External Advisory Board
The main function of the External Advisory Board (EAB) is the evaluation of project progress, and providing guidance regarding future work. EAB will be invited to attend the yearly general meetings and final Workshops.
The EAB will:
- Evaluate progress
- Give recommendations for further actions
- Facilitate a dialogue with fora representing the wider community
Dr. Stefan Geisen
Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, Netherlands
I am an ecologist particularly interested in the entire biodiversity in soils. A particular focus of my work is to advance our understanding of the diversity and functional importance of soil protists and nematodes. Studies include taxonomic inventories of soil protists and nematodes, functional experiments focusing on what these organisms do in soils and how they affect plant performance. Together, I hope to better understand the intimate links between soil biodiversity and plant performance to make it applicable.
I am an ecologist particularly interested in the entire biodiversity in soils. A particular focus of my work is to advance our understanding of the diversity and functional importance of soil protists and nematodes. Studies include taxonomic inventories of soil protists and nematodes, functional experiments focusing on what these organisms do in soils and how they affect plant performance. Together, I hope to better understand the intimate links between soil biodiversity and plant performance to make it applicable.
+31 317 483 136 | stefan.geisen@wur.nl
Eike Lepmets
Chief Specialist at Ministry of Rural Affairs, Republic of Estonia
Eike holds a BSc in horticulture, and she is currently working at the Agri-Environment Bureau of the Ministry of Rural Affairs and at the Agri-environmental Monitoring Bureau of the Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) in Estonia. She has experience in programming agri-environment measures for Rural Development Programmes. Eike has been leading working groups and organising trainings for farmers.
Eike holds a BSc in horticulture, and she is currently working at the Agri-Environment Bureau of the Ministry of Rural Affairs and at the Agri-environmental Monitoring Bureau of the Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) in Estonia. She has experience in programming agri-environment measures for Rural Development Programmes. Eike has been leading working groups and organising trainings for farmers.
Prof. Sara Hallin
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
Sara Hallin holds the chair in Soil Microbiology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Her research area is microbial ecology of bacteria and archaea, especially those involved in nitrogen cycling in different terrestrial ecosystem such as agricultural soils and arctic soils, but also wetlands, aquatic environments and engineered systems. Her research aim is to understand relationships between the ecology of microbial communities, the biogeochemical processes they perform and the corresponding ecosystem functions.
Sara Hallin holds the chair in Soil Microbiology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Her research area is microbial ecology of bacteria and archaea, especially those involved in nitrogen cycling in different terrestrial ecosystem such as agricultural soils and arctic soils, but also wetlands, aquatic environments and engineered systems. Her research aim is to understand relationships between the ecology of microbial communities, the biogeochemical processes they perform and the corresponding ecosystem functions.
Manuel Andrade Calvo
Juana de Vega Foundation, A Coruña, Spain
Degree in Business and Economics from the University of A Coruña. He has worked at the Juana de Vega Foundation since 1997, of which he has been director since 2005. He is an associate professor in the Department of Business at the University of A Coruña and has been Coordinator for 10 years of the postgraduate course in Agro-Food Business Management organized by this University with the collaboration of the Foundation. He has participated in various courses and seminars on issues related to the agri-food and forestry sector in Galicia and he has published articles on this topic.
Degree in Business and Economics from the University of A Coruña. He has worked at the Juana de Vega Foundation since 1997, of which he has been director since 2005. He is an associate professor in the Department of Business at the University of A Coruña and has been Coordinator for 10 years of the postgraduate course in Agro-Food Business Management organized by this University with the collaboration of the Foundation. He has participated in various courses and seminars on issues related to the agri-food and forestry sector in Galicia and he has published articles on this topic.
+34 981 654 367 | jmandrade@juanadevega.org
Leen Vervoort
Agrobeheercentrum Eco² ngo, Flanders, Belgium
Leen Vervoort holds a master degree in bio-engineering with specialization in land and forest management. She guides farmers and relevant stakeholders towards more sustainable farming methods while simultaneously maintaining an economically viable agro-production. The projects she is involved with are as diverse as soil biodiversity should be: from integrating functional agrobiodiversity by farmers through field margins and hedgerows to stimulating a robust soil- and water-management by innovative techniques such as the application of wood chips derived from hedge rows on agricultural fields.
Leen Vervoort holds a master degree in bio-engineering with specialization in land and forest management. She guides farmers and relevant stakeholders towards more sustainable farming methods while simultaneously maintaining an economically viable agro-production. The projects she is involved with are as diverse as soil biodiversity should be: from integrating functional agrobiodiversity by farmers through field margins and hedgerows to stimulating a robust soil- and water-management by innovative techniques such as the application of wood chips derived from hedge rows on agricultural fields.
