Mini bio:

Dr. Arnaud Costa is Crop Health Advisor at CABI and Country Coordinator for CABI’s flagship Programme PlantwisePlus in Papua New Guinea. Entomologist by training, he has 20 years of experience in plant protection, chemical ecology and in biological control.
As a researcher in the field of biological control, he has investigated the dispersal and chemical ecology of bark beetles and their main predator (Thanasimus dubius) during his PhD; this research has demonstrated key features of edge behaviour in predator-prey dynamics within a complex and fragmented forest landscape. He has also worked on the importance of learning in parasitic wasps (Cotesia marginiventris) that can be used in biological control.
In the last decade (2015-2025), he has worked in Southeast Asia and in the Pacific region and developed Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions for smallholder farmers involved in various cropping systems, including rice, maize, sweet potato and in perennial crops (coffee, coconut, oil palm). He has managed successfully more than 20 international projects. He is the first author of the Biosecurity Plan for Coconut Industry in Papua New Guinea (2020) and he is the first author of several plant health manuals: a field manual for best farming practices in rice “Pest-Smart Practices and Early Warning System under Climate Change” (2018) in Vietnam, and a Biosecurity Manual edited at 500 copies for the Coconut Industry (2021). He has presented his research in more than 40 international scientific conferences.

Mini bio:

Dr. Pierre Lefeuvre is a researcher at CIRAD, specializing in plant pathology, microbial evolution, and ecology. He is currently based at the Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Can Tho University (CTU). His research focuses on the genomics and epidemiology of emerging plant pathogens, particularly viruses affecting legumes and staple crops. He has contributed to the development of high-throughput sequencing protocols for virus detection, which have been instrumental in characterizing viral communities across various ecosystems.

Mini bio:

Dr. ANDO Tetsu is a former professor at the Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering of the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (Japan). He is also a former president of the Pesticide Science Society of Japan and an editor of Journal of Chemical Ecology, Journal of Pesticide Science (editor in-chief) and Bioscience Biotechnology Biochemistry. His research focuses on the chemical ecology field, particularly lepidopteran sex pheromones, with more than 210 publications, which have greatly contributed to the development of the field. In 2018, he was awarded the International Society of Chemical Ecology Silver Medal Award for his outstanding contributions to the discipline of chemical ecology.

Mini bio:

A Weed Scientist of International repute, Samunder Singh is a graduate and postgraduate from HAU Hisar, India. He completed his PhD from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (UK) on a Commonwealth Fellowship and did his PDF from CREC, Lake Alfred, University of Florida, USA. He joined as Asstt. Scientist, Agronomy in HAU Hisar in 1984 and retired from the same Deptt as Prof. & Head in 2020. Dr Singh served as Director Agronomy in Micro Irrigation and Command Area Development Authority (MICADA), Haryana (India) from 2021-2025. He shouldered International Weed Science Society as its Newsletter Editor, Secretary, Vice-President, and President and served as a consultant for Gates AgriOne from 2023 to 2025 for South Asia. He was first to discover herbicide resistance in India in a wheat weed (Phalaris minor) in 1991 and later in several other weeds and generated recommendations for resistance management. He developed a rapid resistance detection test for herbicide using seed and seedling in two major grassy weeds and established integrated weed management for sustainable agriculture. He is a Fellow of the Indian Society of Weed Science, Indian Society of Agronomy, Weed Science Society of America and Distinguished Fellow of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

Mini bio:

Takeshi Suzuki received his BSc and MSc in Horticulture from Chiba University (Matsudo, Chiba, Japan) in March 2004 and March 2006, respectively. He received his PhD in Agriculture from Kobe University (Kobe, Hyogo, Japan) in March 2009. The title of his PhD thesis is “Integrated management of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae: photoperiodism, UV sensitivity and GABA receptor”. With funding from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), he worked at Kobe University from 2008 to 2010, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2010, and at Chiba University in Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan, from 2010 to 2013. From 2013 to 2014, he worked at Ibaraki University in Ami, Ibaraki, Japan, as a part-time researcher. From 2014 to 2015, he worked at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada, with a JSPS Overseas Research Fellowship. In 2015, he moved to the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), where he established the Suzuki Laboratory as a tenure-track associate professor. He received a tenured position in 2020 and was promoted to professor in 2023. The Suzuki Laboratory at TUAT conducts studies on RNAi technology, plant-herbivore-predator interactions, and edible insect production toward sustainable food systems.

