Professor Joshua Cinner is a leading social scientist in the Faculty of Science at The University of Sydney , holding the rank of Professor of Geography and an ARC Australian Laureate Fellow . His work focuses on human-environment interactions in tropical coastal regions, blending social science and ecology to address sustainability challenges. He leads projects on conservation bright spots, climate change impacts, and equity in marine management across 15+ countries. Education & Background: Cinner’s career began with Peace Corps service in Jamaica, followed by research in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Southeast Asia. His interdisciplinary approach spans geography, marine biology, and policy analysis. Research Interests: Key areas include coral reef resilience, fisheries sustainability, climate adaptation, and equity in conservation. He emphasizes actionable insights for policy and on-ground interventions, with over 170 peer-reviewed publications. Grants & Awards: 2025: National Geographic Grant ($150k) for PNG coral reef livelihood studies 2024: $2.5M ARC Laureate Fellowship for coral reef fisheries research Labs & Affiliations: Member of the Sydney Environment Institute and Sydney Southeast Asia Centre. Collaborates with global networks like the Coral Triangle Center and IUCN.
Michiel van Breugel is an Associate Professor in Geography at the National University of Singapore, focusing on tropical forest ecology in human-modified landscapes. He holds an MSc and PhD from Wageningen University and was a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellow. His research examines how land-use changes impact forest regeneration, biodiversity recovery, and ecosystem services. Education: PhD in Ecology, Wageningen University (2007) MSc in Forestry and Nature Management, Wageningen University (1997) Dr. van Breugel co-leads long-term studies on secondary forest dynamics in Panama and Singapore, investigating successional pathways, soil-microbe interactions, and blue carbon storage in coastal ecotones. His work integrates field experiments with LiDAR technology to quantify carbon sequestration and functional trait evolution during reforestation. Recent publications (2024-2025) analyze microbial shifts during succession, drought impacts on sapling survival, and edge effects in mangrove carbon dynamics. This research supports climate-resilient forest restoration strategies across Southeast Asia. As Co-Investigator in Future Cities Lab Global, he develops blue-green infrastructure solutions for flood-prone tropical cities. He contributes to international networks like the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation, advancing large-scale carbon mapping.
Wouter Buytaert is a Professor in Hydrology and Water Resources at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London. His research focuses on hydrological process understanding, water resources management, and global development, particularly in mountain regions like the Andes and Himalayas. He leads projects on climate change adaptation, flood/drought resilience, and smart sensor networks for water quality monitoring. He has held editorial roles at journals like Hydrology and Earth System Sciences and received the EGU Darcy Medal in 2022 for contributions to water resources engineering. Education: PhD (Environmental Engineering) from KU Leuven (2004), followed by roles at Lancaster University and University of Bristol before joining Imperial College in 2009. Research Interests: Climate change impacts on water cycles, ecohydrology, community-based resilience, and policy integration. Current projects include RAHU (glacierized basins in Peru), LandslideEVO (flood resilience), and SMARTWATER (sensors for water quality). Publications highlight themes like glacier dynamics, nature-based solutions, groundwater data investment, and citizen science applications in water security. He collaborates globally with institutions, governments, and NGOs, emphasizing policy engagement through UNESCO and other platforms. Grants & Awards: Extensive funding from UKRI, EU, and Peruvian agencies. Notable recognition includes the Darcy Medal and leadership in international initiatives like the iMHEA network and Riverlabs toolbox development. Labs/Teams: Directs a research group focusing on sustainable water management, integrating data collection, simulation, and decision-support tools. Projects span tropical regions (Andes, Africa) and involve cross-continental collaborations.
Maarja Öpik is a Professor in Molecular Ecology at the University of Tartu's Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences since 2021. She holds editorial leadership as Editor-in-Chief of New Phytologist and serves on editorial boards for multiple journals including IMA Fungus and MycoKeys. Her career spans 22 years at the University of Tartu, with research fellowships at Ben Gurion University, University of Helsinki, and Scottish Crop Research Institute. Education: BSc (1995) and MSc (1998) in Botany/Mycology at University of Tartu, followed by PhD (2004) on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity. Her research focuses on plant-fungal symbiosis, soil microbiomes, and biodiversity dynamics, with fieldwork in temperate forests, agricultural systems, and peatlands. Recent publications analyze global peatland greenhouse gas dynamics, dark diversity in vegetation, and nitrogen-fixing microbial biogeography. She develops international microbiology education frameworks and investigates agricultural practice impacts on mycorrhizal communities. As an active editor, she shapes research communication in ecology and mycology. Key affiliations: Director of Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences (2020-), member of British Ecological Society (2007), Estonian Naturalists' Society (1995), and Estonian Microbiological Association (2004). Her work connects plant-soil interactions with conservation biology and climate change mitigation.
