Mr. Tuhumwire a Ugandan geologist and graduate of Makerere University, Uganda, and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. He joined Uganda’s civil service as a junior geologist at the Department of Geological Survey and Mines in 1980. He spent the next 30 years at the same institution until my retirement in 2010. Mr. Tuhumwire undertook various geological mapping and mineral exploration work at the start of his career. Later, he joined the senior management, planning and supervising projects, eventually heading the institution for ten years. He had a stint consulting in mineral exploration and serving the corporate world in Uganda’s nascent oil and gas sector. From 2007 to 2020, Mr. Tuhumwire was involved in the United Nations World Ocean Assessments (WOA), initially in the assessment of assessments and later in the WOAI and WOAII as a member of the group of experts. He has been a member of the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority since 2017.

Dr. Pedro Madureira is an associate professor at the University of Évora, Portugal. He is the deputy head of the Task Group for the Extension of the Portuguese Continental Shelf and the scientific and technical coordinator of the Continental Shelf Project. Dr. Madureira was the principal investigator of several oceanographic campaigns in the North Atlantic throughout his career. From 2012 to 2022, Dr. Madureira served as a member of the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority. His main academic interests include the evolution of volcanic islands, the formation and distribution of deep-sea mineral resources, the marine environment and deep-seabed exploration.

Dr. Rahul Sharma is a former chief scientist of the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India. With an experience of almost 40 years in the field of exploration and exploitation of deep-sea minerals, he is currently a freelance consultant in deep-sea mining. His academic oeuvre includes more than 65 papers and articles in international scientific journals and books, including the Oxford Encyclopedia, presenting papers at about 60 conferences around the world and serving as an editor for three special issues of international journals and three books on deep-sea mining by Springer. Dr. Sharma’s professional assignments include engagements as a visiting scientist to Japan, a visiting professor to Saudi Arabia, a member of the UNIDO mission to assess the status of deep-sea mining technologies in Europe, the USA and Japan, and a consultant to the International Seabed Authority, Jamaica. In addition to his research career, he has been involved with several activities relating to science communication and outreach and training programmes for international participants, professionals and students.

Dr. Marzia Rovere has a PhD in earth sciences and works as a researcher in marine geology at the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council of Italy. Her scientific research deals with the seafloor and sub-seafloor mapping topics, including submarine landslides and their potential to trigger tsunamis, sediment transport in coastal and slope areas, fluid flow along faults, including the threat they pose to offshore installations. Her interests also focus on marine georesources, including aggregates on continental shelves, cold seeps and hydrothermal habitats. Dr. Rovere participates in several EU projects, including EMODnet Bathymetry, where she coordinates the Central Mediterranean DTM contribution. She is a vice chair of the joint IOC-IHO GEBCO Guiding Committee and served as a member of the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority in 2015-2016. Dr. Rovere was a chief scientist on dozens of oceanographic cruises in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean.

François Charlet, currently exploration manager at Global Sea Mineral Resources NV, oversees the offshore campaigns related to resource definition and environmental baseline studies. After studying marine geology and sedimentology in France where he obtained his master’s degree from the University of Lille I, Mr. Charlet began his professional career in Belgium, as a research assistant at the Renard Center of Marine Geology, Ghent University. In 2005, he joined the DEME-Group as a marine geologist, and worked mainly on soil investigations worldwide, as part of foreign dredging and environmental projects. In 2013, he joined Global Sea Mineral Resources NV as an exploration manager to lead exploration and research expeditions at sea. Up to now, he has led and participated in eight offshore campaigns in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, Pacific Ocean, and Cook Islands, EEZ.

Dr. Ann Vanreusel studied biology at Hasselt University and completed her licentiate studies at the University of Ghent, Belgium. She joined the research group in marine biology and started a PhD on the ecology of meiofauna in coastal environments. As a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Ghent, she focused on deep-sea research, especially in the context of various European projects. Dr. Vanreusel has more than 250 scientific publications in this field and was a principal scientist during various research campaigns on the European margins, from Portugal to Ireland. Dr. Vanreusel is a full professor at the University of Ghent, where she teaches and co-organizes the inter-university course in marine and lacustrine sciences and management. She supervised more than 20 PhD students in her career.

