EPSO TEAM & BOARD
EPSO’s strategy is defined by the representatives at the General Meeting, further elaborated by the elected Board and implemented by its members and staff.
TEAM
KARIN METZLAFF
Executive Director
Science, science strategy and science policy (EPSO, GPC, ISE, Plant ETP), members, observers, association relations
Karin has been the Executive Director of EPSO since its creation in 2001. She works with the EPSO members and partners to promote plant research in the European science and science policy arena by overseeing the EPSO Working Groups, providing advice and recommendations to policy makers at European, multinational and national level. Karin is member of the Board of the Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE) and represents EPSO in in the Global Plant Council (GPC). She is also a member of the Board of the European Technology Platform ‘Plants for the Future’ and one of the global coordinators of the Fascination of Plants Day. Karin has a M.Sc. in Biochemistry and a PhD in Plant Genetics.
SOFIA CIRAVEGNA
Executive Assistant
Personal membership, office, accounts, website management, meetings
Sofia is responsible for the day-to-day management of the EPSO office, website management, personal membership and any administration and general queries. Sofia administers the EPSO and EU project accounts. In addition, she supports Karin with the organisation of our events such as workshops.
JOHN FITZGIBBON
Publications Officer
Website & social media management, EPSO briefings and newsletter, Fascination of Plants Day coordination
Main responsibilities include the management of the EPSO website and social media activities, drafting briefings, and writing and editing articles for the EPSO newsletter. John supports communication in EPSO’s EU projects. He is one of the Global Coordinators of the “Fascination of Plants Day”.
Trainee
EPSO is continuously looking for PhD students in biological, agricultural or food sciences for a remote or on-site (scholarship/grant holders) traineeship of 3 to 6 months. This traineeship offer is for PhD students in biological, agricultural or food sciences.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR TEAM?
Policy Intern
Expert from an EPSO Institutional Member
Each EPSO Institutional Member can offer an Internship Expert to EPSO for a stay of at least 6 months. See the EPSO call for internship experts from institutional members and the ‘Internship Agreement’.
BOARD
ODD ARNE ROGNLI
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
EPSO President
I strongly believe that plant science will play a major role in solving the grand challenges defined by the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. We need to develop more sustainable food and feed systems. I am very much concerned with understanding genetic diversity and the use of genomics, phenomics and biotechnology to utilize this diversity for breeding resilient, climate adapted and resource efficient cultivars. Translation of knowledge from model species to crop plants, implementation of new breeding technologies and international collaboration are essential elements for innovations in the plant sector. I have a keen interest in feed crops and sustainable grassland systems, and a better integration between livestock and crop production is needed to improve overall agricultural sustainability in Europe. Finally, I think EPSO needs to focus on students and plant science study programmes also need to integrate technology and data science to attract the best students.
ANGELO SANTINO
CNR – ISPA-Lecce, IT
Vice President
I strongly believe that nutritional security will be a challenge topic to reduce the impact of important human pathologies in Europe and improve people’s perception regarding the application of new breeding technologies in agriculture. Plant scientists are working strongly to improve the quality and nutritional value of main crops. I’ll work with EPSO to bridge the existing gaps among plant scientists, clinicians, politicians, consumers, industries and achieve this strategic goal.
Marie-Theres Hauser
University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
EPSO Treasurer
The motivation to serve EPSO is my passionate belief that plant sciences are highly important for a sustainable future and thus need a powerful independent advocate in Europe to increase visibility. As professor at the only University in Austria teaching Agricultural Sciences and Forestry among Food and Biotechnology, Environmental and Bioresources Management, Civil Engineering and Landscape Planning, I am trained to communicate and teach together with experts of these different fields which I consider as beneficial for several goals of EPSO. I feel that a fully environmentally friendly future depends on us plant scientists. My focus lies on education and the support and promotion of innovative ideas on how this goal can be reached.
ISABELLE LITRICO
INRAE, France
Plant Sciences in combination with other related disciplines, like agronomy or ecology, should more contribute to define actions for the EU transitions, particularly the agroecosystem transition (productivity with reducing pesticides, carbon sequestration, diversification…) while mitigating climate change.
The transitions need to consider the input of new biotechnology including their potential contribution to agroecology. I would like to be involved in some actions of EPSO allowing a developing of this interdisciplinary, and a major contribution of Plant Sciences and Biotechnology in great challenges of agriculture, environment and food.
ANTONIO LEYVA
CSIC, Spain
I strongly believe that plant science will become a strategic technological sector in the near future and will therefore make key contributions not only to food security or safety but to other areas such as water quality, and environmental sustainability. As a promoter of public-private-platforms, my aim is to encourage and strengthen the interaction between public and private sectors in Europe, while maintaining the excellence of basic science as the keystone for knowledge generation.
