Colin Janssen is a full professor at the University of Ghent, where he teaches and conducts research in the fields of ecotoxicology and applied marine ecology. He researches the ecological effects of marine pollution and the relationship between the sea and human health. Jan Mees is the General Director of the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) in Ostend. He is a professor of marine biology at the University of Ghent and publishes on marine ecology, biodiversity, and data systems.