Higher education & degrees:

1971‑1976 Attila József University, Faculty of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary

1976          M.Sc. (Biology) Attila József University, Szeged, Hungary

1978          Ph.D. (Zoology), Attila József University, Szeged, Hungary. Thesis: The migration of                  warblers (Sylvia and Phylloscopus spp.) in Hungary. Grade: summa cum laude

1992          Candidate of Biological Sciences (Ecology), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest,                  Hungary

2009          Doctor of Biological Sciences, DSc (Ecology), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest,                  Hungary

2010          Habilitation (Dr. habil.) in Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Hungary

Language skills:

Hungarian (mother tongue). English (excellent), Italian (excellent), Danish (medium), German (medium), Russian (basic).

Positions held:

2013- Present: Minjiang Distinguished Visiting Professorial Chair, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agricultural & Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.

2010- Present: Adjunct Professor, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Plant Protection, Beijing, China.

1998 - Present: Senior Scientist, Aarhus University, (until 2007 Danish Inst Agric Sci), Flakkebjerg Research Centre, Slagelse, Denmark

1994 - 1998 Scientist, Horticulture Research Institute of New Zealand, Ltd., Plant Improvement Division, Palmerston North, New Zealand

1989 - 1994 Scientist, Pastoral Agriculture Research Institute Ltd. (until 1992 MAF Technology), Horticultural Research Centre, Levin & Flock House Agricultural Centre, Bulls, New Zealand.

1983‑1984 Guest Associate Professor, International Institute of Genetics & Biophysics, Naples, Italy.

1978‑1989 Associate Research Scientist (1978-1982) & Research Scientist (1982-1989), Dept. of Zoology, Plant Protection Institute, Budapest, Hungary.

1976‑1978 Research Assistant, Dept. of Zoology, JozsefA.University, Szeged, Hungary.

Current research interests:

• Invasion ecology; interactions between invaders and native species
• Ecology of feeding in predatory arthropods (preferences, tri-trophic interactions, consequences of feeding decisions, biological control)
• Community ecology of terrestrial arthropods, esp. predators
• Conservation biology, esp. conservation in managed areas and cities
• Urban ecology, effects of urbanisation on biodiversity, and ecosystem services
• Agroecology & sustainable agriculture, esp. pesticide‑free and organic cultivation systems
• Risk assessment methodology, environmental risk assessment, plant health
• Biosafety: ecology of genetically modified organisms, esp. effects on tri‑trophic interactions
• Biological control by generalist natural enemies and habitat manipulation
• Bionomics, behaviour and ecology of beneficial arthropods (ground beetles, spiders, hover flies)
• Ethics and philosophy of conservation and valuing nature
• Ecology and behaviour of small birds: wintering, stopover and migration
• Scientific writing and communication; new methods of graphical data analysis

Publication activity:

108 peer-reviewed papers, 32 peer-reviewed conference proceedings papers, 21 book chapters & book editorships, 65 scientific reports and opinions, 57 non-peer-reviewed and popular papers.

No. of citations to publications: 4229 (Google Scholar, June 2017)

Hirsch-index: h=33 (Google Scholar, June 2017)

Teaching experience, lecturing and student supervision:

Long experience in teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as in continuing education. Taught zoology, entomology, and ecology in Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Denmark, China, and various African countries; lead field expeditions and field courses in Hungary, Italy, Greece, New Zealand, East Africa, and Madagascar. Teaching rated very highly, whether in formal or informal assessments (details on request). Frequently invited to train at new locations by former participants of taught courses.

I am interested in scientific communication, and trained myself in the subject. I gave the first such course in Hungary in the 1980ies. Since then, I have held courses in this area in numerous countries, taught it in the (former) Faculty of Natural Sciences at AU since 1999, founded a non-profit organisation in Kenya to establish this training in Africa (the Training Centre in Communication, active since 2008, which today has two offices in Kenya, one in Nigeria, and one in South Africa). So far, I have myself trained about 2250 students and scientists in Europe, Asia and Africa. The course is currently a PhD /MSc course at the PhDSchool at Aarhus University, and I am regularly invited to teach it in Europe, China and Africa.

Selected professional courses and their teaching occasions:

Agroecology and farm-scale management, MSc course, Aarhus University, 2010 –current

Perspectives of iRNA technology in plant protection. NOVA postgraduate course, Helsinki Oct 2015, Core teacher.

Biosafety, environmental impacts - biosafety courses in Kenya, Oct 2006, Nov 2007, Tanzania, July 2007, August 2010, Uganda Oct 2009, AGRHYMET Regional Centre, Niger, Nov 2006; Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology, Tromsø, Aug 2006, Catholic University of Cordoba, Argentina, October 2012, National University of Sucre, Bolivia November 2013, AMIGA Summer School, Nitra, Slovakia Oct 2015.

