Dr. Claude Farah is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Concord Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney. His research focuses on respiratory physiology, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the interplay between obesity, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory health. He specializes in advanced pulmonary function testing including oscillometry and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Research Focus: Farah's work addresses three primary themes: Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in respiratory pathophysiology Infection and Immunological Conditions affecting airway inflammation Healthy Ageing and lung function decline His investigations utilize oscillometry to assess small airway dysfunction and ventilatory limitations in obstructive lung diseases. Publication Trends: Recent articles (2021-2025) demonstrate Farah's focus on respiratory oscillometry standardization, environmental impacts on asthma (particularly bushfire smoke), and biological therapies for severe eosinophilic asthma. His work frequently contributes to clinical guidelines, including the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Position Statement on oxygen therapy. Research Infrastructure: Farah co-led a 2014 NHMRC equipment grant (EXHALYZER D Pulmonary Function Testing system) enabling advanced nitrogen washout measurements. His collaborative work appears in leading respiratory journals including the European Respiratory Journal and Chest.
Dr. Jessica Till is a Research Scientist and Communications Lead at the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center (ASC) at the University of Illinois, with an affiliation to the Digital Agriculture group at the University of Minnesota. She holds a PhD in Earth Science from the University of Minnesota and a BA from Vassar College. Her research focuses on nutrient cycling, soil health, geospatial analysis, food security, and science policy, aiming to advance sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems through interdisciplinary approaches. Education: PhD in Earth Science, University of Minnesota BA, Vassar College Research Interests: Dr. Till’s work integrates environmental mineralogy, digital agriculture technologies, and geospatial data analysis to address challenges in sustainable agriculture. She explores trade-offs between crop yields and environmental impacts, develops AI-driven tools for winter damage risk prediction in crops, and investigates fire effects on soil mineralogy. Her mission emphasizes bridging scientific research with policy to foster climate-resilient food systems. Labs/Teams: She is actively involved in the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center (ASC) and contributes to the Digital Agriculture initiatives at the University of Minnesota. Her collaborations span academic, governmental, and industry partners to enhance technological solutions for agricultural sustainability.
Dr. Nina Fontana is a research faculty member at the University of California, Davis, collaborating with the USGS Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center. With a Ph.D. in ecology from UC Davis, she brings over a decade of experience working with Indigenous and rural communities globally. Her work focuses on integrating traditional knowledge into environmental policy and stewardship practices. Research Interests: Socio-ecological resilience, translational ecology, Indigenous climate change analysis, and environmental justice. Her transdisciplinary approach bridges scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems to address climate adaptation challenges. Research Trends: Recent publications demonstrate a focus on fungal ecology (2022-2025), traditional food systems (2022), and community-based climate adaptation frameworks (2021-2024). Her work increasingly centers Indigenous knowledge sovereignty in environmental solutions.
Jaehoon Jung is a Researcher and guest researcher at the University of Bonn's Photogrammetry department under the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation (IGG). He holds a PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Yonsei University (2014) and previously served as a researcher there. His work focuses on automating 3D as-built modeling using LiDAR and 3D scanning data, with emphasis on BIM, SLAM, and remote sensing for biomass estimation. He has also explored solar energy potential in agricultural and highway environments. Research Interests: Building Information Modeling (BIM) 3D Point Cloud Processing LiDAR Applications SLAM Algorithms Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring Publications highlight advancements in bathymetry algorithms, wildfire damage detection via UAS, and automated road marking analysis from LiDAR data. His work bridges geomatics, computer vision, and civil engineering. Awards include the KICEM Outstanding Research Award (2013) and Forest IT Best Student Paper (2011) .
Julia E. Rager, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina's Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research focuses on understanding environmental exposures, particularly complex mixtures like wildfire smoke and PFAS, and their health impacts. She leads the Rager Lab, which integrates computational methods, molecular toxicology, and systems biology to evaluate environmental mixtures and translate findings into policy. Education: PhD in Environmental Sciences and Engineering (UNC Chapel Hill, 2013), MS in Environmental Engineering (UNC Chapel Hill, 2010), BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering (University of Texas, 2008). Research interests include mixtures modeling, extracellular vesicles as disease mediators, and computational toxicology training. She co-leads initiatives like the TAME toolkit and teaches ENVR 730: Computational Toxicology. Her lab collaborates with the Institute for Environmental Health Solutions and the UNC Superfund Research Program. Notable awards include the NIEHS Outstanding New Investigator Award (2024), Gillings Research Excellence Award (2023), and multiple NIEHS Paper of the Month recognitions. Her work bridges exposure science, toxicology, and policy to address global environmental health challenges.
