Dr. Mendsaikhan Bud is a Senior Researcher and ichthyologist at the Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on freshwater fish ecology and monitoring, including the distribution and population dynamics of taimen and salmonid hatchery science. She earned a PhD in Fisheries Science from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences and received a bachelor’s degree at the Technical Institute of Fisheries, Kaliningrad, Russia. She has led and contributed to major projects, including work in Lake Hovsgol National Park and hatchery-focused initiatives, and serves as a leading scientist of the Joint Mongolian- Russian Complex Biological Expedition. She has delivered 50+ presentations at national and international conferences, authored or co-authored 16 books including Mongolian Red List of Fish, ‘Guide book to Mongolian fishes’, and published over 90 research articles, with 16 in peer-reviewed journals. She also holds five patents, standards, and technologies related to salmonid hatchery management.

Dr. Ui Wook Hwang is currently a full professor in Department of Advanced Bioconvergence at Kyungpook National University, Republic of Korea, where he also serves as the Director of the Institute for Phylogenomics and Evolution. Demonstrating his extensive leadership and commitment to the scientific community, he previously served as the President of the Korean Society of Systematic Zoology and is currently the President of the Malacological Society of Korea. He received his Ph.D. in Molecular Systematics from Seoul National University and further expanded his expertise as a visiting researcher at Harvard University and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. A major effort of his career has been devoted to animal systematics, molecular phylogenetics, and evolutionary biology. He has focused his research on uncovering the evolutionary relationships and biodiversity of aquatic invertebrates by integrating morphological characteristics with complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) analyses. In particular, his pioneering work has significantly contributed to redefining taxonomic classifications and discovering new species, leading to over 180 publications in prominent international journals, includingNature, and earning him a Commendation from the Minister of Environment for biodiversity conservation. For this ASH 2026 Conference, Dr. Hwang will present his topic on "Integrating Mitogenomic Approaches to Uncover the Phylogenetic Evolution and Hidden Biodiversity of Aquatic Invertebrates." His presentation will highlight how molecular genomic tools serve as a valuable method to understand the evolutionary adaptations of hydro-organisms in a changing world. 

Francis S. Magbanua, PhD, is a Professor and the Deputy Director for Research and Extension at the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman. As leader of the Wetland and linked Aquatic-Terrestrial Ecosystems Research (WATER) Lab, his work addresses the "shared challenges" of tropical aquatic ecosystems through freshwater ecology and biomonitoring. He earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and a Certificate in Sustainable Environmental Management from UC Berkeley. Dr. Magbanua’s research, including the development of the Philippine Biotic Index (PBI) and the Philippine Groundwater Health Index (PGHI), provides critical frameworks for climate change adaptation and the sustainable management of shared water resources. A recipient of the 2025-2027 One U.P. Professorial Chair Award, his work consistently bridges academic research with practical environmental resilience and policy in the Philippines.