Ecology Forum >> Program >> Keynote Speakers

Keynote Speakers

This year, the PEF will host a number of keynote speakers from a wide range of ecological disciplines.

Professor Keith Day

Head of the School of Environmental Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine

"The ecological role of insects in forest health"

Prof. Keith Day has been the Head of the School of Environmental Sciences since January 2009 and previously Director of the Environmental Sciences Research Institute. Professor Day has had strategic responsibility for a vibrant and emerging research group for six years. He has also coordinated two European research programmes funded under Framework 3 & 4, has been Chairman of an International Union of Forest Research Organisations Working Party (Insects of Reforestation), and Vice Chairman and National Representative for Forest Sector COST action E16, BAWBILT “Bark and wood boring insects in living trees”.

Professor Chris Shaw

School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast

Prof. Chris Shaw is Professor in Drug Discovery within the School of Pharmacy. Prof. Shaw’s exciting work involves the discovery and characterisation of biologically active agents within nature, most notably from amphibian venoms that are harvested worldwide. High-throughput molecular technologies involving de novo peptide sequencing, "shotgun" cDNA cloning and pharmacological screening is directed towards the functional genomic understanding of peptidomes, thus allowing rapid acquisition of structural data and the generation of peptide molecular libraries for novel drug leads.

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Mark Wright

Head of Research and Development, Conservation Science, NIEA, Belfast

Mark Wright heads a small evidence team within the Natural Heritage Directorate of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. He has responsibility for co-ordination and provision of evidence for government decision making. This can be in relation to statutory functions e.g. designation and monitoring of protected sites or broader conservation policy e.g. the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy. A graduate of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and University of Ulster, Coleraine, Mark was notably involved in Northern Ireland Countryside Survey (NICS) as a field botanist in 1992, was part of the steering committee for NICS2000 and is currently NIEA project manager for NICS2007. Still an active botanist, Mark also has expertise in field mycology, especially distribution and conservation of grassland fungi.

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Dr Alistair McIntosh

Visiting Professor of Human Ecology, University of Strathclyde.

Dr McIntosh is an independent scholar, activist, writer, speaker and broadcaster from the Isle of Lewis. He is a fellow of the Centre for Human Ecology (CHE), a director of the GalGael Trust and a Visiting Professor of Human Ecology at the University of Strathclyde.

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More information on our speakers and their talks will be available shortly.

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