Welcoming Andrew “Sandy” Liebhold as Keynote Speaker
We are thrilled to introduce the distinguished Dr Andrew “Sandy” Liebhold as a keynote speaker at the forthcoming IUFRO World Congress.
With over three decades of experience as a research entomologist at the US Forest Service Northern Research Station in USA, Dr Sandy Liebhold is a leading authority in the field of forest ecology and biological invasions.
In his presentation, titled “Insects and Diseases Pose a Growing Threat to Forest Health Worldwide,” Sandy Liebhold will delve into the pressing issue of forest sustainability in the face of climate change and biological invasions. He highlights the increasing importance of forests for their essential services while emphasizing the escalating threats that challenge their resilience. Sandy will shed light on the disruption of biogeographic patterns due to globalization and a changing climate, resulting in novel biotic associations and altered environmental conditions. These changes are not only unstable but may also have long-lasting effects on the services that forests provide.
Dr. Liebhold’s extensive academic background includes a PhD in Entomology from the University of California, Berkeley, earned in 1984. Before joining the Forest Service, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Massachusetts, further enhancing his expertise in forest ecology and entomology.
Sandy’s dedication to the field is underscored by his role as a scientific leader with the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Science at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. His contributions to the academic world are remarkable, with over 300 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Furthermore, he serves on the editorial boards of prominent journals, including Population Ecology and Biological Invasions.
Sandy Liebhold’s involvement in IUFRO is noteworthy, having held various officer positions and chairing the scientific Congress Committee for the 125th IUFRO Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany, in 2017. His significant contributions have been recognized with the IUFRO Scientific Achievement Award in 2010, and he has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2015 and a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America in 2021.
Join us to hear from Andrew “Sandy” Liebhold, a renowned expert in forest resilience, entomology, and the impacts of biological invasions. His keynote address promises to provide valuable insights into the critical challenges faced by forests and the implications for their health and sustainability.
Listen to Andrew in the IUFRO podcast “Branching Out”.
Meet more of our invited Keynote Speakers of the Congress.
