Tenenblat obtained her MSc (1969) at the Univ. of Michigan and PhD (1972) at the Instituto de Matemática Pura e Aplicada, Rio de Janeiro. She has served in various capacities at the Univ. de Brasilia, Brazilian Mathematical Society, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology (Brazil) and other organizations and committees. She is professor emeritus of mathematics at the Univ. de Brasilia. An expert in differential geometry, she has advanced understanding of the interaction between differential geometry and partial differential equations. With S.S. Chern and other collaborators, she helped develop the classification of systems of differential equations that describe pseudo-spherical surfaces. Her membership includes: Brazilian Mathematical Society; American Mathematical Society; Brazilian Academy of Science; and Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. She received the Comendador de Ordem Nacional do Merito Cientifico from the President of Brazil in 1996.

Paul Teng is Managing Director and Dean at the National Institute of Education International Pte. Ltd., Singapore; and concurrently senior fellow (food security), Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU. He also holds honorary appointments as Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University and Senior Fellow, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Research & Graduate Studies in Agriculture. He is Chair, board of trustees, International Service for Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA) and chairman of the board, Asia BioBusiness Pte. Ltd.. He graduated from Lincoln University, New Zealand, with a BSc in agricultural science (first class honours, 1972) and PhD in 1978. His honours include: CGIAR Excellence in Science Award, 2001; Outstanding Scientific Article; Eriksson Prize for Plant Pathology, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences; Fellow, American Phytopathological Society; Honorary Doctor of Science, Murdoch University, Australia. Current interests are in andragogy, food security, urban agriculture, biotechnology, sustainability and inclusive agribusiness.

Terrones (Phd Birkbeck College, U. of London) is Rayleigh Endowed Chair Prof. in Physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. in USA. After holding a postdoc position in the dept. of chem., U. of Cambridge (UK), he returned to Mexico to the Inst. of Physics, UNAM, where he spent 8 years as a researcher. He moved to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, to start a new institute with the main idea of working in multidisciplinary research and to decentralize science outside of Mexico City. Main awards include: Mexican Acad. of Sciences Prize in Exact Sciences (2000), UNAM Prize for Young Scientists in Exact Sciences (2000), El Potosi Prize from IPICyT (2004). He is a member of the Mexican Acad. of Sciences. He has been invited prof. in UCL (Belgium), UFC (Brazil), Penn State (USA), Shinshu (Japan) and ORNL (USA). He has contributed to the theory and experiment of 2-D materials, such as graphene and TMDs.

Tian is prof. at East China U. of Science and Tech., Shanghai. In 1999, he was appointed Cheung Kong Dist. Prof. by the Education Ministry of China. His current research interests include the syntheses of novel functional organic dyes for solar cells and chemosensors as well as development of interdisciplinary materials science that determines the electronic and optical properties of materials. Tian has already published over 500 papers in international journals and applied 90 Chinese patents. ISI Web of Science shows that his publications have been cited over 50,000 times (data by Nov. 28, 2022) and his h-index = 118 (data by Nov. 28, 2022). Now Tian is associate Editor of ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces and Science China Chemistry as well as Intl. Advisory Board Member for Chemical Science, Advanced Optical Materials and Chem. Asia J. etc. He was selected as a member of the Chinese Acad. of Science (2011) and a Fellow of TWAS (2013). Prof. Tian serves as Vice-President of Chinese Chemical Society since 2019.

Tian (PhD, 1994, Institute of Physics CAS) is professor, Yanshan University, China and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His prizes include the National Natural Science Award, China; the Tan Kah Kee Science Award, China; the Top Ten Advances in Science China; the Top Ten Advances in Science and Technology of Chinese Universities.

Ticianelli obtained his BSc degree in 1976 and his PhD in 1985 in Physical Chemistry at University of São Paulo. He developed his full academic carrier at the Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC) and in November 2003 reached the category of Full Professor. Ticianelli was head of the Department of Physical Chemistry of Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos for four years and the Director of this Institute from 2006 to 2010. He is member of the São Paulo Academy of Science and of the Brazilian Academy of Science. He collaborated in the writing of two textbooks in the Electrochemistry area. Publication of scientific research includes 220 scientific papers in journals listed in several indexing platforms. He has given several plenary conferences and has presented tenths of invited lectures and keynotes in national/international scientific meetings. He has acted as advisor for over 50 MSc and PhD theses in the Post-Graduation programmes at the Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos. He is an expert in fuel cells, particularly the proton exchange membrane alkaline and solid oxide systems.

