Human and planetary health are linked to biodiversity in ways that are not always clear or appreciated by the public. Even as more species are disappearing in the wild and becoming threatened with extinction, others are being introduced to new environments. This raises questions of how such environmental changes will impact our every day life.

Cassandra Quave and Thomas Gillespie will each chair a session of this symposium, which gathers outstanding French and American researchers, such as Bruno David, Ph.D. Director Natural Substances, R&D Sourcing & Botany at Pierre Fabre Research Institute and Serge Morand, Ph.D. Research Director at the CIRAD. Each talk is organised in four interactive sessions with a discussion between a French and an American speaker on diverse issues linked to the topic of biodiversity. These discussions are followed up by interactive Q&A sessions that provide an opportunity to engage with faculty as they share their perspectives and personal experiences. This conference also offers opportunities for networking and collaboration.

This event is co-organized by the Office for Science and Technology of the Embassy of France in the United States and Emory University.