Gender: Man
Nationality: German
Academy Affiliation: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
Academy Country: South Africa
Field: Entomology, Chemical & Behavioural Ecology

NOMINATED FOR: Policy Advice Committee;
TERM: Candidate for re-election

DESCRIPTION OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE ACADEMY'S ACTIVITIES OR IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS:
Prof Christian Pirk's engagement with the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and international scientific affairs is extensive and impactful. As a Member of ASSAf, he served as the focal point for a crucial workshop on Neonicotinoids in 2018/2019 and over the past years he has served on ASSAf’s Membership Advisory Committee on numerous occasions. He is currently serving his second four-year term on the ASSAf Council and since October 2024 in the capacity of General Secretary. Beyond ASSAf, Prof Pirk actively participates in international collaborations and organizations. He is a member of the African Academy of Sciences, where he contributes to the Education and Gender subcommittee and the Membership Advisory subcommittee, extending his influence across the continent. His involvement with the International Society of Chemical Ecology, including organizing the 2021 annual meeting, and his role as an executive committee member of COLOSS, a global bee research network, highlight his leadership in international scientific communities. Furthermore, his participation in the South Africa-Sweden University Forum (SASUF) and his contributions to global projects, such as the one on the Small hive beetle funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, alongside collaborators from numerous countries, underscore his commitment to fostering international scientific cooperation.

EVIDENCE OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES IN AN IAP, NATIONAL ACADEMY OR OTHER SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION'S GOVERNING BODY:
Prof Pirk was Vice-President of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa from 2017 to 2021. He served on the Council of the International Society of Chemical Ecology and is currently serving his second four-year term on the ASSAf Council in the capacity of General Secretary. He is serving on the IAP Policy Advice Development and Programme Committee and the management commit-tee of COLOSS network of bee scientists.