Titanji is an emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Biotechnology and an Honorary Dean at the Faculty of Science University of Buea. He is also the Vice-Chair AU-ASRIC . He served as Vice-chancellor, Cameroon Christian U. (2015-2019), vice-chancellor of the University of Buea (2002-2012) and pioneer coordinator, Biotechnology center, University of Yaounde1(1986-1997),Coordinator of Biotechnology Unit U. of Buea (1996-2012), Cameroon. He focuses on infectious diseases (malaria, river blindness, tuberculosis ,COVID-19) and protein phosphorylation as a regulatory mechanism in Onchocerca volvulus, the parasite causing River Blindness in humans. He discovered, cloned and characterized new antigens, employed for diagnosis and potential vaccines, in Onchocerca volvulus. He also works on immune responses to malaria and has discovered new vaccine candidates (UB05-09) and drug leads from med. plants for malaria intervention strategies. He is past pres. and member, Council of Fed. of Afr. Socs. of Biochem. and Mol. Biol., and received the IFS/DANIDA Prize and Cameroon Knight Order of Valour. He is fellow of the Cameroon Acad. of Sciences, Afr. Acad. of Sciences, and Inst. o

Toma is prof., Inst. of Chem., U. of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He obtained his PhD in 1974 in a program sponsored by the US Natl. Acad. of Sci. and the Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas, Brazil, under J. M. Malin and H. Taube, and postdoc, CALTECH (1979). His publ. include 360 papers and reviews in intl. j., with +6700 citations, 13 books, 25 patents. He has been responsible for the Supramolecular NanotechLab, and is head of the USP Center on Nanotech. and Nanosci.. He has advised over 60 PhD and MS theses. His honours include: Henrich-Rheinboldt Prize, 1987; TWAS Chem. Prize, 1996; Simao Mathias Medal, 1997; Guggenheim Fellow Awd., 1999; Fritz-Feigl Prize, 2001; Abrafati-Petrobras Prize, 1996; Grã-Cruz Medal, Braz. Pres. of Republic, 2006; Innovation Prize from Petrobras, 2011; Innovation Prize, Braz. Chem. Soc., 2012, Jabuti Literature Prize, 2014. He is member of the Braz. Acad. of Sci., and IUPAC.

Touré is currently Vice-President of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) for the advancement of science in developing countries, representing the African Region. He is a founding and active member of the Senegalese National Academy of Science and the African Academy of Science. He served as scientist and science manager for 32 years, respectively in the Senegalese agricultural research system (1974-1988) at the Work Bank and at the Global Environment Facility headquarters in Washington, D.C. (1989-2006). He was educated at the University of Orleans (B.Sc.), and the University of Rennes (M.Sc and PhD in agronomy and soil sciences), France. As a researcher, Touré worked in the fields of agronomy, soil chemistry, desertification and sustainable land management. As a science manager, he was instrumental in the design and management of the nascent Senegalese agricultural research system. He spearheaded the establishment of regional collaborative platforms at both sub-regional and continental levels. Prior to and after retirement, he was actively involved in the discussion and implementation of the SDGs related to the protection of the environment and enhancing livelihoods.

After retirement from WHO on 1st July 2014, Touré is researcher in medical entomology and professor of cell biology and genetics at the Faculty of Medicine and Odonto-stomatology (FMOS) of Bamako, Mali. He was the disease vector research Manager for WHO/TDR from June 2001-June 2014. Before joining TDR, he was a researcher in medical entomology and professor of cell biology and genetics at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy (FMPOS), Bamako, Mali; director general of the National Research Council (CNRST) of Mali; and head of the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), FMPOS. He holds a PhD (1985) in life sciences (vector population ecological genetics) from Université de Droit, d'Economie et des Sciences d'Aix-Marseille III, France. His honours include: Etoile d'argent du Mérite National du Mali avec effigie Abeille. He was a member of several WHO and WHO/TDR steering committees and technical advisory committees of research institutes in Mali and West Africa.