Pedro David Fernandez is a postdoctoral researcher at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , specializing in land-use and sustainability science within the Conservation Biogeography Lab . His work bridges remote sensing, livestock system indicators, and socio-environmental dynamics to address sustainability challenges in tropical dry woodlands. Education: Ph.D. in Biological Sciences (2022), National University of Tucuman, Argentina Diploma in Agronomical Engineering (2015), Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, Argentina Research Themes: Environmental and productive analysis of cattle ranching Land system intensification and trade-offs Mapping agricultural landscape dynamics Actor-centered land system typologies Biophysical modeling for grazing pressure Recent Article Trends: Focus on Tropical Dry Forests , Agricultural Intensification , and Land Tenure Conflicts Methodological emphasis on Remote Sensing , Landsat Time Series , and Actor-Centered Analysis Geographic scope spans Gran Chaco , South America’s Dry Diagonal , and South Asian Tropical Dry Forests Collaborative Networks: Work with Tobias Kuemmerle (Professor & Head of Conservation Biogeography Lab) Collaborations with Matthias Baumann (Senior Researcher), Daniel Müller (Professor of Geography), and Dominic Martin (Assistant Professor)
Dana Infante serves as Professor and Chair in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, concurrently holding leadership positions as Interim Director of the Institute of Water Research and Assistant Director of AgBioResearch. Her interdisciplinary work bridges landscape ecology, aquatic conservation, and fisheries management through examination of geology, land use, and climate impacts on fluvial systems. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Resource Ecology and Management (2005), M.S. in Resource Ecology and Management (2001), and B.S. in Scientific Writing (1994), all from the University of Michigan. This foundation supports her expertise in hydrological processes and ecosystem-scale management approaches. Infante's research focuses on landscape-scale stressors affecting aquatic ecosystems, with particular emphasis on river catchment hydrology, stream geomorphology, and sustainable management frameworks. She develops innovative methodologies for ecological assessment across spatial scales from local to national, integrating theoretical ecology with practical conservation applications to address climate change impacts and habitat fragmentation. Analysis of her recent publications reveals strong emphasis on climate vulnerability assessment, cross-continental conservation frameworks, and advanced modeling techniques including boosted regression trees for species distribution. Her work consistently addresses the intersection of hydrology, landscape connectivity, and fisheries management with increasing focus on tropical systems and large-scale habitat fragmentation. No scientific awards are explicitly documented in the provided materials. She actively mentors graduate students including current doctoral candidates Emily Dean (studying stream fragmentation impacts on migratory fish) and Kyle Brumm, while securing substantial research funding from agencies including USGS, NOAA, and USFWS. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained commitment to national aquatic habitat assessment programs, climate vulnerability studies, and decision support tools like FishVis and NorEast for regional conservation planning. Infante leads a comprehensive research laboratory with GIS scientists, hydrologists, and data specialists, coordinating large-scale projects including the Aquatic GAP Analysis Program and Mississippi River Basin habitat assessments. Her team develops critical national datasets on fish distributions, dam metrics, and anthropogenic disturbances that inform conservation policy across North America.
Prof. Dr. Mark Gessner is a Professor of Experimental Limnology at the Technical University of Berlin, Faculty VI Planning, Building and Environment, Institute of Ecology. He also serves as Head of Department (Department 3: Plankton and Microbial Ecology) at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin, Germany. From 2016-2020, he was Acting Director of IGB Berlin. His primary research interests focus on Limnology, Aquatic Ecology, Microbial Ecology, Ecosystems, and Global Environmental Change . His work examines fundamental processes in freshwater ecosystems, particularly microbial decomposition, nutrient cycling, and the impacts of global change on aquatic systems. Gessner has contributed significantly to understanding how climate change, nutrient pollution, and other stressors affect stream and lake ecosystems worldwide. Gessner's recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a strong focus on microbial processes in freshwater systems, climate change impacts on decomposition, light pollution effects on lakes, and large-scale biodiversity patterns in rivers. His research often involves international collaborations and large-scale experiments examining ecosystem functioning across multiple spatial scales. His work demonstrates consistent leadership in freshwater ecology, with publications appearing in top journals including Global Change Biology, Freshwater Biology, and Nature Communications. His research has important implications for freshwater management and conservation in the face of global environmental change. Gessner has supervised numerous research projects and has been involved in developing methodologies for studying aquatic ecosystems. His work bridges basic ecological research with practical applications for freshwater management.
