My research focus is on applied ecological research with regard to Arthropoda in agro-ecosystems.  I have 30 years of experience in pest management research, especially on maize and sorghum. My principle research responsibilities include the development of IPM strategies for Fall armyworm, study of arthropod diversity in agro-ecosystems, resistance evolution of pests against Bt maize, Bt cotton and insecticides. We are a lead group in GM Bt maize research in Africa.

Henk Bouwman professor in Zoology focusing on ecotoxicology applied to various biological systems: mainly earthworms, fish, humans, birds and recently crocodiles, and also works in bird ecology. He has been closely involved in the negotiations regarding the Stockholm Convention and the POPs Review Committee (POPRC). After his five-year stint on the POPRC, he was appointed for four years as the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel member of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for chemicals and ozone depleting substances by both GEF and UNEP CEOs.

Mark is a professor in Zoology at the NWU and studied at Stellenbosch University (1992–2000) completing his PhD degree in 2000. His research focus is earthworm ecotoxicology (organismal and cellular effects) and the broader field of soil ecotoxicology (agricultural and mining areas). This research is done in order to determine soil pollution with the aim of making recommendation on how to address and manage these effects. In addition to this he also does research on organic waste management utilizing earthworms.

Amphibian conservation has received increasing attention following the 2005 global declaration of the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP), with placed a high premium on amongst other increasing the capacity of conservation research required to combat this global crisis. It is within this research field of amphibian conservation that I have established my research activities within the geographical bounds of sub-Saharan Africa and adjacent island of Madagascar.

Louis du Preez is a professor in Zoology at the North-West University. He is leading the African Amphibian Research Group. His research focusses on the wellbeing of amphibians and in particular the conservation of endangered species as well as the systematics and ecology of amphibian parasite diversity. He specialises on polistoom flatworm parasites that are found in frogs, salamanders, worm amphibians, sea turtles and on the eye of the hippopotamus.