During her academic career at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Natural History Muesum, Rothamsted Research and NIAB Gia has tackled diverse challenges, ranging from conducting environmental surveys of fragile ecosystems under consideration for hydroelectric dam development in Iceland, to a global needs assessment on invasive species identification and training bees to detect explosives. She then had a prolonged focus on agricultural entomology, in particular aphid – plant interactions and host-plant resistance.

Following an MBA at Warwick Business School, Gia pivoted to the strategic side of science and founded Mamore Research and Innovation, a consultancy that supports SMEs, research organisations and government departments with innovation and impact activities.

Gia is a Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence at Harper Adams University, Trustee and Treasurer of the Royal Entomological Society and an associate member of the Council for International Congress of Entomology.

Responding to the growing challenge of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging pandemics, iiCON brings together academic, industry, and clinical partners in a £170 million programme to transform the discovery and supply of much-needed anti-infectives and accelerate their journey to market.

Janet is a senior technical advisor on Neglected Tropical Diseases for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and has been PI on projects in excess of £370 million including the BMGF funded Innovative Vector Control Consortium, the ERDF funded Formulations programme and the BMGF funded Visceral Leishmaniasis Elimination programme. She is a Past President of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Professor Hemingway was appointed the Director of LSTM in 2001 and stepped down on 1st January 2019. She was awarded a CBE for services to the Control of Tropical Disease Vectors in 2012.

An entomologist by background, Rob now leads and harmonises the computer vision research network in Syngenta to provide vision solutions for both internal research right through to solutions for farmers and growers.

Rob received his fellowship to the Royal Entomological Society recognising his work on the pharmacology of the neonicotinoid insecticides and the development of resistance to this class of control agent early on in his career. He is experienced in many different vision platforms in agriculture including Satellites, drones, phones and more recently robodogs during his 30-year career at Syngenta.

Before this, Simon held senior and board-level roles in the Field Studies Council. Simon has worked in the life science and environmental sectors for over two decades and has an MRes in Ecology and Environmental Management. He has had extensive experience in the charity sector with particular strengths in strategy development and stakeholder engagement.

Simon has led the RES through a transformational period which has resulted in multiple successes across publishing, policy and public affairs, outreach and engagement and income diversification and growth. This was recognised at the Memcom Awards in 2025 with the RES winning the Best Professional Body/Learned Society Award.

Simon is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He is a trustee for the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom and is both a School Governor and trustee of a Multi Academy Trust. He lives with his family in Surrey and loves getting outdoors in his spare time.