Trindade Lima has been the Minister of Health of Brazil since January 2023. From 2017 to 2022 she was President of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). From 2011–2016 she was Vice-President of Education, Information and Communication of Fiocruz. She holds a PhD in Sociology and a master’s degree in political science. She is a Senior Researcher at Fiocruz’s Casa de Oswaldo Cruz, and a Professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. She is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and has authored books and articles with an emphasis on Brazilian social thinking, history of ideas in public health, and the Brazilian processes of construction of the National State. She established a Fiocruz Strategy on 2030 Agenda, which incorporates the UN document into its strategic development and work programme in all fields. She has coordinated the Fiocruz institutional efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is a member of the Lancet COVID-19 Committee, and co-chaired the Economic Recovery Steering Group of the UN Research Roadmap for the recovery of COVID-19. She was awarded in September 2021 the degree of Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor of France.

Tsai (Ph. D. 1978, Purdue) is Distinguished Research Fellow, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica. He is President of Taiwan Biophysics Society, and former president of Taiwan Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Taiwan Magnetic Resonance Society. He was the Kimberly Professor of Chemistry at The Ohio State University until 2006. From 2006-2014 Tsai served as Director of the Institute of Biological Chemistry of Academia Sinica. His honor includes an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (1983-1985), the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1985-1990), the Distinguished Scholar Award of The Ohio State University (1992), Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1992), and Distinguished Alumnus Award (Purdue College of Pharmacy). He also serves as an Associate Editor of Biochemistry since 2010. He was elected to Academician of Academia Sinica in 2012.

Tuteja (PhD 1982, DSc 2008, U. of Lucknow, India) is Prof. and dir., Amity Inst. of Microbial Tech., Amity U. (India). He has made significant contributions in crop improvement under adverse conditions using genetical and microbial approach, developing marker-free transgenic crops with stress tolerance. He was group leader and sen. scientist, Intl. Centre for Genetic Engg. and Biotech. (ICGEB), New Delhi, India; postdoc fellow, UCLA and NIH, USA. He is a fellow of FNASc., FNA, FASc., FNESA and FNAAS. His honours include: Genomic Pioneer Award; Best Scientist Award, Natl. Envl. Science Acad.; Vigyan Gaurav Samman Award, Council of Science and Tech. UP; and the Goyal Prize Award, Kurukshetra U.. He is editorial board member of Arch. Biochem. Biophys, Plant Physiol. Biochem., Plant Signaling and Behavior and The Open Plant Science J.. He has published +300 papers and edited 9 books.

Tyagi is professor, Delhi University South Campus, India. He has served as head, Dept. of Plant Molecular Biology; chairman, Board of Research Studies; and dir., Interdisciplinary Centre for Plant Genomics at Delhi University South Campus; and dir., Natl. Inst. Plant Genome Research, India. He has made important contributions to genome sequencing of rice, tomato and chickpea, investigated transcriptome profile and characterized function of several novel genes/regulatory elements related to rice reproductive system and stress responsive networks by forward and reverse genetics approaches. His awards include: JC Bose Natl. Fellowship; DBT Natl. Bioscience Award; NASI Reliance Industries Platinum Jubilee Award; BP Pal Memorial Award; Birbal Sahni Medal; and Om Prakash Bhasin Award for Sci and Tech. He is a member of: Ind. Natl. Science Acad.; Natl. Acad. of Sciences India; Ind. Acad. Science and Natl. Acad. of Agric. Scs., India; Former President, Natl. Acad. of Sciences India.

Ugarte (PhD, 1990, Université Paris-Sud) is professor, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, Brazil. His activities have been related to the experimental study of structural and electronic properties of nanoscale systems (nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, etc.), using high spatial resolution techniques associated with electron microscopy. He designed and implemented the Brazilian Electron Microscopy Facility, which was opened in 1999; this microscopy lab was the seed to the subsequent creation of the Brazilian National Nanotechnology Lab in 2011. His prizes include Latsis Prize, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland; Guggenheim Fellowship, USA; Scopus Prize, Brazil; TWAS Prize in Physics. His is a member of the Brazilian science academy.