Duffy Roberts is a Lecturer jointly appointed with the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences under the Faculty of Forestry. He is based at MacMillan 241, 2537 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada, and can be contacted at 604-822-3688 or via email at Duffy.Roberts@ubc.ca . Research Areas: Education and Pedagogy in Forestry, Human Dimensions of the Environment, Writing Instruction Roberts’ teaching philosophy emphasizes creating a classroom environment that fosters kindness, belonging, and effective scholarly writing. Drawing on Thomas King’s assertion that “the truth about stories is that that’s all we are” and Northrop Frye’s exploration of Canadian identity through place, he integrates storytelling and spatial awareness into his pedagogy. He aligns his work with UBC’s strategic plan, focusing on “place and promise,” and operationalizes John Agnew’s triad of place (location, locale, sense of place) to build inclusive learning spaces for international, Canadian, and Indigenous students. His current role in Forestry and Land and Food Systems builds on a career spanning nearly two decades, including a Sessional Lecturer with Continuing Status in UBC’s English Department (2005–2021), where he specialized in Vancouver literature and place-based belonging. He now teaches academic writing and argumentation, prioritizing discipline-specific communication skills while cultivating a sense of home in the classroom.
Stuart Pimm is the Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke University, specializing in present-day extinctions and biodiversity preservation. His work bridges science and policy, addressing habitat loss, climate change impacts, and management strategies to prevent species extinction. Pimm holds a BSc from Oxford University (1971) and a Ph.D. from New Mexico State University (1974). He has authored over 350 papers and five books, including *The World According to Pimm: A Scientist Audits the Earth*. His research spans African wildlife (elephants, lions), South American tropical forests, and the Everglades, emphasizing conservation interventions and policy advocacy. Key Roles: Doris Duke Professor, Advisor to National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative, Director of Saving Nature Policy Engagement: Testified on Endangered Species Act reauthorization to U.S. Congress Recent Grants: Elephant Movement Studies (University of Pretoria) Mangrove Ecosystems (NASA) Colombian Bird Conservation (NSF) Big Cats Initiative Surveys (National Geographic) His research interests focus on biodiversity hotspots, habitat fragmentation, and the synergy between economic growth and conservation. Pimm’s awards include the Tyler Prize (2010) and the International Cosmos Prize (2019) for his work on Saving Nature, a nonprofit linking carbon offset funding to local conservation efforts. Awards: 2010 Tyler Prize, 2006 Heineken Prize, 2019 Cosmos Prize Publications: Over 350 papers, five books, and contributions to major conservation frameworks Labs/Teams: Leads Saving Nature, collaborates with Duke’s Nicholas School and international NGOs
Rosemary Gillespie is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management at UC Berkeley. She directs research on evolutionary patterns in island ecosystems, particularly Pacific archipelagos, using arthropods as model systems. Her work integrates genomics, community ecology, and conservation biology. Research Group: Leads the Gillespie Lab investigating speciation mechanisms, adaptive radiations, and biodiversity dynamics. Current team members include Tom Egdorf (ecological networks) and Jacob Aaron Gorneau (arachnid biodiversity). Publication Trends: Recent articles (2023-2025) demonstrate emphases on: 1) Genomic drivers of island radiations via chromosomal inversions and transposable elements; 2) Arthropods as bioindicators using DNA metabarcoding; 3) Ethical frameworks for biodiversity genomics; 4) Niche conservatism and community assembly rules across environmental gradients.
Dr. Angus Rosenburgh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University. His research focuses on applied ecological restoration, particularly the recovery of peatlands and heathlands in the UK. He collaborates with organizations like the Moors for the Future Partnership and the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership to address environmental degradation and ecosystem service provision. Education: PhD in Restoration Ecology from Manchester Metropolitan University (2015). Earlier work included studies on heather moorland management and the heather beetle pest species. Research interests include biogeochemical influences on plant communities, Sphagnum moss reintroduction (e.g., BeadaMoss technology), wetland hydrology modeling, and the impacts of wildfire and atmospheric pollution on upland vegetation. His work emphasizes practical solutions for landscape-scale restoration and climate resilience. Key collaborations include developing GIS-based wetland management tools and assessing post-fire succession dynamics in peatlands. His interdisciplinary approach bridges ecological science with land management policy.