Mini bio:

Nguyen Van Liem got Bachelor Degree in Plant Protection, Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), Vietnam in May 1988. Worked at Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI) from 1989 to 2000 as a research assistant in Entomology. Got Ph.D in Horticulture in 2005, in Western Sydney University Australia (formerly the University of Western Sydney, Auustralia) with PhD thesis “Repellent effects of mineral oil deposits on the oviposition behaviour of Queensland fruit fly and Oriental fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae). Researcher in PPRI from 2004 – 2009. From 2006 – 2009: Deputy Head of Division of Pest Diagnostic and Identification of PPRI;  2010 – 2014: Vice Director of PPRI; From 2018 to now: Senior Researcher; 2015 to now – General Director of Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI).

Mini bio:

Prof. Dr. HOANG Thi Thai Hoa is a Dean of the Agronomy Faculty. She specializes in professional soil fertility and plant nutrition. She is responsible for researching and lecturing courses on soil and plant nutrition, and environment assessment. She has led and participated in 40 projects, and published more than 162 articles in international and in-country journals. Before joining as a Dean, she is a Director of the Centre for Environment and Waste in Agriculture (CEWA), University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University. She has also joined as member in management board of Vietnam Soil science association. She graduated with a bachelor degree in crop science in 1995 and a master degree in Agricultural systems from Chiang Mai University, Thailand in 2000. She obtained PhD degree in Soil Science in Belgium from 2005 – 2008. Prof. Dr. HOANG Thi Thai Hoa has been a lecturer at the University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University and studied on plant nutrition and soil health from 1995 till now.

Mini bio:

Didier Lesueur earned his PhD in Plant-Soil-Microorganism interaction from the University of Paris VI (Pierre & Marie Curie) in 1992. He has held various positions since then, including working at the BSFT laboratory, CIRAD in France (1992-1996), IRD-Dakar in Senegal for eight years (1996-2004), CIAT-TSBF in Nairobi-Kenya for six years (2004-2010), LDD-Bangkok in Thailand for five years (2011-2016), and currently at the Asia Hub of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT in Hanoi-Vietnam, where he has been working since August 2016. Throughout his career, he has led research in soil microbiology, focusing on biological nitrogen fixation and using beneficial microorganisms to inoculate legumes and other crops in agroecological systems about nutrient cycles. He has extensive field experience in Africa (15 years) and Southeast Asia (13 years and counting). He is currently coordinating the CMBP Asia-Pacific network on microbial biotechnologies, aiming to develop soil biological indicators for improving soil health management by farmers. His field experiences are mainly in Africa (14 years) and Southeast Asia (more than 13 years now). He has co-authored over 130 referred journal articles or book chapters and has trained more than 15 PhD students and 50 M.Sc. students from Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Mini bio:

Dr. Frédéric Labbé, researcher at CIRAD (Agricultural Research for Development), is a genomicist interested in the evolution of emerging infectious diseases. He is currently based at the “Plant Communities and Biological Invaders in Tropical Environments” (PVBMT) research unit in La Réunion. Using genomics and epidemiology approaches, his research focuses on the drivers of the emergence of the non-culturable phytopathogenic bacteria that are transmitted by insect vectors. In particular, he has provided new insights into the epidemiology, ecology and evolution of the ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ species associated with the citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) disease.

