robotic agents to study social integration. His interdisciplinary approach combines marine biology, physics, robotics, and data science to uncover the mechanisms behind collective intelligence in both animal and human systems. Editorial Board, Behavioral Ecology Editorial Board, Fish and Fisheries Executive Board, Excellence Cluster 'Science of Intelligence' Advisory Board, Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation He advises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, and leads major research projects, including 'Developing exploration behaviour' funded by the Excellence Cluster. His work has been supported by extensive collaborations across Europe and North America, and he frequently publishes in top-tier journals such as Nature , Science Advances , Proceedings of the Royal Society , and Current Biology . His lab employs cutting-edge methods including automated tracking, social network analysis, and interactive robotics to study animal groups. His research group, 'Mechanisms and Functions of Group-Living', is embedded within the Excellence Cluster 'Science of Intelligence', where they investigate collective cognition, social information use, and the role of individual differences in group performance. The team combines field studies with laboratory experiments and computational modelling to understand the evolution and function of collective behaviour across species.
Thomas Reinthaler is a researcher at the Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, specializing in microbial oceanography and biogeochemical processes. His work investigates the role of prokaryotic organisms in marine carbon cycling, the influence of environmental factors like temperature and UV irradiation on microbial activity, and metabolic adaptations in deep-sea environments under in situ pressure conditions. Research Interests Reinthaler's research spans microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, and oceanography. Key areas include dark ocean carbon cycling, anaplerotic carbon fixation, hydrostatic pressure effects on microbial communities, and the interplay between prokaryotic gene expression and environmental stressors like UV radiation. His work also addresses microbial contributions to the biological pump and nutrient recycling in mesopelagic zones. Publication Trends Recent publications highlight metaproteomic analyses of dark ocean trophic interactions, sulfur cycling dynamics, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in coastal systems. He has advanced methodologies for in situ pressure experiments and contributed to resolving paradoxes in carbon budget calculations through studies on heterotrophic autotrophy and microbial substrate utilization patterns. Projects and Activities BASS Project : Biochemical processes and air-sea exchange in the sea surface microlayer (active 2022–2025). Prokaryoten Project : Funded research on prokaryotic activity in the North Atlantic (2011–2016). Organized the 2024 Symposium on Microbial Oceanography and presented at the ECOTIP Photoexhibit (2024).
Dr. Chiara Bertelli is a Lecturer in Biosciences at Swansea University within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics. With over 15 years of experience in coastal and marine ecological surveys, she specializes in seagrass ecology and restoration, marine conservation, and habitat suitability modeling. Dr. Bertelli has extensive field experience including boat-based surveys, SCUBA diving, and snorkeling in both temperate and tropical environments. She is currently completing her PhD part-time focusing on environmental drivers of change in seagrass meadows in the UK and Brazil. Her educational background includes advanced training in marine biology with specialization in ecological survey techniques and data analysis using R and Primer. Her primary research focuses on seagrass ecology as nature-based solutions for climate change. She develops habitat suitability models to inform optimal locations for seagrass restoration, with applications in carbon sequestration (blue carbon) and marine biodiversity enhancement. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 14 (Life Below Water). Analysis of Dr. Bertelli's recent publications (2020-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on practical applications of seagrass research to inform restoration efforts. Her work spans habitat suitability modeling, environmental stress responses, nutrient dynamics, and decision-support tool development. A significant portion addresses seed-based restoration techniques, ecosystem services, and the socio-ecological dimensions of marine conservation. Dr. Bertelli actively collaborates with external organizations including Project Seagrass, Sky Ocean Rescue, WWF, Natural England, and the National Oceanographic Centre. Her current ReSOW project aims to develop the CEEDS (Coastal Ecosystem Enhancement Decision Support) tool, an open-source platform to guide seagrass restoration practitioners. As an educator, Dr. Bertelli teaches several field-based marine biology courses including BIO260 Marine Biology Field Course, BIO327 Tropical Marine Ecology Field Course, and BIO346 Professional Skills in Marine Biology. Her teaching emphasizes practical, field-based learning and professional skill development for marine biologists, with a focus on survey techniques, data analysis, and environmental impact assessment. Dr. Bertelli is actively involved in research teams focused on marine ecosystem restoration and coastal management. Her work bridges academic research with practical conservation applications, working closely with government agencies, NGOs, and international research partners to translate scientific findings into actionable conservation strategies.