Dr. Annemiek Vink is a marine geobiologist working as a manager of a project to explore polymetallic nodules in the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources contract area in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Her focus is on collecting adequate environmental baseline data and analyzing the potential impacts of nodule exploitation on faunal communities and ecosystems (e.g., due to nodule removal, sediment plume dispersion and settling). Dr. Vink has participated in several research and exploration cruises into the Clarion-Clipperton Zone since 2013. One of the major aims of the project is to work closely with renowned scientific institutions in Germany and abroad to guarantee professional, scientific input to the exploration project and to provide sampling and data-sharing opportunities to the stakeholder community. This creates effective synergies and focused outputs that are valuable from a science perspective and would also help inform policy and the development of robust regulations related to deep-sea mining and environmental management.

Mpho Lydia Sehlabo has a multidisciplinary educational background, which includes a BSc in Marine Biology and Ocean and Atmosphere Science from the University of Cape Town. Mpho demonstrates a passion for oceanography and environmental research. She has served in various leadership roles throughout her academic journey and has shown entrepreneurial acumen. Mpho’s employment history includes various roles at the University of Cape Town. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Mpho enjoys poetry, literature, and volunteering at non-profit organisations. Mpho is the Founder and CEO of the Mpho Sehlabo Foundation donating essentials to students experience funding crises.

Oluyemisi Oluwadare is a Geochemist and Economic Geologist with over 20 years of experience in research and fieldwork. Currently serving as Assistant Director at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency in FCT, Abuja, Oluyemisi specializes in identifying deposits in construction materials and assessing their suitability for various applications such as concrete aggregates. She is adept at interpreting research data, preparing geological reports, maps, and diagrams, and developing operational methods related to geology, geochemistry, and mineral exploration. Her role also involves coordinating fieldwork activities. Oluyemisi holds a Master of Science (Hons) in Mineral Exploration and Mining Geology from the University of Jos, where she is currently pursuing her postgraduate diploma in Mineral Exploration. She also earned a postgraduate diploma in Mineral Exploration from the Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences in affiliation with the University of Jos.

Rose Godfrey Mika, a Tanzanian national, holds a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in Environmental Science and Management from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). Rose has pursued professional development as an Environmental Scientist at The Mining Commission, a Permaculture Officer at TanzaniteOne Mining Ltd, and as an Environmental Officer at SHEQ Consult Ltd and Bulyanhulu Gold Mine. Through her participation in the mentorship program, Rose seeks to deepen her expertise in deep-sea-related science and contribute meaningfully to her field.

Lucy Njue is a geoscientist with over 16 years of expertise in the geothermal and mining industries. She holds an honours degree from the University of Nairobi and has contributed to regional geothermal training and consultancies. Lucy is proficient in field and borehole geology. As a Senior Geologist at the Geothermal Development Company since 2009, Lucy has played a key role in the Menengai geothermal project, leading the geology section and contributing to strategic development initiatives. Lucy’s consultancy work extends to Tanzania and Rwanda, where she has led geological assessments and well-targeting efforts in the Menengai geothermal field. She has chaired the GDC Technical Exchange Forum and served as Treasurer of the Geology Society of Kenya, demonstrating her leadership in the geosciences community. Lucy has previously served on various committees at GDC, advocating for gender mainstreaming and disability inclusion.

Randa Mejri is an Assistant Professor in marine biology and animal biology at the University of Sfax in Tunisia with extensive experience in marine biology, functional ecology, biogeography, and sustainable development. Randa’s educational background includes a PhD thesis on the checklist of Gobiidae fish species and the morphometric and genetic characterization of Mediterranean populations. She also holds a Master’s degree focusing on biodiversity and the evolution of coastal ecosystems and a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. Throughout her career, Randa has contributed significantly to scientific research, publishing numerous papers on marine biodiversity, genetic architecture, and coastal dynamics. dditionally, she is involved in various associations and networks, including the Tunisian Association of Doctors and PhD Students in Sciences and the African Network of Deep-Water Researchers.

Ijeoma Eunice Orji has a diverse background in naval operations, geology, and hydrography. She has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Geology and Exploration Geophysics from Ebonyi State University in 2016 and has completed the Basic Training Course at the Nigerian Naval College. Her sea experience includes serving as a watchkeeping officer aboard Nigerian Navy ships, where she was responsible for navigation and watchkeeping duties. Transitioning to shore-based roles, Orji has worked at the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office since December 2022 as a Staff Officer III Survey Operation/Maritime Safety Information (MSI) Officer. In this capacity, she manages survey data, oversees data processing and quality control, drafts notices to mariners, and prepares survey reports. Beyond her professional pursuits, Orji engages in extracurricular activities such as reading, travelling, cooking, and music.