Professor Stephen Willis is a Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University. His research focuses on climate change impacts on species distributions, particularly in conservation biology, ecological modeling, and protected area management. Collaborations include institutions like the RSPB, BirdLife International, and the NERC. He leads projects such as the PARCC initiative in West Africa and studies migratory bird dynamics under climate change. Research Interests: Climate change effects on biodiversity, species distribution modeling using GIS and remote sensing, conservation planning, and protected area effectiveness. Key projects include assessing climate-proofing of African protected areas, modeling avian migration patterns, and analyzing phylogenetic diversity under climate scenarios. Advising & Grants: Supervised over 20 students and led projects funded by NERC, MacArthur Foundation, and the Leverhulme Trust. Notable grants include studies on Alpine ungulates, vulture behavior in South Africa, and climate change indices for North American birds. Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary teams within Durham’s Department of Biosciences, collaborating globally on conservation science and climate adaptation strategies.
Greg Asner is a Professor and Director of the Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science at Arizona State University (ASU). He holds primary affiliation with the School of Ocean Futures and secondary affiliation with the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. Asner is a renowned ecologist specializing in large-scale ecosystem analysis using advanced remote sensing technologies. His work focuses on land and ocean conservation, climate science, and biodiversity preservation. He leads the Global Airborne Observatory (GAO), which employs cutting-edge airborne and satellite imaging to map forests, coral reefs, and carbon stocks globally. Education: B.S. in Engineering (Radiative Physics), University of Colorado Boulder (1991); M.S. in Geography (1995); Ph.D. in Biology (1997). His career includes naval deep-sea diving, early work with The Nature Conservancy, and leadership at the Carnegie Institution for Science before joining ASU in 2019. Research Interests: Remote sensing innovations, conservation policy, coral reef health, forest carbon dynamics, and climate change mitigation. He has pioneered technologies like CLAS/CLASlite for deforestation monitoring and AToMS for canopy species mapping. His efforts have influenced conservation policies in Peru, Panama, Colombia, and Hawaii, including guiding protected area design and carbon financing strategies. Awards: Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, 2017 Heinz Award for Sustainability, Presidential Early Career Award (2000), and multiple fellowships. He has published over 200 scientific articles and collaborates with governments, NGOs, and international bodies like NASA and the United Nations. Current Projects: Allen Coral Atlas (global reef mapping), Carbon Mapper (methane and CO₂ tracking), and ridge-to-reef conservation in Hawaii. His lab employs advanced AI and spectral techniques to address biodiversity loss and climate challenges.
Paul Grogan is a Professor of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology at the Department of Biology, Queen's University. His research focuses on plant-soil interactions, biogeochemical cycles, and the impacts of climate change on Arctic and alpine tundra ecosystems. He leads a lab investigating how biological and physical factors influence ecosystem structure and function, particularly under scenarios of warming, altered land management, and nitrogen deposition. Teaching emphasizes active learning strategies, including concept-focused lectures, problem-solving exercises, and field experiences. He prioritizes mentorship in graduate training and continuously improves pedagogical practices through professional development. His work integrates microbial ecology, vegetation dynamics, and remote sensing to address global environmental challenges. Key research themes include Arctic plant functional traits, winter carbon emissions, and snow-driven ecological processes. He has contributed datasets on Arctic biomass and co-authored syntheses on tundra biogeochemistry. His lab's findings inform assessments of ecosystem resilience to climate perturbations. Paul Grogan's research and teaching are rooted in interdisciplinary approaches, blending field observations, genomic analysis, and collaborative data synthesis to advance understanding of terrestrial ecosystem responses to global change.
Kailin Kroetz is an Assistant Professor at the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on environmental economics, natural resource management, and conservation policy, with specific interests in fisheries sustainability, wildlife conservation, and ecosystem services valuation. She employs interdisciplinary approaches including econometrics, spatial analysis, and social-ecological modeling to address conservation challenges. Her research portfolio spans topics such as seafood traceability systems, marine protected areas, migratory species management, and human-wildlife interactions. Recent work examines the effectiveness of eco-certification programs, economic impacts of supply chain regulations, and conservation strategies for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. She frequently investigates trade-offs between ecological protection and human activities across diverse landscapes. Kroetz's publications demonstrate consistent focus on spatial conservation prioritization, policy evaluation, and sustainable resource use. Her articles frequently integrate ecological data with socioeconomic analysis to inform conservation planning. Recent trends show increased attention to migratory species management, landscape connectivity, and the role of private lands in large-scale conservation initiatives.