Plant health risk assessment – postgraduate training course for European plant health officers – Milan, Italy (2011), Vilnius, Lithuania (2012), Sarajevo, Bosnia (2014), Lisbon, Portugal (2015), Tallin, Estonia (2015), Rome, Italy (Jan 2017), Vienna, Austria (Jun 2017)

Ecological methodology, using the R software – CAAS Beiijng, Fujian Agric. Forestry University (2013, 2014), Centre for Ecology, Hungary (2013, 2014, 2015)

Systematic rewiew methodology, experimental design – graduate and postgraduate courses, Tropical Biology Association Field Ecology Courses (2004, 2009), European Food Safety Authority, Parma, Italy (12 occasions, 2011-2015)

Greek Summer School of Conservation Biology, Papingo, Greece, August 2010-current. Core teacher, Organising Committee member. Supported (2010-2012) by the EC Erasmus Life-long Education Program, and the Society for Conservation Biology.

International course in scientific drawing, illustrations and communication in taxonomy. Postgraduate course by DEST (Distributed European School of Taxonomy). Univ. Gothenburg Marine Res Stn, Kristineberg, Sweden, 2010 –current. Core teacher.

Tropical field ecology: Tropical Biology Association Field Course, Core teacher, Kibale National Park, Uganda, Sept 2004; Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania, Aug 2009, Madagascar, November 2012. Core teacher. Training in tropical field ecology, experimental design, biosafety. Supervision of projects by participants.

Science writing and communication – teaching at Aarhus University since 1999. Other locations: Hungary (6 institutions, 13 occasions), China (6 institutions, 16 occasions), Germany, Italy (2 occasions), Burkina Faso, Uganda (2 occasions); Kenya (10 occasions), Tanzania, Ghana (3 occasions), Argentina, Portugal.

Resource management, Pest control, entomology, Insect taxonomy  (Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, 1990-1998)

I have supervised a total of 41 MSc and PhD students in Hungary, New Zealand, Denmark, China, Uganda, Kenya, France, and Italy. I am a member of the PhD Schools of the University of Debrecen, and Szeged, Hungary; University of Nairobi, Kenya, Makerere University, Uganda, University of Calabria, Italy, and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.

Apart from organising conferences (see below), I am also active in presenting scientific results to peers. Since 2008, I have given a total of 250+ talks and seminars at various conferences and institutions world-wide. I have been invited or plenary speaker at >25 international and national conferences.

I am also committed to communicating science to lay persons and have given numerous talks at science festivals, at various clubs, networks and special occasions. For 13 years I have had an intensive interaction with non-professional volunteers on field expeditions as Project Leader of the Earthwatch-supported “Old World Songbirds” project, and lead expeditions in Hungary, Italy and Kenya. This was a significant component of the project, but its science was also rated among the best, and was awarded a science prize (see below).

Distinctions, honours, fellowships, committee memberships :

Member of Academia Europaea, 2019-

Hungarian Ecological Society Grand Prize for services to Hungarian ecology, Aug 2015

Research Associate, National Museums of Kenya, 1998-current

Resident Scholar, Rockefeller Foundation Centre, Bellagio, Italy, 2011

Honorary Professor, University of Nairobi, Kenya, 2010

Honorary Private Professor, University of Szeged, Hungary, 2010

Visiting Professor, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, May-June 2005

Earthwatch AVIVA Climate Change Research Award, 2004

Domus Hungarica Scientiarum et Artium Fellowships, Hungarian Academy of Sciences & Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Natural Heritage, 1999 – 2010, 2012, 2016/7

Visiting Scientist Fellowship, Mitrani Centre for Desert Ecology, Blaustein Institute of Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer, Israel, 2003, 2005

Committee memberships (since 2000)

Member, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, 2017-2020

Member, Board of Directors, Society for Conservation Biology, Europe Section, 2008-2013, 2017-current

Panel member, EPPO/IOBC Panel on Biological Control Agents, Danish government representative, 2014-current

Member, Advisory Board, Centre of Ecology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Vacratot, Hungary, 2013-current

Member, ad hoc Evaluation Committee of the Hungarian Centre for Ecological Research, 2016

Member, Colleggio dei Docenti, University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy, 2005- current

Steering Committee member, AMIGA EU Project, 2012-2016

Danish member of Cartagena Protocol Roster of Experts, 2005 - current

Evaluation committee member, Bavarian Ministry of Research & Technology "Future Plants" program – 2010-2013

Director, Training Centre in Communication, Nairobi, Kenya, 2006-2013

Member, Advisory Board, Balaton Limnological Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Tihany, Hungary, 2010-2012

Member, European Food Safety Authority, Plant Health Panel, Parma, Italy, 2006- 2012. Vice-Chair, 2006-2009.

IOBC Global Working Group on Transgenic Plants in IPM and Biocontrol, Co-Convener, Nov 2004- 2012

Steering Committee member, GMO ERA Project, funded by the Swiss Development Agency, 2005- 2007

Research experience & grants (since 2005)

2016 - 2021: “Ecologically Based Pest Management of Subtropical Crops”, Collaborative 111 International Program, located at Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.