Mini bio:

Dr. My Syahrawati earned a Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc/S.P) in Plant Pests and Diseases in 1996 and a Master’s degree (M.Sc/M.Si) in Environmental Science in 2002, both from Universitas Andalas, Indonesia. She has served as a lecturer in the Plant Protection Department at Universitas Andalas since 2005. In 2016, she has completed a Doctoral degree (Dr.) in Plant Pest Science at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. The dissertation is entitled “Tritrophic Interactions of Arthropods in Organic Rice under Water Saving System.” Her expertise is in the bioecology of natural enemies of crop pests, particularly focusing on the sustainable protection of rice fields from pests by utilizing natural enemies, like predators and entomopathogens. She currently holds several positions: Head of Plant Protection Master’s Program, Editor-in-Chief of Jurnal Proteksi Tanaman or JPT Journal (National indexed in Indonesia, DOAJ, and progressing toward Scopus), Head of the Research and Community Service Unit at the Faculty of Agriculture, and the Chair of ASIC Conference organized by Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas, for the years of 2022, 2024, and the upcoming 2026.

Mini bio:

Chatchawan Jantasuriyarat holds a BS in Biology from Kasetsart University, Thailand, MS in Crop Science from Oregon State University, USA and a PhD in Plant Pathology from The Ohio State University, USA. He is a faculty member in the Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Thailand. His research focuses on rice and rice blast fungus interactions, including genetic diversity and functional analysis of avirulence genes in Magnaporthe oryzae, development of molecular markers for rice blast resistance, and profiling blast resistance genes in Thai and international rice varieties. He has contributed to understanding variation in fungal effector genes such as AvrPi9 and AVR-Pik, and identified elite rice germplasm with key resistance alleles. His work supports breeding programs aiming to develop blast-resistant rice cultivars, advancing sustainable rice production in Thailand and worldwide.

Mini bio:

Prof. Dr. Pham Van Toan was the vice president of Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) from 2017 to 2025. He has served as the Director of the Post Graduate Training Department of VAAS since 2011. Previously, he was the Head of the Department of Agricultural Microbiology at Vietnam Agricultural Science Institute (VASI) and the Soil and Fertilizer Institute. He was the Director of the Office for the Biotechnology Program in Agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). He has conducted research on the fields of applied microbiology in the agriculture like bio fertilizer and bio pesticide and bio treatment of environmental pollution. He has also managed on the field of research and development of biotechnology, biosafety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), GMO products and post-graduate training. Dr. Toan is the secretary of the biosafety committees of MARD; the president of food, feed safety committee of MARD and the president of scientific council of VAAS. He completed his undergraduate and graduate education at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.

Mini bio:

Prof. Tran Dang Hoa is working at Department of Plant Protection, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University (HUAF). He graduated his MSc and PhD in Biological Control from Kyushu University, Japan. His expertise is related to insect natural enemies, biological control, IPM, ICM. His main works are the control of both crop insect pests using insect natural enemies as biological control agents and invasive species with classical biological control. Several biocontrol projects have been implemented in Central Vietnam

Mini bio:

I am Professor Tran Thi Thu Ha, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Director of the Institute of Forestry and Sustainable Development at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry.

Professional Experience

My work has been dedicated to addressing climate change challenges in forestry and sustainable development. In 2024, I had the honor of serving as Chair and Keynote Speaker of the First International Conference on Climate Change in Thai Nguyen, which convened scientists, policymakers, and practitioners to advance climate resilience solutions.

A central focus of my research is species selection and genetic improvement of timber and medicinal forest plants to ensure adaptation to climate change – including drought-, cold-, flood-, wind-, and pest-resistant varieties. This work supports both forest landscape restoration and the sustainable use of forest-based medicinal resources.

Since 2023, I have been Co-Director of the project „Learning Center for Zero Emission and Climate Resilience in Northern Vietnam“. Under this initiative, we are establishing Vietnam’s first Climate Learning Center and Climate Park, serving as a hub for education, demonstration, and community engagement on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

I have published 85 scientific papers, including 22 international articles indexed in ISI/Scopus, 12 textbooks, reference books, and monographs; secured 12 plant variety protection certificates, 7 patents on utility solution, and 21 forest planting and propagation procedures.

Education

I hold a PhD in Environmental Science from the Australian National University (2004–2007) and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 and Professor in 2023.

Private Science Prize:

– KOVALEVSKAIA Award in 2019 for outstanding research achievements of individual female scientists, Vietnam Women’s Union – Kovalevskaia Foundation.

– Honored in the list of the 100 outstanding scientists of Asia in 2021. The Asian Scientist Journal. Asian Scientist 100.

