EPSO TEAM & BOARD

Alexandra Barnoux – Parental leave until 27.8.2021

Publications Officer

Website & social media management, EPSO publications, event communication, Fascination of Plants Day coordination

Main responsibilities include the management of the EPSO communication, website and social media activities, writing and editing articles for the EPSO newsletter and creation of visual content. She is also responsible for drafting briefings and internal documents for the EPSO members and acts as 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.

See the EPSO Traineeship Call

ALAN SCHULMAN

LUKE, Finland

EPSO President

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.

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 coping climate change.

The transitions need to consider the input of new biotechnology including their potential contribution in 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.

PRZEMYSLAW WOJTASZEK

Adam Mickiewicz University,
Poland

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 need to focus on students also, plant science study programmes need to integrate technology and data science to attract the best students.