2016 - 2019: C-IPM: "Novel biosafe IPM strategies to manage pesticide resistance in pollen beetles” Collaborative European project with the University of Helsinki, Finland, University of Ghent, Belgium, and University of Tartu, Estonia.

2011 - 2016: AMIGA: Complex Assessment of Effects of Genetically Manipulated Plants; EU Framework 7 program. Partner, work package leader, member of management team. Twenty-three European research partners.

2004 – current: Danglobe: Effects of urbanisation on biodiversity. Co-operative project with the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary (Z. Elek), the Universities of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy (M. Sapia, V. Pulieri) and Palermo, Sicily (M.Ferrante, A. Locacciato, G. Barone, B. Manachini), University of Helsinki (F. Vilisics), University of Debrecen, Hungary (R. Horvath, T. Magura, C. Eotvos). Project Leader. Multiple funding sources.

2011 – 2015: Training European Food Safety Authority experts and personnel, in the systematic (evidence-based) review methods. Project co-ordinator, with partners from the Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation, University of Wales, Southampton University, York Health Authority (all U.K.), University of York (Canada), and Ohio State University (USA)

2010 - 2015: PURE project (Pesticide use and reduction in European Farming Systems), Task leader in natural pest control module; funded by the European Community

2008 - 2010: ENDURE European Centre of Excellence in plant protection. Participant & course teacher, funded by the European Community

2004 – 2011: BiosafeTrain: research capacity building in GM biosafety in East Africa. Funded by DANIDA. Co-operative project involving 6 universities & research institutes, ca. 30 persons. Project Leader.

2005 – 2006: Diversity of spiders (Araneae) in relation to a precipitation gradient in Israel.Co-operative project with Prof Y. Lubin, Mitrani Dept Desert Ecology, Ben-GurionUniversity, Sede Boker, Israel.

2003 - 2005: "Ecological consequences of growing transgenic plants" – Danish Inst. Agric. Sci. Competence Fund. Project Leader.

2001 - 2005: Assessment of environmental and economic impact of Bt-cotton for smallholder farmers in China (COTRAN) EU INCO-DEV project, (4 European + 3 Chinese co-operating partners) Scientific partner & Financial Co-ordinator.

1993 ‑ 2005: ‘Europe-Africa Songird Migration' project. Migratory bird ecology: dynamics, recurrence, fat condition in relation to migratory strategies. Funded by Earthwatch, Boston, U.S.A. Field work in Hungary 1993-2005, Italy in 1993 - 1996, 1999- 2005, Kenya, 1997 – 2005. Principal Investigator.

Extracurricular activities:

Conference/symposium Organiser (since 2010):

13^rd European Carabidologists’ Meeting, Rennes, France. Sep 2017. Organising committee member

17^th International & 4^th European Conservation Biology Conference, Montpellier, France, August 2015, Symposium Organiser

9^th Hungarian Conference on Conservation Biology, “Monetarizing ecosystem services; advantages & disadvantages.” Roundtable discussion co-organiser, Nov 2014 Szeged, Hungary

2^nd International Conference on Biological Invasions, Qingdao, China, 23-27 October 2013 - Organising Committee Member, Symposium Organiser

Research meeting of the Biological Invasions in Megadiverse Regions Network: "Identifying novel invasion threats for developing mega-diverse countries by horizon scanning." AarhusUniversity, Flakkebjerg, April 2013, Rockefeller Bellagio Conference Program, Bellagio, Italy, April 2013: - Convener & Organiser

European Congress of Conservation Biology, Organising Committee member (2009, 2012, 2018), course trainer, roundtable organiser, chairman of sessions

NEOBIOTA 2010. International conference on invasive organisms. Copenhagen, September 2010. Organising Committee Member

9^th European Entomology Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 2010. Co-organiser, Symposium “Carabid ecology”

Committee & editorial work:

Book Review Editor, Conservation Biology, 2015-current

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Biosafety (China) – 2010- current

Editorial Board/Committee member: Journal of Integrative Agriculture (China), 2012- current; Ornis Hungarica, 1998-2010,  Open Ecology Journal, 2008–2011; New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 1999- 2010, New Zealand Plant Protection Society, 1993‑1995; 1997-1998

Book Review Editor: The Ecological Society of New Zealand, 1991-1996; The Ornithological Society of New Zealand 1991‑1994

Editor: New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 1993-1998 (1993‑1997 'Forum' section editor); 'Notornis', the scientific journal of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand, 1994-­1998; Conservation Biology, 2014

Reviewer of manuscripts for 60+ peer-reviewed journals

Assessor of scientific programs and applications for the European Community (COST and Framework programs), the Austrian, Bavarian (Germany), Belgian, Czech, Estonian, Fårø Islands, Hungarian, Israeli, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, and Swedish National Science Foundations, the U.K. Ministry Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and ESPA Programs, and various evaluations of individual scientists for universities in Canada, Hungary, New Zealand, and the U.K..

Membership in learned societies:

Hungarian Ecological Society, 2004 - ­

Society for Conservation Biology, 2003 -

The Ecological Society of New Zealand, 1990 ­