– Vietnam’s Glory 2021″ Award, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.

– Vietnam Golden Book Award 2021, Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Contact:

– Email: tranthithuhaptln@tuaf.edu.vn
– Phone: +84 915047167
– Web: ifs.edu.vn

Mini bio:

Dr. Thi Ngan Phan is a researcher at CIRAD, specializing in plant-parasitic nematodes, genomics, evolution, and soil ecology. Currently based in France, however, she will soon join the LMI LEAD project at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. Her work combines morphological and metabarcoding approaches to explore the diversity of nematodes in rice ecosystems in Cambodia. She focuses on understanding the interactions between soil microbiomes and plant-parasitic nematodes, aiming to harness beneficial microbes as bioinoculants for sustainable pest control.


Mini bio:

Le Van Vang, Bachelor degree in Agriculture, Can Tho University (CTU, Can Tho city, Vietnam) on March 1997. Working at the College of Agriculture, CTU from 1997-2000 as a research assistant in Entomology. Master degree in Agriculture at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT, Tokyo, Japan) on March 2003. Master thesis: “Studies on the sex pheromones of lepidopterous species distributed in Japan and Vietnam: Identification, field evaluation and application for plant protection”. PhD degree in Agriculture at TUAT on March 2006. PhD thesis: “Studies on the sex pheromones of lepidopterous species distributed in Japan and Vietnam: Identification, field evaluation and application for plant protection”. Lecturer in Entomology at the College of Agriculture, CTU from 2006-2010. Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) postdoctoral fellow in Chemical Ecology at TUAT from 2010-2012. Lecturer in Entomology at the College of Agriculture, CTU from 2012-2014. Associate Professor at CTU from 2015-date

Mini bio:

Prof. Dr. LE Vinh Thuc is the Dean of the Faculty of Crop Science, College of Agriculture, Can Tho University. He obtained his postgraduate degree in Malaysia and completed his postdoctoral research in Belgium. He has also received professional training in Israel, China and Japan, and has participated in conferences and training programs in several other countries. In year 2022, he was invited in the committee for the 10^th Asian Crop Science Association Conference, online from Nagoya, Japan. His expertise lies in professional crop production, with a focus on rice cultivation and annual crop production. He is responsible for conducting research and teaching in these areas. Prof. Thuc has led and participated in numerous projects, and has published more than 145 articles in both international and national journals.

Mini bio:

Tran Thi Thu Ha is an expert in biological control of plant pathology and post harvest, currently serving as senior lecturer at Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue Univeristy, Vientam. With over 29 years of experience teaching academia, doing research, and the crop protection industry, she has made significant contributions to sustainable agriculture and crop protection in Vietnam

She did her Ph.D. on biological control of Omycetes in Phytopathology Lab, Wageningen University, Netherlands. She also actively collaborates with international partners and is widely recognized for bridging scientific research with practical applications to advance agricultural innovation and resilience in biological control of crop protection.

Mini bio:

Dr. Nguyen The Cuong is a Senior Scientist and Head of the Department of Agronomy at the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam. He earned his B.Sc. in Agronomy from Can Tho University, an M.Sc. in Computer Application in Agriculture from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, and a Ph.D. in Plant, Insect, and Microbial Sciences from the University of Missouri, USA, where he also completed postdoctoral research in plant breeding, genomics, and bioinformatics. With over 25 years of research experience, Dr. Cuong has led and contributed to a numbers of national and international projects on weed science, sustainable rice cultivation, molecular breeding, and climate change adaptation. He has authored and co-authored many peer-reviewed publications and books’ chapters, and is an active member of professional associations such as the Weed Science Society of Vietnam. His work bridges scientific innovation with practical applications in sustainable agriculture.