Raju Pokharel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University (MSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. He specializes in Forest Resource Economics, Market and Forest Systems Analysis, and Natural Resources Management and Policy. His research focuses on forest product supply chains, feedstock availability, and carbon management strategies, particularly in the context of mass timber, bioenergy, and biochar production. Education: Ph.D. in Forest Resources (2016), Mississippi State University MBA (2011), University of Sunderland, London, UK MS (2007) and BS (2005) in Environmental Sciences, Tribhuvan University, Nepal Research Interests: Dr. Pokharel explores economic trade-offs in timber products under carbon management, evaluates market opportunities for emerging materials like mass timber, and analyzes forest carbon markets and payments. His work integrates spatial logistics, policy analysis, and sustainability frameworks to address challenges in forest resource utilization. Grants & Awards: Recipient of the 2025 CANR Early Career Researcher Award 2025 Global Scholar in Research (CANR) Principal Investigator on an $800K grant studying interregional reliance and carbon program impacts on U.S. forest industries Labs & Initiatives: He leads the Forest Economics and Resource Management (FERM) Lab, which supports research, teaching, and extension activities related to socioeconomics of forestry. His lab collaborates on projects involving bioenergy feasibility, mass timber market analysis, and carbon sequestration strategies.
Professor Phoebe Koundouri is a world-renowned economist pioneering human-centric, interdisciplinary systems for sustainable interaction between nature, society, and the economy. She holds positions as Professor at the School of Economics, Athens University of Economics and Business; Research Professor (part-time) at the Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark; and Visiting Professor at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge. She chairs the World Council of Environmental and Natural Resource Economists Associations, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Global Climate Hub, and SDSN Europe, directing the Sustainable Development Unit at ATHENA Research Center and the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aeiphoria (AE4RIA). Her educational background includes an MPhil and PhD in Economics from the University of Cambridge, where she received prestigious Peterhouse and Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholarships. Prior academic positions include University College London, University of Reading, and London School of Economics. Professor Koundouri's research spans sustainable development, climate change mitigation and adaptation, behavioral economics and econometrics, economics of wellbeing and happiness, natural resource-food-energy nexus, smart water systems, ecosystem services valuation, blue growth, circular economy, systems innovation, and innovation acceleration. Her work demonstrates a consistent focus on interdisciplinary approaches that bridge environmental science, economics, and policy implementation. The recent publications show a strong emphasis on practical applications of her theoretical frameworks, particularly in water management, climate adaptation strategies, and sustainable economic transitions across multiple sectors. Her scientific honors include the European Research Council Synergy Grant (2022), the Academy of Athens Award for Scientific Excellence (2023), and membership on the Nominating Committee for the Nobel Prize in Economics Sciences. She is also a Fellow of Academia Europaea, World Academy of Art and Science (where she serves as Trustee), European Academy of Sciences and Arts, and several other prestigious academies. Professor Koundouri has supervised over 30 PhD students and leads numerous research grants, most notably the ERC Synergy Grant 'Smart Water Futures.' She directs the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aeiphoria (AE4RIA), linking more than 200 researchers across multiple institutions, and chairs the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Global Climate Hub, engaging 2,000 universities worldwide in climate action initiatives. Her institutional leadership includes directing the Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES) at Athens University of Economics and Business, the Sustainable Development Unit at ATHENA Research Center, and the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aeiphoria (AE4RIA), which connects research centers, innovation accelerators, and science-policy networks across more than 120 countries.