Cindy Lee Van Dover is a deep-sea biologist and the Harvey W Smith Distinguished Professor of Biological Oceanography at Duke University. She serves as Chair of Duke's Division of Marine Science and Conservation and Director of the Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, N.C. Her research focuses on chemosynthetic ecosystems, biodiversity, and deep-sea policy frameworks. Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography, MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (1989) M.A. in Ecology, UCLA (1985) B.S. in Biological Oceanography, Rutgers University (1977) Van Dover's work spans deep-sea ecology, hydrothermal vent biodiversity, and environmental policy. She investigates gene flow in vent invertebrates, ecological impacts of deep-sea mining, and conservation strategies for chemosynthetic ecosystems. Her research integrates field programs using submersibles and telepresence technologies to study vent connectivity and microbial roles in extreme environments. Her scientific leadership includes 80+ peer-reviewed publications and roles as Chief Scientist in NSF- and NOAA-sponsored expeditions. She pioneered studies on geothermal light at vents and deep-sea symbiosis, with recent work on dual symbiotic relationships in vent snails and methane seep ecology. Virginia Outstanding Scientist (2006) Fulbright Scholar (France 2004) Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Mines Medal for Leadership and Innovation NSF Career Awardee Van Dover's grants include NSF EAGER funding for deep-submergence science leadership and Pew Charitable Trusts' support for deep-sea mining impact assessments. She leads interdisciplinary initiatives like Science and Art at the Moment of Discovery , integrating artists into marine research expeditions. Her outreach includes authoring two books: Deep-Ocean Journeys for public audiences and The Ecology of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents as the first textbook in the field. Her work has been featured in Science News , Discover Magazine , and National Public Radio .
Christopher P. Higgins serves as Professor and AMAX Distinguished Chair in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, a position he attained in 2025 following his 2022 designation as University Distinguished Professor. Joining Mines in 2009, he leads critical research on environmental contaminants with emphasis on poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in natural and engineered systems. His educational foundation includes: PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University (2007) MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University (2002) AB in Chemistry from Harvard University (1998) Dr. Higgins' research program investigates chemical fate and transport mechanisms, particularly PFAS movement through soils and water, human exposure pathways, and remediation technologies. His work integrates field studies, laboratory experiments, and mathematical modeling to address: PFAS leaching dynamics in vadose zones Advanced treatment methods for contaminated media Exposure assessment via water, food, and indoor environments Environmental risk characterization at contaminated sites His recent publications demonstrate increasing focus on analytical method development, source identification, and destruction technologies for ultrashort-chain PFAS compounds. Notable recognitions include: ASCE Huber Prize for Civil Engineering Research (2019) SERDP Environmental Restoration Project of the Year (2020) Honorary Professorship at The University of Queensland, Australia His research program has secured substantial funding from NSF, NIH, EPA, USDA, and DoD, supporting interdisciplinary collaborations and graduate student mentorship. Current initiatives emphasize translating laboratory findings to field applications through partnerships with regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders. Dr. Higgins directs the Center for Environmental Risk Assessment and co-leads the PFAS@Mines Initiative, which coordinates campus-wide research on PFAS contamination through integrated experimental, computational, and policy-focused approaches.
Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour is a Professeur Eminent and Head of the Systèmes d’Information, Supply Chain Management & aide à la Décision department at NEOMA Business School in France. He holds a Habilitation à diriger un doctorat from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. His research focuses on green and circular supply chains , Industry 4.0 , and sustainability integration in operations management. He has been included in Clarivate/Web of Science Highly Cited Researchers and received the British Academy of Management’s Best Paper Award (2019). Education & Career: Completed Habilitation at University of São Paulo (Brazil) International experience across Brazil, Japan, Scotland, England, and France Former Associate Editor of Journal of Cleaner Production Research Interests: His work bridges theory and practice in sustainable supply chain design, circular economy frameworks, and the human dimension of operations. He emphasizes integrating Industry 4.0 technologies with sustainability goals, and has pioneered studies on blockchain in supply chain digitalization. Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator/Co-Investigator on projects funded by Innovate UK, Midlands Engine UK, FAPESP Focus areas: Sustainable supply chain resilience, circular economy adoption Labs/Teams: Leads the Systèmes d’Information department and collaborates with global networks on sustainability initiatives.
Dr. Tanja Stratmann is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Utrecht University 's Department of Earth Sciences within the Faculty of Geosciences since July 2025, with prior affiliations at NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (2022-2025), Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (2019-2022), and Ghent University (2018-2019). PhD in Marine Sciences (2018) from NIOZ/Ghent University MSc in Statistical Data Analysis (2019) from Ghent University MSc in Biology (2014) from Aarhus University Her research focuses on extreme marine environments , particularly deep-sea ecosystems and polar regions . Key areas include: Environmental impacts of deep-sea mining Benthic food web dynamics using isotopic tracers Megafaunal roles in carbon/nitrogen cycling Dissolved organic matter cycling in Arctic systems Recent work analyzes 13C, 15N, 2H tracers in sponge feeding studies (2025) and Clarion-Clipperton zone food web integrity (2023). Her databases ( BenBioDen , ProkaBioDen ) support global marine research. Scientific Recognition: Veni Laureate (2022) Open Science XS Grant (2022) Rubicon Research Fellowship (2019-2022)
Maria Leonilde Rocha Varela is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the School of Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal, where she also serves as a Senior Researcher at the Algoritmi Research Centre. She has been an integrated member of the Algoritmi Research Centre since 2012 and works in the Department of Production and Systems. Dr. Varela earned her degree in Production Engineering from the University of Minho in 1994, completed a Master's in Computer Integrated Production at DPS-UMinho in 1999, and received her Ph.D. in Production and Systems from the University of Minho in 2007. Her primary research focuses on Manufacturing Management, particularly Production Planning, Control and Optimization, and Collaborative Paradigms, Networks and Decision Making Models. She maintains extensive international collaborations with institutions worldwide including the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, VSB-Technick Univerzita Ostrava, University of Belgrade, and others. Her research spans Web Applications and Services for supporting Engineering and Production Management, with increasing emphasis on Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation, and Industry 4.0/5.0 applications. She has made significant contributions to scheduling algorithms, optimization techniques, and decision support systems for manufacturing environments. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward integrating Artificial Intelligence with traditional manufacturing processes, particularly in Robotic Process Automation applications. Her research increasingly focuses on sustainable manufacturing practices, with numerous publications addressing energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and resource optimization. There is a clear emphasis on multi-objective optimization approaches to solve complex manufacturing problems, particularly in distributed job shop scheduling. Her work demonstrates an evolution from traditional production planning methods to more advanced AI-driven approaches for Industry 4.0 and 5.0 environments. Dr. Varela has held significant academic leadership roles, currently serving as the director of the master's course in Engineering and Quality Management at DPS-UMinho. She previously coordinated the industrial management and systems subgroup from 2012 to 2021 and was part of the steering committee for the master's course in systems engineering between 2016 and 2019. She has successfully supervised more than 70 MSc projects, with over 15 currently ongoing, focusing on Production and Systems Engineering. Her supervision encompasses collaborative management models, traditional decision approaches, and web-based platforms incorporating AI techniques. She coordinates research projects including 2 concluded Ph.D. projects and 6 ongoing ones. She collaborates as a research member in several R&D projects with national and international industrial enterprises and institutions, and in international Erasmus projects. Dr. Varela is an active participant in the academic community, serving on editorial boards of several international journals and as a member of organizing and scientific committees for numerous international conferences. She is a member of several prestigious research networks including the Euro Working Group of Decision Support Systems (EWG-DSS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Industrial Engineering Network, and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).
