Dr. Sammy founder and director of the Ramsey Research Foundation graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Entomology from Cornell University in 2011, and focused his research on Predatory & Parasitic Insect Behavior. He cultivated an interest and expertise in the close relationships between insects and other creatures (symbioses), and dedicated his doctoral research to understanding a parasite killing honey bees globally (Varroa destructor). In Dr. Dennis vanEngelsdorp's Honey Bee lab at the University of Maryland, College Park; he completed his formal education. 

Through non-traditional forms of media such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, Dr. Sammy simply and effectively communicates complex subject-matter to inspire the next generation of curious minds who share his enthusiasm and sense of adventure to fall in love with STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics). He envisions an age where his appearance is no longer unusual or met with surprise when he headlines a conference and he is intentional in advocating for equity, equality, diversity, and inclusion at the highest levels.

I am an assistant professor at Miami Dade College Padrón Campus. Education and research in conservation and sustainability are my passion; I work to develop the skills and networks necessary to effectively understand and preserve our environment and the wildlife inhabiting it. My doctoral work centered around the federally endangered Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly: (1) habitat restoration, (2) predator-prey interactions, and (3) community engagement using a butterfly gardening curriculum unit. My professional life goals are to understand and preserve the entomological and botanical world, engage local communities through service-learning and inquiry-based activities, and empower people to become community scientists. By doing so, we can enrich local biodiversity in neighborhoods, parks, and natural areas.

Nancy Miorelli has her master's degree in Entomology from the University of Georgia. Upon graduating in 2015, Nancy decided to take a break from her academic career and volunteered in the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest presenting on insects and their biology to tourists and conducting night walks as well as developing educational curriculum for school programs. After her volunteer position came to an end, Nancy realized that she loved Ecuador and all it had to offer so much that she decided to stay! She started her own tourism business, SciBugs, focused on Ecuadorian culture, ecology, conservation, and entomology. Nancy leads you on a personalized adventure exploring Ecuador that includes everything you want and nothing you don't! Nancy has been living in Ecuador for five years but due to the Covid-19 pandemic this year, Nancy decided to expand her brand SciBugs to include gamified entomology workshops and an educational YouTube Channel while travel is restricted.

Hi, I'm Elsa Magnolia Quicazán-Rubio. I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. There began my interest in Biomechanics and in the teamwork between Biologists and Engineers to understand how animals move. This curiosity, which was first in hummingbird flight, led me to do a Master's degree at the University of California, Riverside, USA. Later, my curiosity about fish swimming led me to do a PhD at the University of Wageningen and a research stay at the University of Groningen, both in the Netherlands. I was fortunate to learn about Biomimicry and understood that many of the innovations inspired by nature are based on research in Biomechanics. Following my interest in both topics and my love for illustration, I created Bioinspirada (https://bioinspirada.com/). Bioinspirada presents you with links between everyday life, technology and natural adaptations, accompanied by images that spark your imagination. It is a contribution to the Science Communication in Spanish about Biomimicry. And at heart, it wants to help create greater awareness about the importance of the biodiversity found in our territories.

Alex Wild is Curator of Entomology at The University of Texas at Austin and has been a world-renowned macrophotographer since the early 2000s. He holds a Ph.D. in Entomology from The University of California/Davis, served as a beekeeping instructor in the U.S. Peace Corps in Paraguay, and conducts research on the evolution and classification of ants. Alex is a founding instructor of the BugShot workshop series, and his photographs appear in numerous natural history museums, magazines, books, television programs, video games, and other media.