Robert Owen has been a beekeeper for over 20 years. He completed his PhD on Varroa in 2022. Robert has advised beekeepers in Nigeria, Benin, Lebanon, Nepal, and Bangladesh for USAID. He authored The Australian Beekeeping Manual and regularly contributes to specialist beekeeping magazines. Robert has extensive first-hand knowledge of honey bee pathogens from many countries. Jean-Pierre Scheerlinck is an Honorary Professor in Animal Biotechnology at the University of Melbourne, where he taught for many years in subjects such as Animal Disease Biosecurity, and Insect Shaping Society. Jean-Pierre is passionate about biosecurity, bee genetics, and invading bee pests. An avid beekeeper, he established the University of Melbourne bee club and has developed and taught beekeeping courses for both beginners and advanced beekeepers.

Mark Stevenson is a veterinary epidemiologist with expertise in the area of infectious disease epidemiology, spatial epidemiology, and simulation modelling of infectious disease spread. Mark deals with infectious and non-infectious disease threats in a range of species including companion animals, cattle, sheep and poultry, horses, and honey bees. He has a particular interest in how lessons learned from controlling disease in one species might be used to improve disease control efforts for others.