Dr. Daniela Zeppilli is a marine biologist (Ph.D., Marine Biology & Ecology) at Ifremer’s Deep‑Sea Lab in France. A specialist in nematodes and deep‑sea meiofauna, she explores extreme environments using classical and molecular tools (eDNA). She leads the PIONEER project studying nematode–prokaryote interactions with potential biomedical applications and heads Ifremer’s “Microplastics in the Deep Sea” initiative. Awarded a 2014 L’Oréal‑UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowship, she also serves as a L’Oréal ambassador encouraging girls in STEM. She recently directed the “Microplastics of the Alaskan Gulf” expedition aboard the R/V Falkor, investigating deep‑sea biodiversity and pollution 

Dr. Kevin M. Kocot is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama. Joining the department in Spring 2016, he earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Auburn University in 2013, followed by postdoctoral work at Auburn and the University of Queensland.

Dr. Kocot specializes in marine invertebrate systematics, phylogenomics, and biomineralization. His research employs genome-scale data to resolve deep evolutionary relationships, especially within molluscs and other Lophotrochozoa, and explores mechanisms of shell formation. He has contributed to landmark publications in Science, Nature, PNAS, and Genome Biology & Evolution

Dr. Fabrizio Frontalini is a micropaleontologist specializing in benthic foraminifera as bioindicators of pollution and climate change. He earned his Ph.D. in 2010 from the University of Urbino, where he currently holds a research grant in the Faculty of Science and Technology. His work spans environmental and fossil foraminifera, statistical applications in micropaleontology, and ecotoxicology. Dr. Frontalini is known internationally for his expertise in foraminiferal biomonitoring and has organized several national and international training courses. His work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the ENI Award’s “Debut in Research Prize” (2011). 

Prof. Dr. Sivasankaran Bijoy Nandan is Dean of the Faculty of Marine Sciences and Professor in the Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology & Biochemistry at CUSAT. 

His research spans marine ecology, aquatic pollution, polar biology, benthic and invertebrate zoology, climate science, and biogeochemistry. He received the ICAR Jawaharlal Nehru Award (1993), UNESCO Fellowship (2008), Fulbright Fellowship (2013‑14), UGC‑BSR Mid‑Career Award (2021), and recognition by the Zoological Society of India. Two marine species have been named for him: Xylophaga nandani and Aniptumnus bijoyi.