Deepak R Mishra is the Merle C. Prunty, Jr. Professor of Geography at the University of Georgia, where he serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Geography. He directs both the Center for Geospatial Research (CGR) and the UGA Small Satellite Research Laboratory (SSRL), demonstrating leadership across multiple significant research initiatives. His academic career spans geospatial science, remote sensing applications, and environmental monitoring with particular focus on coastal ecosystems. Dr. Mishra earned his PhD in Natural Resources from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in 2006 and completed his M. Tech in Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur in 2002. His research focuses on combining field-based remote sensing with satellite technologies to monitor and study coastal and inland water resources. His work addresses critical environmental challenges including harmful algal blooms, salt marsh conservation, carbon sequestration in tidal wetlands, and sea level rise impacts. Dr. Mishra's research portfolio reveals strong trends in geospatial analytics for environmental monitoring, with increasing integration of artificial intelligence and small satellite technologies. His recent publications show a growing emphasis on climate change impacts on coastal ecosystems, particularly salt marsh vulnerability and carbon sequestration capacity. The work demonstrates innovative applications of remote sensing for tracking cyanobacterial blooms and developing early warning systems through platforms like CyanoTRACKER. Outstanding Service Award, SEDAAG 2019 Creative Research Medal, University of Georgia, 2017 Best Poster Award, TROPMET 2016, India Article ranked #4 in Altmetric Attention Score in Nature Climate Change 2016 Mississippi State University Faculty Research Award (2012) GRI Academic Faculty of the year (2011) Dr. Mishra has secured substantial research funding, including a $7.5 million NSF LTER grant and a $4.7 million Army Research Lab grant for autonomous navigation systems. His lab actively mentors graduate students including Tyler Lynn, Lishen Mao, and Chintan Maniyar, who contribute to projects spanning coastal monitoring, small satellite development, and AI applications. The Small Satellite Research Laboratory recently achieved a historic milestone with the launch of SPOC satellite to the International Space Station, marking UGA's first satellite deployment.
Pankaj Mehta is a Professor in the Department of Physics at Boston University, with additional affiliations in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. His research bridges statistical physics, theoretical biology, and interdisciplinary systems approaches. Key areas include ecological dynamics, synthetic biology, and the application of machine learning principles to biological systems. His work focuses on understanding emergent phenomena in biological systems, such as cell fate decisions, ecosystem stability, and signal processing in cellular networks. He has pioneered methods combining physics-based modeling with computational tools to study complex systems, including gene circuits, microbial communities, and cancer dynamics. Recent contributions highlight the use of order parameters for interpreting cellular states, geometric frameworks for ecological niches, and machine learning analogies to ecological principles. His interdisciplinary approach integrates experimental data with theoretical models to address questions in biomedicine, environmental science, and fundamental physics.
Prof. Ellen Kandeler is a leading academic in soil biology and microbial ecology at the University of Hohenheim , heading the Department of Soil Biology within the Institute of Soil Science and Site Science. Her work focuses on microbial interactions, soil organic matter dynamics, and the impacts of land use and climate change on soil systems. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), including studies on mineral-organic matter associations, pesticide degradation, and agroecosystem resilience. Research interests include rhizosphere dynamics, biogeochemical cycles, and the ecological functions of soil microorganisms, with applications in sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. She is also involved in institutional roles as a Deputy Ombudsperson for Scientific Integrity and member of committees overseeing large-scale research infrastructure. Her recent publications emphasize climate-soil feedbacks, microbial community assembly, and the biodegradation of agrochemicals. Projects like the DFG-FOR 1695 on agricultural landscapes under climate change highlight her commitment to addressing global environmental challenges through soil science. Prof. Kandeler’s work bridges fundamental and applied research, with a focus on translating soil microbial processes into strategies for sustainable land management and mitigating anthropogenic impacts on soil health.