Mini bio:

Dr. TRAN Thi Thu Phuong is a lecturer of  Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agronomy. She specializes in professional Insect molecular and biology, Insect chemical ecology, Insect natural enemies, Zoology, and Integrated Pest Management. She is responsible for researching and lecturing courses on entomology, zoology and plant protection. She has led and participated in 7 projects and published more than 15 articles in international and in-country journals. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in plant protection in 2003 and a master’s degree in plant protection from Vietnam National University of Agriculture in 2006. She obtained PhD degree in Agriculture and Environmental Biology, The University of Tokyo, Japan in 2016. Current, Dr. Tran Thi Thu Phuong has management Biocontrol Laboratory, Center of Research Excellence and Innovation, Vietnam National University of Agriculture.

Mini bio:

Le Khac Hoang is an expert in plant protection and integrated pest management, currently serving as Head of the Department of Plant Protection at Nong Lam University (NLU), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. With over 25 years of experience spanning academia, research, and the crop protection industry, he has made significant contributions to sustainable agriculture and crop protection in Vietnam

He holds both a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Applied Genetics and Pest Management from Kyushu University, Japan. His career includes key leadership roles such as Product Manager at Syngenta Vietnam Co., Ltd. and Head of the Fumigation Department at FCC Control and Fumigation Joint Stock Company. Since joining NLU, he has spearheaded research initiatives, curriculum development, and capacity-building programs in plant health and biosecurity.

He actively collaborates with international partners and is widely recognized for bridging scientific research with practical applications to advance agricultural innovation and resilience.

Mini bio:

Francisco Martínez is a PhD student at CIRAD, Montpellier, France, working on the “Enemy Cocktail” project to design natural enemies’ strategies for better biocontrol. His research focuses on predator interactions and their effects on pest regulation. He aims to contribute to the global development of biocontrol as a safe alternative for food production and to support the transition to agroecological farming, in alignment with France’s Ecophyto 2030 project.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Plant Health in Sustainable Cropping Systems from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain) and the French institutions L’Institut Agro Montpellier and AgroParisTech (2020–2022). His international experience spans Europe, Asia, and North America, including research on integrated pest management at Biobest Nederland B.V. (Netherlands, 2022), studies on predatory mites in citrus orchards at the Mediterranean Agroforestry Institute-UPV (Spain, 2021), participation in the JICA Training Program on Arid Land Agriculture at Tottori University (Japan, 2023), and professional experience in tomato production in the USA through the Ohio State University Program at Intergrow Greenhouses Inc. (2019), focusing on crop care and biological pest control.

Mini bio:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Duy Truong is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agriculture and Forestry – Thai Nguyen University. He specialises in cultivation techniques and plant nutrition. He is responsible for researching and teaching Vegetables and Fruit Tree Production Technology courses. He has chaired and participated in 28 topics/projects at all levels and published 45 articles in international and domestic journals. In addition to his professional work at the Faculty of Agronomy, he is the Director of the Center of Training and Research on Plant and Animal Breedings (University of Agriculture and Forestry – Thai Nguyen University) and Vice President of the Organic Agriculture Association (under the University of Agriculture and Forestry – Thai Nguyen University). He graduated with an engineering degree in 2007 and a master’s in Agronomy in 2011 from the University of Agriculture and Forestry – Thai Nguyen University. In 2016, he received a PhD in Crop Science from the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (Taiwan). Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Duy Truong has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Thai Nguyen University from 2008 til now.

Mini bio:

Dr. Ho Le Thi is a lecturer at the Plant Protection Faculty, College of Agriculture, Can Tho University, Vietnam, and serves as the program coordinator for the graduate program in Plant Protection. She earned her Ph.D. in Plant Physiology and Allelopathy from Ehime University, Japan, in 2009 and pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Missouri, USA (2010–2015) under fellowships from the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF), the American Association of University Women (AAUW), and the Department of Plant Science (MU). Dr. Thi has over 20 years of research experience in plant science, weed science, allelopathy, and plant protection. She has successfully identified potent allelochemicals from cucumber, rice, cosmos etc for biological weed control, contributing to several ISI/Scopus-indexed publications, two patents, three co-authored books, and three book chapters. In recognition of her outstanding research contributions, she received the prestigious Japan International Award for Young Agricultural Researchers (2014), being one of only three recipients worldwide. Her research focuses on sustainable weed management, exploring plant-derived bioherbicides, and enhancing the allelopathic potential of crops for eco-friendly agriculture.