Although virtual events aren’t a perfect replacement for in-person engagement, they are still a useful way to share and communicate ideas. So, we are pleased to offer the IPRRG Webinar Series! The presentations, which cover an array of topics related to pest risk modelling and analysis, are first done via live webcast. The time slots for each webinar will vary to best accommodate the speakers. We use Zoom for the live webcasts. *Each webcast can be accessed at the scheduled time using the LIVE WEBCAST LINK below.* Anyone can access the webcast via this link (i.e., you don’t have to be an IPRRG member to attend the webinar).
Afterward, a recorded version of the webinar will be available indefinitely from the IPRRG YouTube channel. Links to each of the YouTube recordings are also provided in the table on the Previous Webinars page.
We are excited to provide this opportunity to the pest risk community! Please feel free to share the news (and the URL for this page) widely. Our goal is have a large audience for each of our presenters.
If you have any questions or are interested in presenting your own webinar, please contact Conor McGee, IPRRG Chair (conorfmcgee “AT” gmail.com).
Upcoming Webinars
22
April2026
The experience of EFSA on the identification of new plant health threats via commodity risk assessment: results from the first five years Monia Lombardo (Austrian Institute of Technology) and Ciro Gardi (EFSA)Monia Lombardo is a Research Engineer at the Austrian Institute of Technology (Austria), working at the interface of plant pathology, microbiome research, and regulatory science. Her work focuses on the development and assessment of microbial-based solutions for agriculture, integrating experimental and bioinformatic approaches to generate data aligned with regulatory requirements. Monia earned the 2024 Best PhD Thesis Award from the Italian Society of Plant Pathology for her PhD in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences from the University of Catania (Italy). Her academic and professional path has been enriched by several international experiences, including a one-year research stay at the University of Florida (USA), a three-month research period at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (Germany), and a one-year traineeship at the European Food Safety Authority (Italy). During her time at EFSA, she also contributed as an Individual Scientific Advisor, focusing on commodity risk assessment (CRA).
Ciro Gardi is a senior scientific officer in the Risk Assessment Team of the European Food Safety Authority’s PLANTS unit. He coordinates the High Risk Plants Working Groups activities in risk assessment on plant commodities. His previous EFSA work has included quantitative risk assessment of globally important pests such as Spodoptera frugiperda and on the Xylella fastidiosa host plant database. He is involved in several horizontal collaborations within EFSA, on aspects related to the use of plant protection products, and with other organizations active on plant health. Ciro previously worked at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission, where he was involved in all aspects of soil conservation and degradation, from research to policy advocacy and awareness raising. He has taught soil science at the University of Parma and in international masters and courses. His previous research activities concerned the relationships between land use, agronomic management and soil quality. Agronomist, soil scientist/ecologist, with a PhD in crop sciences and specialization in plant pathology, he has acquired over the years a deep knowledge of agricultural systems and the interactions between land management, soil quality, crops, vegetation and provision of ecosystem services. He has been a consultant and worked as an independent expert for the European Commission and the World Bank.
