Keynote Speakers Sessions
Prof. Szilvia Kusza
Agricultural Genomics & BiotechCenter, University of Debrecen, Hungary
Prof. Maeve Henchion
Rural Economy Research Centre, Teagasc, Ireland
Dr. Rodrigo Olave
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Northern Ireland, UK
Session: Genetic Innovations for Climate Resilience
Session: Circular Agriculture
& Bioeconomy
Session: Agroforestry Systems for Ecosystem Services
Prof. Szilvia Kusza is a leading expert in molecular genetics and population genomics within the Institute of Animal Science. Her research focuses on the genetic characterisation and conservation of indigenous livestock and wildlife species. She specialises in using biotechnological tools to enhance genetic diversity and resilience within sustainable agri-food systems. Through her international collaborations, she effectively bridges the gap between genomic science and the climate-resilient agricultural management central to this symposium.
Prof. Maeve Henchion is a Principal Research Officer at Teagasc and Adjunct Professor at UCD SAFS. Her research integrates social and behavioural sciences into multidisciplinary projects to identify new market and value-chain opportunities for the agri-food industry. She specialises in analysing the attitudes of consumers, citizens, and farmers to drive the adoption of sustainable technologies and innovations. Currently, her work focuses on the circular bioeconomy, sustainable food systems, and maintaining food quality & integrity.
Dr. Rodrigo Olave is a Senior Researcher with over 25 years of international experience in agroforestry systems, forest genetics, and ecosystem functioning. His research focuses on climate change mitigation strategies, specifically quantifying GHG dynamics and GWP within agricultural landscapes. He has held leading research roles at INFOR in Chile and the CSIR in South Africa, advancing the science of genetic diversity and conservation. Currently, he serves as a Trustee of the Forest Genetic Resources Trust and is an active member of the EURAF, driving sustainable tree improvement across the UK and Ireland.