Prof. Upreti is an Academician of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, former Head of Department of Geology and Dean of Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University. He is a Fellow and past Council Member (2016-2022) of TWAS and Foreign Fellow of the Zambia Academy of Sciences. He was a visiting professor in the universities and Institutes of China, France, Germany, India. Japan, Ethiopia and Zambia. He was a DAAD Fellow, Research Fellow at CRPG, France, and a JSPS Fellow. He was a professor (2015-2021) and Head, Department of Geology, School of Mines at the University of Zambia. Prof. Upreti has done extensive geological research in the Nepal Himalaya. Authored and edited many books and published over 95 research papers. Prof. Upreti was awarded with national honors such as Gorkha Dakshin Bahu and also the C.N.R. Rao International Prize for Scientific Research from TWAS. In addition, he is the Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society of America and Nepal Geological Society as well. His h-index is 34 and has over 6,600 citations. Prof. Upreti’s research interests are in structural geology. tectonics, engineering geology, paleoseismology, and disaster management.

Val has been investigating environmental adaptations of fish of the Amazon, their use for food security, and fish farming for the last 40 years. He contributed to personnel training in the Amazon and headed the National Institute for Amazonian Research for 8 years. He is an accredited professor at the Graduate School of the University of Laval, Canada, and in local schools. He maintains intense international collaboration and is member of the Canadian Society of Zoology, the American Fisheries Society, the Society for Experimental Biology (UK) and of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, acting as its Vice-President for the Amazon. He was awarded: Commendation of the National Order of Scientific Merit (Class Commander, 2002, and Grand Cross Class, 2013), American Fisheries Society's Excellence Award (2004); Grand Order of Legislative Merit of the State of Amazonas (2008); Citizenship award of the Amazonas State (2015); and the prestigious Anísio Teixeira Prize for Higher Education (2016).

Valiathan is national research professor at the Manipal University. After obtaining surgical training (Univ. of Liverpool), a master's (surgery), and fellowship (Royal College of Surgeons, England), he specialized in cardiac surgery (Johns Hopkins and Georgetown), and became fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Canada. He was faculty member at Georgetown Univ. Hospital, Postgrad. Medical Inst. (Chandigarh), Indian Inst. of Tech. (Chennai), Sree Chitra Tirunal Inst. (Trivandrum) and was past pres. of the Indian Natl. Science Academy. His awards include Hunterian professorship, Royal College of Surgeons of England; fellowship, Royal College of Physicians, London; Chevalier, order of palmes academiques, French Govt.; Samuel P.Asper Award of the Johns Hopkins Medical School; and 7 doctorates (h.c.). He is member of the Natl. Academies for Science, Med. and Eng. (India) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, USA.

Em. Prof. Baron Marc Van Montagu (PhD, Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry, Ghent) is Chairman of the VIB - Intl. Plant Biotechnology Outreach and Pres. of PRRI. He discovered, with J. Schell, the Ti-plasmid and invented the Agrobacterium transformation technology, now used worldwide to produce GM plants. He made major contributions on fundamental plant sciences and on biotech agriculture, such as GM plants resistant to insects or tolerant to more environmentally friendly herbicides. He was Founding Member and Member of the Board of Directors of the biotech companies Plant Genetic System (PGS) and CropDesign, spin-offs from his laboratory. He has received numerous honours, including the Japan prize (1998), and the World Food Prize (2013). He is member of seven scientific academies worldwide, and Goodwill Ambassador for Agribusiness at UNIDO. He has produced +1000 publications, h-index 125.

Van Sluys (PhD in genetics and microbiology, 1989) is a full professor at the Universidade de São Paulo. Her research focuses on plant-microbe interaction relevant to agriculture and the natural environment, emphasizing genome evolution and how transposable elements may account for genetic diversity. She contributed to spreading biotechnology and genomics in Brazil and supervised over 50 students working in the field, now based in Brazil or abroad. Among other activities, she also contributed to organizing the Plant Molecular Biology research community in Brazil. She published over 100 papers, attended scientific meetings as a speaker, and organized multiple symposia and conferences. Van Sluys served as life-science adjunct panel member at FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation) for 15 years, and at the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq) for 4 years. She also served on several international evaluation research panels, including the National Academies, USA. Van Sluys has been a member of the São Paulo Academy of Sciences since 2015, served at the National Council for the Economic Development (2016–2018), and was elected to the Brazilian Academy of Sciences in 2016.