Dr. Nokwazi Carol Mbili is a plant pathologist and researcher with an H-index of 8 (Google Scholar) and a strong academic orientation toward addressing critical challenges in agriculture and food security. She is currently a Senior Lecturer and Academic Coordinator in the Discipline of Plant Pathology within the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Prior to this role, she served as a Junior Researcher at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC)-Infruitec/Nietvoorbij. Dr. Mbili teaches a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules, including ‘fungi, food and phytopathogens’, plant disease epidemiology and bacteriology’, ‘crop protection’, ‘fungi in phytopathology-advanced mycology’, ‘plant pathology major research projects’, as well as ‘literature review and plant pathology research skill’. Her research focuses on non-chemical approaches to plant disease management, with an emphasis on postharvest pathology and the integration of preharvest and postharvest strategies to minimize crop losses. She aims to improve yield quality and promote sustainable agricultural systems by developing environmentally friendly solutions for managing plant diseases. Dr. Mbili has secured research funding from several national and industry sources, including the National Research Foundation (NRF), the South African Mango Growers’ Association (SAMGA), and NCT Forestry Agricultural Co-operative Limited. She continues to play an active role in advancing plant pathology research, contributing both to scientific knowledge and practical outcomes for growers and the agricultural sector.

Dr. Nimmi Seoraj-Pillai is a transformative leader who architects systems where profit, planet, and policy converge. As the Head of Department for Nature Conservation at the Tshwane University of Technology, she brings over two decades of barrier-transcending leadership to the forefront of sustainability and ESG integration. A certified Professional Natural Scientist, Dr. Seoraj-Pillai is renowned for her work in mitigating human-wildlife conflict and founding the influential One Health Transdisciplinary Unit. Her ability to translate complex scientific research into actionable, investible solutions has mobilised significant funding and shaped national policy. Dr. Seoraj-Pillai is currently furthering her impact as an MBA candidate and a 2025 African Research Funding Accelerator fellow. Dr. Nimmi Seoraj-Pillai’s research explores the critical interface between botany, biodiversity, and biotechnology. Her work integrates ethnobotanical insights with modern applications, such as developing plant-based solutions for tick control and managing invasive alien plant species. She employs a transdisciplinary framework, blending Indigenous Knowledge Systems with ecological models to address food security and climate resilience. This approach positions plant science at the core of developing sustainable, biotechnological innovations for ecosystem health and agricultural sustainability.

Prof. Tshifhiwa Constance Nangammbi, Pr.Sci.Nat., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nature Conservation, Faculty of Science, at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), South Africa. She is a Fulbright Scholar and a registered scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) in Zoological Sciences. Her academic and research career spans positions at the KwaZulu–Natal Museum, University of the Free State, University of Venda, the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, USA), and the National University of Lesotho, before joining TUT in 2014. She has also served on high-level advisory panels for the South African government on wildlife conservation policy. Prof. Nangammbi’s research expertise lies in systematics, molecular genetics, biodiversity, parasitology, invasive species ecology, and conservation biology. She has supervised numerous PhD, MSc, and Honours students and established molecular genetics laboratories for student training at both UNIVEN and TUT.

Dr. Dipan Adhikari is an Associate Professor in the Post Graduate Department of Botany at Hooghly Mohsin College, West Bengal, India. He obtained his M.Sc. in Botany from the University of Calcutta with a specialization in Cell Biology, Molecular Genetics, and Plant Biotechnology, and later earned his Ph.D. in Life Sciences. His professional journey includes positions as Scientist at SAMI LABS LIMITED (Bangalore), Lecturer at Krupandihi Degree College (Bangalore), and Assistant Professor at A. B. N. Seal Govt. College, Coochbehar, before joining Hooghly Mohsin College.