Aurora Neagoe is a senior researcher and scientific coordinator of the Research Centre for Ecological Services (CESEC) which belongs to the University of Bucharest. She studied physical chemistry at the University of Bucharest and performed a PhD in natural sciences at Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena, Germany. The subject of her thesis was linked to the remediation of contaminated soils. Then, she worked for several years at University of Bucharest in FP5 and FP6 projects in the work packages dedicated to nitrogen and phosphorus biogeochemistry. After running as PI a project dedicated to heavy metals biogeochemistry in the Danube floodplain she obtained a postdoc. Fellowship in the phytoremediation field at Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena in the frame of a Marie-Curie project. In 2005 she obtained a Marie Curie reintegration grant and came back to the University of Bucharest to set up a bioremediation laboratory inside the Research Centre CESEC: She ran two other reintegration grants, NATO and CEEX II and, since 2007 she obtained as project director major grants with national funding dedicated to fundamental and applied biogeochemistry of metals. She also was the coordinator and responsible for Romania in a FP7 project. She recorded a Hirsch Index 13, total number of citation 408 according Web of Science (Aurora Daniela Neagoe (0000-0003-3930-7133) – ORCID) and Hirsch Index 16, total number of citations 742, according to Google Scholar https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aurora-Neagoe

Virgil Iordache is an Associate professor and a Senior researcher at the University of Bucharest, teaching several environmental management and sustainability science classes in the Department of Systems Ecology and Sustainability. He is also the director of the “Dan Manoleli” Research Centre for Ecological Services – CESEC of the University of Bucharest. His main research interests are in the biogeochemistry of heavy metals, sustainability science, and the philosophical foundations of socio-ecological research. He worked on the restoration of large rivers’ floodplains and the remediation of mining areas. More information is available at https://virgiliordache.com/

Florian Bodescu is a Senior researcher at the University of Bucharest. His main research interests are in the field of spatial analysis and modeling of environmental processes. He has expertise in the development of decision support systems for decision making (implementation of mapping and assessment of ecosystem and their services – MAES process in Romania trough Nature for decision making  – N4D project in Romanian Space Agency). He worked on the restoration of large rivers’ floodplains and the remediation of mining areas. More information is available at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Florian-Bodescu-2

Mihaela Urziceanu is an assistant professor at the University of Bucharest, where she teaches Plant Taxonomy and Phytosociology. Her research focuses on invasive plants, urban flora, and the impact of human activities on plant diversity. She is also involved in the exploration of algae biodiversity within herbarium collections.

Raluca Păunescu is a technician in the Research Centre for Ecological Services (CESEC), Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest. She studied at the Faculty of Horticulture, USAMV Bucharest, and currently is an MSc student of the Applied Geobiology Master at the Faculty of Geology, University of Bucharest. She worked until 202 in the laboratories of  Pharma-Serv International Bucharest, gaining very useful experience for its current involvement in field, experimental, and lab activities.