TIM GEORGE
The James Hutton Institute, Dundee
United Kingdom
As an EPSO Board member I have a number of goals. I aim to raise the profile of plant soil interactions as a way for Plant Sciences to achieve progress against Global Sustainability Goals and champion below ground process in Plant Physiology and Genetics. I will be an advocate for the use of heritage genotypes and underutilised crops as sources of genes and traits and alternatives for sustainability and climate resilience, while also championing the use of real crop genotypes in real world situations to answer questions of pressing need. Finally I believe it is important to promote stakeholder engagement so that the value of Plant Sciences is known along the whole length of the value chain in agricultural crops.
PRZEMYSLAW WOJTASZEK
Adam Mickiewicz University,
Poland
TINA ROMEIS
Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Germany
I believe in bridging interdisciplinary concepts from basic molecular sciences with applied crop breeding and ecology; communication with the public to raise awareness about plant research for the benefit of human health and food; advertise the benefits in plant research for plant resilience and plant growth to facilitate environmental friendly and sustainable conditions in agriculture and forestry.
CECILIA SARMIENTO
Tallinn University of Technology,
Estonia
I am convinced that plant sciences have a crucial role in achieving important goals of today’s society such as food security, sustainable agriculture and taking care of biodiversity. EPSO is paving the way to accomplish these objectives.
It is my wish to stimulate communication between all plant scientists and policymakers to build a strong network that reaches farmers and the agricultural sector. The benefits of EPSO should reach all stakeholders, starting at home (Estonia).
I also want to encourage international cooperation in plant sciences among EPSO members: projects, PhD students and postdocs’ mobility.
As one of my passions is education, I wish to engage students in outreach activities like the Fascination of Plants Day and EPSO Plant Science Seminars.
ROBERT HALL
Wageningen University and Research
Never before has it been so important to unite efforts and decide on joint initiatives across Europe for the plant-based sciences. The challenges on e.g. climate change, biodiversity loss and soil health are huge and will impact the entire global population. I see a strong and central role for EPSO in ensuring that European initiatives are defined along the right lines and result in broad support from all across Europe. Furthermore, the interactions between science and industry and science and government are of equal importance and both deserve our full attention in our quest to design a sustainable future food production system with least environmental impact. I have a strong desire to support EPSO in uniting these efforts and ensuring European policy aligns with our goals.
ALAN SCHULMAN
LUKE University, Finland
Adviser to the Board
My goal is to help EPSO achieve public and governmental recognition that from basic science in crop and model plants transformative innovations emerge and that plants are the basis for human health and social stability. The wellbeing of Europe and the world depends not only on a few strategic crops but also on many regionally important diverse species that have received insufficient attention or funding, but contribute nutritionally to our diverse diets. In the face of a shifting climate and decreasing inputs, the EU needs both a bottom-up plant research agenda and science-driven crop improvement.
All Board Members
2022 – Odd Arne Rognli (2022 – President)
2018-2022 – Alan Schulman (2019 – President)
2018-2020 – Angelo Santino
2018-2020 – Josef Gloessl
2018-2020 – Przemyslaw Wojtaszek
2018-2020 – Antonio Leyva
2017-2019 – Ernst van den Ende
2015-2020 – Cathie Martin (2015 – Vice-President)
2015-2017 – Robbie Waugh
2014-2019 – Svend Christensen
2013-2020 – Carole Caranta
2013-2018 – Tomas Vanek
2013-2018 – Aldo Ceriotti (2017-2018 – President)
2013-2013 – Maurice Moloney
2012-2017 – Jose Pio Beltran (2014-2016 – President)
2012-2014 – Eckhard George (2013-2014 – Vice-President)
2011-2016 – Ton Bisseling
2011-2016 – Bruce Osborne
2011-2013 – Heribert Hirt (2011-2013 – President)
2009-2014 – Christophe Plomion
2009-2014 – Eva-Mari Aro
2009-2011 – Raoul Bino
2007-2012 – Jonathan Jones (2012 – Vice-President)
2007-2012 – Chiara Tonelli
2007-2012 – Jacek Hennig
2007-2008 – Dirk Inze (2007-2008 – Vice-President)
2006-2011 / 2018-2020 – Ulrich Schurr (2009-2011 / 2018-2020 – Vice-President)
2006-2011 – Pere Puigdomenech
2005-2010 – Wilhelm Gruissem (2007-2010 – President)
2005-2010 – Erkki Truve
2003-2008 – Helene Lucas
2003-2008 – Kirsi-Marja Oksman-Caldentey
2003-2005, 2014-2017 – Mark Stitt
2003-2005 – Paolo Costantino
2001-2006 – Denes Dudits
2001-2006 – Pierre de Witt
2001-2002 – Chris Bowler
2001-2002 – Lothar Willmitzer
2001-2006 – Mike Bevan (2001-2006 – Vice-Chair)
2000-2006 – Marc Zabeau (2000-2006 – Chair)