Jacob Bukoski is Assistant Professor and Director of the Forests and Climate Change graduate certificate at Oregon State University's College of Forestry. His research examines forest carbon dynamics, climate mitigation, and international forestry. Education includes: PhD in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley MS in Environmental Science from Yale University BA in Environmental Studies from UNC Chapel Hill Research focuses on carbon accumulation in forests, mangrove conservation, and climate policy integration. Teaches interdisciplinary courses on social-ecological systems and forest carbon analysis. Recent publications quantify carbon storage in global plantations and mangrove ecosystems. Current projects investigate albedo impacts on reforestation protocols and coastal conservation synergies. Directs graduate studies in Forests and Climate Change.
Chris Darimont is a Professor and Raincoast Research Chair in Applied Conservation Science within the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria's Faculty of Social Sciences. His work bridges natural and social sciences to address urgent conservation challenges, with a geographic focus on British Columbia's Central Coast (Great Bear Rainforest) but designed for global relevance. His research spans three primary domains: landscape ecology at the marine-terrestrial interface, conservation biology of harvest management, and conservation ethics. Darimont maintains deep collaborations with First Nations communities and conservation organizations like the Raincoast Conservation Foundation (where he previously served as Science Director) and Hakai Institute. His work frequently integrates Indigenous Knowledge with scientific methods, exemplified by projects like the Nuxalk Sputc (Eulachon) initiative and Heiltsuk bear monitoring. Darimont's publication record shows consistent focus on human-wildlife interactions, particularly bear-salmon ecosystems, trophy hunting ethics, and Indigenous-led conservation. His highly cited 2009 PNAS paper "Human predators outpace other agents of trait change in the wild" and 2015 Science paper "The unique ecology of human predators" established foundational frameworks in conservation science. Recent work increasingly emphasizes decolonial approaches and Two-Eyed Seeing methodologies. As an educator, he teaches GEOG 391 (Contemporary Topics in Coastal Conservation) and GEOG 353 (Coastal and Marine Resources), prioritizing student mentorship as his "favourite form of outreach." His research is regularly featured in high-profile media including National Geographic and The New York Times, reflecting his commitment to science communication and public engagement.
Christof Bigler is an Adjunct Professor at ETH Zurich's Department of Environmental Systems Science, where he also serves as Deputy Group Head of the Professorship of Forest Ecology and Senior Scientist. He leads the ETH Tree-Ring Laboratory and teaches courses in dendroecology, applied statistics, and forest ecology. His research focuses on tree mortality, climate impacts on forests, disturbance ecology, and phenology, with a strong emphasis on quantitative methods and long-term data analysis. Bigler holds a PhD in Forest Ecology from ETH Zurich (2003), awarded the ETH Medal for his thesis on tree mortality modeling. He has conducted postdoctoral research in Switzerland and the University of Colorado Boulder, exploring disturbance interactions and dendroecology. He has supervised numerous PhD and master's students, contributing to over 150 publications in top journals like Nature Climate Change and Ecology . His work integrates dendrochronological techniques with statistical modeling to understand forest responses to climate change, including drought effects, tree competition, and mortality patterns. He serves on editorial boards for journals like Agricultural and Forest Meteorology and reviews proposals for national and international science foundations. His research also includes managing forest reserves and studying natural forest dynamics in the Alps and beyond. Education: PhD in Forest Ecology, ETH Zurich (2003) Postdoctoral Research: University of Colorado Boulder (2004–2005) Diploma in Biology, ETH Zurich (1998) Key Awards: ETH Medal for PhD thesis (2003) Professional Roles: Member of the Tree-Ring Society, Editor for Frontiers in Forests , and Commission for Phenology and Seasonality (KPS). Bigler's lab and fieldwork emphasize long-term datasets, including analyses of tree-ring records from Swiss National Park and other reserves. His research highlights the critical role of historical climate data in predicting future forest resilience and adaptation strategies.
Johan Eklöf is a Professor at Stockholm University within the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences . His research emphasizes marine ecology , focusing on interactions between marine biodiversity, environmental conditions (including climate), and societal impacts . He teaches courses such as Management of Aquatic Resources in the Tropics , Marine Ecology for the Biogeo Program , and Ecology II . Research Focus: Causal relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem resilience Foundation species as drivers of ecosystem services Optimizing resource management under climate change Projects: Principal Investigator for FORCE (2023-present), a transdisciplinary Baltic Sea recovery project Contributor to NordSalt (climate impacts on Nordic salt marshes) and PlantFish (Baltic Sea vegetation-fish interactions) Scientific Leadership : Supervises 2 current PhD students and co-supervises 6 additional PhD/postdocs Formerly mentored 4 PhD graduates and >40 MSc students Environmental Context: His work spans Baltic Sea and Western Indian Ocean ecosystems, using seagrass beds , mussel beds , and coastal benthic systems as primary models. Recent publications highlight climate change impacts on trophic cascades , habitat connectivity , and policy frameworks for marine conservation .
