MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Ecosystem and Resource Management | Healthy Biosphere, Healthy Humans Session 1
the chair
MDPI's Journal Cluster of Ecosystem and Resource Management
Healthy Biosphere, Healthy Humans Session 1
We benefit from nature through the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the clothes we wear, as well as a whole host of other indirect benefits we derive from other species that are also dependent on and supported by nature.
Scientists and practitioners throughout the world are developing methods and tools to determine the value of such benefits and their loss due to the adverse impacts of complex environmental issues such as extreme weather conditions and climate change, loss of biodiversity, and environmental pollution. The intent is to quantitatively determine the value of such benefits and services and the cost of their loss, as Natural Capital. The result is a new concept of inclusive health and wealth which accounts for the value of nature, its services and benefits.
Date: 17 November 2026
Time: 3:00 pm CET | 9:00 am EST
Webinar ID: 876 8541 4726
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Meet Our Chair
iCREST Environmental Education Foundation, USA;Dr. Asrar is currently serving as Executive Chairman of the iCREST Foundation, an organization dedicated to enabling and empowering youth to become stewards and ambassadors for environmental resilience and sustainability. He has more than forty years of experience and held key positions in the U.S. government, international organizations, and academia. From 2019 to 2022, he served as Senior Vice President for Science at the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), where he provided leadership and strategic direction for science and education programs focused on research in Earth and space sciences, education and workforce development. Between 2013 and 2019, he was the Director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, located at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, U.S. Prior to this role, he was Director of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) from 2008 to 2013, in Geneva, Switzerland. He served as Deputy Administrator for Natural Resources and Agricultural Systems with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2006 to 2008. Earlier in his career, from 1987 to 2005, Dr. Asrar held several key positions at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Meet Our Speakers
Prof. Dr. Panayotis Dimopoulos
Department of Biology, University of Patras, Greece;Prof. Dimopoulos is a distinguished Professor of Botany and Ecology at the University of Patras in Greece. He joined the university as a faculty member in 2000 and was appointed to the full Professorship in 2009, transitioning to the Department of Biology in 2016 after his tenure with the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management. Beyond his academic work, Prof. Dimopoulos holds several prominent leadership roles in research and national conservation. He currently serves as Vice Rector for Research and Development at the University of Patras, where he chairs both the University Research Center and the Special Account for Research Grants. He also serves as Chair of the National Natura 2000 Committee, playing a central role in shaping Greece’s conservation policies and biodiversity strategies. His research, spanning over three decades, centers on biodiversity and community analysis, the monitoring and mapping of habitats and ecosystems, and the assessment of ecosystem conditions and services. He is a leading voice in vegetation ecology, flora database development, and the implementation of national conservation action plans.
Prof. Dr. Xuecao Li
School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, China ;Xuecao Li is a Professor at Sun Yat-sen University and a Humboldt Research Fellow. He specializes in global urbanization remote sensing, land use cover/change modeling, and sustainable evaluation. He has authored over 150 SCI papers, with over 19,000 citations (H-index: 65) and more than 20 ESI high-citation/hot papers. Recognized as a Clarivate "Global Highly Cited Scientist" (2023-2025), he currently serves as an Associate Editor for Applied Geography and Topic Editor of Earth System Science Data.
| Speaker/Presentation | Time in CET | Time in EST |
| Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar Webinar Introduction |
3:00 - 3:10 pm | 9:00 - 9:10 am |
| Prof. Dr. Panayotis Dimopoulos Climate Change, Health of Ecosystems and of People |
3:10 - 3:30 pm | 9:10 - 9:30 am |
| Prof. Dr. Xuecao Li Global Urbanization Monitoring with Long-Term Satellite Observations |
3:30 - 3:50 pm | 9:30 - 9:50 pm |
| Q&A | 3:50 - 3:55 pm | 9:50 - 9:55 pm |
| Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar Closing of Webinar |
3:55 - 4:00 pm | 9:55 - 10:00 am |
This is a FREE webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the live webinar.
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Register for free here!
"Healthy Urban Ecosystems for Healthy People: Challenges, Observations, and Smart Solutions"
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Xuecao Li
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026
"Forest and Human Well Being"
Guest Editor: Dr. Geonwoo Kim
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2027
"Ecological Functions Urban Green Spaces - 2nd Edition"
Guest Editors: Dr. Zhipeng Zhu, Prof. Dr. Jianwen Dong, Dr. Jinda Qi, Dr. Xiong Yao, Dr. Weicong Fu
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2027