Richard Hertzberg is an Adjunct Professor in the Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health at Emory University, and a private consultant through Biomathematics Consulting. He previously served as a Senior Researcher at the U.S. EPA (1980–2006) and as a Special Term Employee at Argonne National Laboratory (2012–2015). His work focuses on quantitative risk assessment methodologies for chemical mixtures and environmental health modeling, with notable contributions adopted by the EPA. Education: Ph.D. in Biomathematics from the University of Washington and B.S. in Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College. Research interests include toxic interactions of chemicals with climate change factors (e.g., heat, wildfire smoke), dose-response modeling, and regulatory risk assessment. His achievements have been recognized through multiple EPA awards and a distinguished medal from the American Statistical Association. Affiliations include the Society for Risk Analysis and its Dose-Response Specialty Group.
Marleen de Ruiter is an Assistant Professor at the Water and Climate Risk department within the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She also serves as co-chair of the RiskKAN network and leads the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute's Natural Hazards & Society cluster with Dr. Sander Veraverbeke. Her research focuses on consecutive disasters, multi-hazard risk modeling, and the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction measures. She holds a PhD from VU Amsterdam (2020), an MSc from the University of British Columbia (2011), and a BSc from VU Amsterdam (2009). Education: BSc Earth and Economics (VU), MSc Environmental Management (UBC), PhD Environmental Studies (VU) Roles: EU H2020 Myriad-EU project leader, EGU Multi-Hazard Subdivision founder, associate editor of Earth's Future Key Awards: Veni Laureate (NWO), EGU Outstanding Early Career Scientist (2024) Her research emphasizes understanding cascading hazards, improving global risk assessments, and developing anticipatory action frameworks. She pioneered the 'Breaking the Silos' game to shift disaster management paradigms. Current projects include wildfire risk mitigation and socio-hydrological dynamics in the Dutch landscape. Publications focus on multi-hazard interactions, health impacts, and policy integration, with 42+ articles in journals like Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences and International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction .
Rongbin Xu is a Research Fellow at Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, where he completed his PhD (2018–2021). His research focuses on evaluating health and epigenetic impacts of climate-related environmental factors such as extreme temperatures, wildfires, air pollution, and greenspace. He has authored/co-authored 23 first/co-first author papers in high-impact journals like Nature, NEJM, and Lancet Planetary Health. His work has influenced global policy, including references by WHO and the Australian Parliament. Affiliations: Honorary Fellow at University of Melbourne (2024–2027), Research Assistant at University of Melbourne (2021–2021). Grants: Secured ~$550k in funding since 2021, including $310k as project leader. Research Interests: Environmental and epigenetic epidemiology, climate change impacts, air pollution, built environment, machine learning in exposure assessment, child health, and biostatistics. Awards: Premier’s Excellence Award (2024), Public Health Researcher Award (2024), Toxics 2021 Best PhD Thesis Award, CAPHIA PhD Excellence Award, and ISEE BEEP Award (Honorable Mention). Labs/Teams: Affiliate of NHMRC's CAR and HEAL networks. Collaborates internationally on projects like global air quality systems and bushfire resilience strategies.
Professor Martin Lukac is a prominent researcher in environmental and agricultural sciences, focusing on interdisciplinary studies at the interface of ecology, soil science, and climate change. His work emphasizes forest ecology, agroforestry systems, biochar applications, and the impacts of environmental variables on plant productivity. Key research areas include: Carbon sequestration mechanisms in soils and forests Biochar effects on soil fertility and crop productivity Climate change impacts on tree physiology and forest dynamics Adoption of sustainable land-use practices in agriculture and forestry Remote sensing and modeling of ecological processes Recent studies highlight his contributions to understanding tree biomass modeling, CO2 enrichment effects on plant reproduction, and socio-ecological systems in agroforestry adoption. His work bridges empirical field studies with advanced analytical techniques, including machine learning applications in environmental management.