Dr. Jacinta C. Beehner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology & Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on sexual conflict theory, reproductive strategies in primates, and the physiological and behavioral mechanisms underlying these dynamics. She directs the Core Assay Facility/Beehner Endocrine Laboratory and co-directs the Simien Mountains Gelada Research Project, Capuchins at Taboga, and the Evolution and Human Adaptations Program. Her work examines non-human primates like geladas, capuchins, and baboons in natural African and American habitats. Key themes include infanticide avoidance, hormonal responses to environmental stress, and the evolutionary implications of reproductive trade-offs. Recent studies highlight the impact of climate change on primate health, the role of social status in parasite resistance, and hormonal adaptations to high-altitude environments. Beehner has contributed to over 60 peer-reviewed articles since 2015, spanning topics from primate social networks to genomic adaptations. Her fieldwork emphasizes integrative methods combining endocrinology, genetics, and behavioral observation. She has presented at international forums like the National Geographic Explorer’s Festival and collaborates across disciplines to advance primate conservation and evolutionary biology.
Soosan Beheshti is a Professor and Program Director in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering at Toronto Metropolitan University. She holds a B.S. from Isfahan University of Technology and M.S./Ph.D. from MIT. Her research focuses on signal processing, statistical learning, and information theory, with applications in biomedical systems, data denoising, and system modeling. She has received awards such as the Dean's Teaching Award (2010) and the EECS Carlton E. Tucker Award (1998). Education: B.S., Electrical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology (1996) M.S. & Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, MIT (2002) Research Interests: Statistical Signal Processing Information Theory Data Denoising & Compression System Modeling & Control Machine Learning Applications Awards: Dean's Teaching Award (2010) Gold Paper Award (PacRim 2009) Best Paper Award (Remote Sensing 2008) MIT Teaching Excellence Award (1998) Teaching: Courses include Signals and Systems, Control Systems, and Statistical Inference. She has supervised numerous graduate students and postdocs in her Signal and Information Processing (SIP) Lab. Labs/Teams: Director of the SIP Lab, conducting research in signal processing, information theory, and biomedical applications. Collaborates with industry partners like Myant Inc. and Huawei Technologies.
Prof. Dr. Florian Jeltsch leads the Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation research group at the Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Potsdam. His work spans multiple ecological domains with a focus on understanding biodiversity patterns and processes in changing environments. His research group investigates community ecology across various landscapes including grasslands, agricultural systems, and drylands. Dr. Jeltsch's research interests encompass Community Ecology of Grasslands and Agricultural Landscapes, Community Ecology of Drylands, Biodiversity in Heterogeneous Environments, Movement Ecology and Biodiversity Dynamics, and Applied Regional Conservation. His work integrates theoretical and empirical approaches to address pressing ecological questions related to global change. He has been instrumental in developing and applying individual-based models to understand complex ecological systems. Analysis of Dr. Jeltsch's recent publications reveals a strong focus on individual-based ecological modeling, movement ecology, and the impacts of landscape heterogeneity on biodiversity. His work spans from theoretical foundations to practical conservation applications, with particular emphasis on savanna ecosystems, habitat fragmentation effects, and climate change impacts. The research demonstrates integration of multiple scales from individual energetics to community dynamics. Dr. Jeltsch has mentored numerous doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers who have gone on to establish their own research careers. His group has been involved in multiple collaborative projects including BioHet, GrassYear, BioMove, and ORYCS, addressing biodiversity conservation in heterogeneous environments. The Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation group maintains active research stations including the Gülpe Research Station, providing field-based research opportunities. The group's work bridges theoretical ecology with practical conservation applications, particularly in the context of global environmental change.
Prof. Douglas Sheil is a Chairholder in Forest Ecology and Forest Management at Wageningen University & Research. He holds a MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge and an MSc in Forestry from Oxford. His career includes roles at the University of Oxford, CIFOR (Indonesia), the Institute for Tropical Forest Conservation in Uganda, and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). His research focuses on tropical forest ecology, biodiversity conservation, and human-forest interactions, with over 200 publications. He co-authored the influential textbook Tropical Rain Forests: Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation (2010). Awards include the Biotropica Prize (2004) and the Queen’s Award for Forestry (2015). Education: MA (Natural Sciences, Cambridge), MSc (Forestry, Oxford) Key Roles: Director of Institute for Tropical Forest Conservation (2008–2012), Professor at NMBU (2013–2020) Research Interests: Tropical forest dynamics, climate change impacts, conservation strategies, and the socio-ecological dimensions of forest management. His work spans field studies in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to address deforestation, biodiversity loss, and sustainable land use. Recent Trends in Articles: Focus on mycorrhizal networks, oil palm impacts, lightning disturbance, and mammal population responses to human activity. He explores mechanisms linking forest structure to ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and water regulation, often integrating remote sensing and global datasets. Awards: Biotropica Prize, Queen’s Award for Forestry Grants/Projects: Studies on lightning effects in African forests, camera trap mammal surveys, and policy analyses for vegetable oil sustainability. Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary groups at Wageningen, collaborating with CIFOR and international networks. Active in IUCN committees to translate science into conservation policy.
