Prof. Pierre-Bruno
RUFFINI

Pierre-Bruno Ruffini has spent most of his academic career as an economist, with a marked orientation towards international economics. He served as a counselor for science and technology to the French embassies in Russia and Italy (2007-2013). Since returning to academia, he has devoted most of his research activity to the theme of science diplomacy. From 2018 to 2022, he served as an expert in the European research project ‘Inventing a Shared Science Diplomacy for Europe’ (InsSciDE-H2020). He recently co-edited a series of articles on “Science Diplomacy in the Global South” for the journal Science and Public Policy (2023).
Zehra Sayers is a biophysicist with her early career spent in laboratories in the UK, Sweden, and Germany. She is a founding faculty member of Sabanci University, Turkey, where she served as the Director of the Foundation Development Program and as the interim President. She is the ex-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the international synchrotron radiation facility, SESAME, in the Middle East. Her achievements were recognized with the Rammal Award (2017). In 2009, she was among the recipients of the AAAS Science Diplomacy Award and in the BBC list of 100 Women. She is a honorary member of the Science Academy, Turkey.
The North Atlantic Council (NAC) appointed Bryan Wells (UK) as NATO Chief Scientist from 1 July 2019. He serves as Chair of the NATO Science and Technology Board (STB) and as the senior scientific advisor to the NATO leadership. Before his appointment as Chief Scientist, Dr. Wells was the UK Ministry of Defence’s Head of S&T Policy, Strategic Research and International Engagement. Additionally, he has been Chair of the European Defence Agency’s Research & Technology Steering Board (2016-2018).