Dr. Yeongkwon Son is an Associate Research Professor at the Organic Analytical Laboratory, Desert Research Institute (DRI). His research focuses on environmental pollutants exposure, particularly in the context of health impacts, with expertise in exposure science, chemical analysis, computational modeling, and sampling device design. He holds a PhD from Rutgers University, where he conducted studies on air pollution and asthma in children. Dr. Son's early career involved watershed management and public health outcomes, including developing the Natural and Ecological Wastewater Treatment System (NEWS) for rural communities in South Korea and Swaziland. He has led over 10 projects assessing water pollutants' ecological impacts. His current work extends to e-cigarette emissions, wildfire smoke health risks, and low-cost sensor networks for environmental monitoring. His research interests span environmental health, exposure science, risk assessment, and environmental modeling. Notable projects include modeling wildfire smoke effects on grapes and wines, PFAS contamination in Nevada hot springs, and evaluating low-cost air quality sensors for wildland fire monitoring. He has contributed to studies on passive aerosol exposure in vape shops and the health risks of e-cigarette use patterns. Dr. Son collaborates with diverse stakeholders, including the Nevada Governor’s Office on virus transport mitigation and the Bureau of Land Management on water quality. He leads the Organic Analytical Laboratory at DRI, advancing analytical methods for environmental and health research.
Brandon Collins serves as Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in forest ecology and fire management. His research examines fire-vegetation interactions, historical ecology references, and post-disturbance recovery strategies in western North American forests, with particular focus on Sierra Nevada ecosystems. Educational background includes a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley (2007), M.S. in Forest Sciences from Colorado State University (2004), and B.S. in Forestry from UC Berkeley (2001). Research explores multidisciplinary approaches to wildfire resilience, balancing forest health with carbon sequestration goals. Recent publications demonstrate innovations in fuel treatment assessment, prescribed fire applications, and adaptive management frameworks across diverse forest types. Articles reflect strong emphasis on practical solutions for land managers, with methodologies spanning field experiments, historical analysis, and computational modeling to address climate change impacts on fire-prone landscapes.
Dr. Md Asaduzzaman is an Associate Professor in Operational Research at Staffordshire University (UK), specializing in healthcare modeling, communication networks, and environmental sciences. He holds a PhD from the University of Westminster, with prior degrees from Dhaka and Chalmers Universities. His research employs statistical and machine learning techniques to address challenges in healthcare systems, climate change impacts, and network optimization. Education: B.Sc. (Hon's) and M.Sc. in Applied Statistics, University of Dhaka (1999–2001) M.Sc. in Bioinformatics, Chalmers University of Technology (2007) Ph.D. in Operational Research (2010), University of Westminster Research Interests: His work spans healthcare analytics (e.g., patient flow optimization, disease outbreak modeling), communication network efficiency (e.g., spectrum allocation), and environmental modeling (e.g., climate projections, flood vulnerability). Recent projects include NHS workforce retention studies and dengue fever outbreak analysis in Bangladesh. Grants & Collaborations: Lead researcher on a £457,946 Health Foundation grant (NuRS & AmReS project) studying ambulance workforce safety. Contributed to prostate cancer MRI predictive modeling (£8,000 NSMI grant). Collaborated on £1.2m InnovateUK-funded Smart with Your Heart project. Awards & Memberships: Senior Member of IEEE Associate Fellow of Operational Research Society Fellow of Higher Education Academy Labs & Teams: Active in cross-disciplinary research groups focused on healthcare analytics, climate modeling, and network optimization at Staffordshire University.
Davy McCracken is a Professor and Deputy Head of School (Engagement and Knowledge Exchange) at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), within the School of Natural & Social Sciences. He also leads SRUC’s Hill & Mountain Research Centre, focusing on upland agricultural, environmental, and agro-forestry research and demonstration. His academic roles include managing research farms and overseeing national/international projects on farming-biodiversity interactions and agri-environmental policy. McCracken holds a PhD from the University of Glasgow (1990) and has held roles at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and SRUC since 1995. He contributed to founding the High Nature Value (HNV) farming concept and has led over 10 PhD projects. Current supervision includes studies on lamb losses in Scottish hill farms and Mediterranean herbivore ecosystem management. Research interests span farming-wildlife interactions, climate-resilient livestock systems, and policy impacts on land use. Recent projects include Scottish Government initiatives on carbon sequestration, sheep breeding strategies, and land-use policy modeling. He chairs committees for organizations like Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and serves on Scottish Government advisory groups. McCracken has received awards including the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellowship (2023) and has published over 149 articles. His work bridges academia, policy, and practice, emphasizing sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation.