Professor Brendan Choat is a leading plant physiologist and Professor at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University. With a distinguished career in plant hydraulics and water relations research, he has established himself as a global expert in understanding how plants respond to drought stress. His work spans both natural ecosystems and agricultural systems, with particular emphasis on Australian native forests and crop species. Choat's research focuses on the intricate relationship between plant water transport systems and environmental stressors, particularly drought. His work examines how the xylem tissue functions as a hydraulic system that must balance water delivery to leaves while avoiding cavitation (embolism) that can lead to plant mortality. His groundbreaking research has demonstrated that many woody plant species operate close to their physiological safety margins with respect to drought, making them vulnerable to future climate changes. His laboratory employs cutting-edge non-invasive imaging techniques, including X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (microCT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), to directly visualize xylem function in living plants. This approach has allowed his team to address fundamental questions about how cavitation forms and spreads through plant vascular systems during drought stress. Analysis of Professor Choat's extensive publication record reveals a consistent focus on plant drought responses, with particular emphasis on Eucalyptus species and mangrove ecosystems. His research has increasingly incorporated large-scale monitoring approaches, remote sensing data, and trait databases to understand vegetation responses to climate extremes across broader spatial scales. Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2018-2024) ARC Future Fellowship (2013) Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (2010) Thomson Reuters Citation and Innovation Award (2015) Professor Choat leads multiple significant research projects examining tree dieback in Australian forests, particularly focusing on Eucalyptus species. His work with citizen scientists through the 'Dead Tree Detective' project has provided valuable data on drought impacts across diverse forest biomes. He maintains active collaborations with researchers across Australia and internationally, contributing to large-scale initiatives like the AusTraits plant trait database. His research has direct implications for forest management, conservation strategies, and predicting ecosystem responses to climate change.
Guofeng Cao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Colorado . His research integrates GIScience , GeoAI , geostatistics , and remote sensing to develop advanced methodologies for analyzing heterogeneous geospatial data and modeling complex spatiotemporal patterns. Focus areas: Uncertainty-aware geographic knowledge discovery, land cover/land use dynamics, spatiotemporal bias analysis, geospatial cyberinfrastructure development Applications: Natural hazards, environmental science, public health, global change studies Recent publications emphasize generative adversarial networks for climate downscaling, neural processes for uncertainty modeling, and fusion transformers for disaster assessment. His work combines deep learning with Bayesian inference to address scalability challenges in geospatial data processing. Scientific Recognition : NASA and USDA grants for spatiotemporal research Advising : Mentoring graduate students in geospatial data science Laboratory : Leads the STAR lab (Spatiotemporal Pattern Analysis & Research)
Leif Ristroph is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences , New York University . His research bridges experimental physics and applied mathematics , focusing on fluid-structure interactions in both biological and geophysical contexts. Key research areas include: Biophysical Flows : Aerodynamics of insect flight ( Applied Mathematics Laboratory ), hydrodynamics of fish schooling, and flow-sensing mechanisms via the fish lateral line system Geophysical Flows : Shape evolution during erosion, dissolution patterns in fluid flows, and bubble formation dynamics Recent publications (2019-2015) explore: Flow interactions in flapping swimmers and hovering systems Evolutionary optimization of wing shapes and self-sculpting processes Stability mechanisms in tandem flapping and insect flight His work has been featured in major media outlets like Nature , New York Times , and ScienceDaily . Ristroph's lab at NYU's Applied Mathematics Laboratory combines physical experiments, computational models, and theoretical analysis to study complex fluid-structure interactions.
Francisco Jose Garcia Garcia is a Professor at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide, affiliated with the Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems. His research focuses on Zoology, Marine Biology, and Benthic Ecology, with a specialization in Mollusks (particularly Opisthobranchia) and Antarctic Biodiversity. He leads the ORGSIS Organisms and Systems research group and contributes to the Doctoral Programs in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology. PhD in Zoology (1987) from the University of Seville His research spans marine taxonomy, ecological impacts of human activity, and biogeographical patterns of mollusks and arthropods in coastal environments. Recent studies examine invasive species effects (e.g., Amathia verticillata) and wrack dynamics in Atlantic and Mediterranean ecosystems. His publications from 1984–2024 reflect long-term contributions to Antarctic benthos studies (BENTART projects) and nudibranch systematics. Articles highlight expertise in Invasive Species Ecology, Benthic Ecology, and Environmental Impact Assessment, with a focus on mollusk physiology, taxonomy, and habitat interactions. Notable collaborations include Antarctic research campaigns and cross-regional studies comparing Brazil and Spain. As part of the ORGSIS group, he investigates coastal ecosystem functioning, emphasizing sandy beach macrofauna and supralittoral arthropods. His work integrates field experiments (e.g., wrack removal, trampling effects) and laboratory assays on reproductive biology.
Mark Hebblewhite is a Professor in Ungulate Ecology at the Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana. His research integrates ecological theory with applied wildlife management, focusing on species like elk, wolves, and grizzly bears. Institution: University of Montana Academic Rank: Professor Research Interests span: Wildlife-habitat interactions Predator-prey dynamics Conservation of endangered species Remote sensing for forest and wildlife monitoring Climate change impacts on ecosystems Recent Publications emphasize: Multi-scale movement ecology Remote sensing integration for forest inventory Anthropogenic effects on wildlife behavior Fire ecology and post-disturbance recovery LiDAR and satellite-based vegetation mapping Collaborations include researchers from the University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, Colorado State University, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Christian Messier is a Professor at the University of Quebec in Outaouais (UQO) in the Department of Natural Sciences and at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) in the Department of Biological Sciences. He serves as Scientific Director of the Institute of Temperate Forest Sciences (ISFORT) and holds two prestigious research chairs: the Canada Research Chair on Tree Resilience to Global Changes and the NSERC/Hydro-Québec Chair on Tree Growth Control. His academic career spans over three decades since completing his Ph.D. in forest sciences from the University of British Columbia in 1991. Dr. Messier's research focuses on two primary areas: the complex functioning of managed natural forest systems to develop management approaches that promote resilience in the face of global changes, and the study of trees and urban forests to reconcile the needs of minimizing negative impacts of trees on human infrastructure while maximizing ecosystem services. His work integrates field studies, simulation modeling, and network theory to address pressing challenges in forest ecology and management. His recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on urban forest resilience, functional diversity in forest ecosystems, and nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. The research shows a clear trajectory toward more applied, solution-oriented approaches that bridge fundamental ecological understanding with practical forest management applications across diverse spatial scales from individual trees to entire landscapes. Francqui Foundation Chair (Belgium) - 2020 Member of The Royal Society of Canada - 2019 Personality of the Year 'Radio-Canada/Le Droit' - 2017 Humboldt Research Award - 2016 Prix Acfas – Michel-Jurdant - 2010 Canadian Forestry Scientific Achievement Award - 2006 Dr. Messier has supervised over 40 graduate students throughout his career and currently leads multiple major research projects including the Canada Research Chair on Forest Resilience, the NSERC/Hydro-Québec Chair on Tree Growth Control, and the SylvCIT project for urban forest immunization against global change. His research has been supported by significant grants from NSERC, Canada Research Chairs program, Hydro-Québec, and other major funding agencies. He directs the Messier lab with research assistants Kim Bannon and Fanny Maure, and collaborates with numerous researchers across Canada and internationally. His team studies diverse aspects of forest ecology including soil dynamics, functional composition of tree communities, nature-based solutions for climate adaptation, and ecophysiology of maple water flow. The lab maintains strong connections with the International Diversity Experiment Network with Trees (IDENT) and other major forest research initiatives.
Rich Walker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). His research focuses on freshwater ecosystems, particularly understanding how stressors affect stream biodiversity and ecological processes. He leads the Freshwater Ecology and Conservation Lab, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges. Education: PhD in Ecology (University of Wyoming, 2019), MS in Biology (University of Central Arkansas, 2011), and BS in Environmental Science (University of Central Arkansas, 2008). Research interests include freshwater salinization, non-perennial stream dynamics, and fisheries conservation. His work bridges basic and applied questions, such as how climate change and human activities alter water quality and habitat availability. Recent studies explore predictive modeling of conductivity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and biogeochemical responses in intermittent streams. Publications span Environmental Science & Technology Water , Nature Water , and Science of the Total Environment . His 2024 studies address conductivity trends and non-perennial stream management. Key findings include global gaps in salinization research and crayfish population dynamics under climate variability. Service roles include membership in UTC’s Curriculum Committee, Izaak Walton League’s Save Our Streams, and the Hartman Nature Reserve Board. Teaching covers ecology, limnology, and fisheries management.
