John Buckeridge is a professor at the School of Civil, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, Australia. He has been involved in university and professional leadership for more than 30 years. His experience has been diverse, ranging through biology, environmental ethics, geology and paleontology to geotechnical and civil engineering. His experience has grown from a life-long passion for paleobiology (especially in the systematic taxonomy, biogeography and evolution of living and fossil barnacles); in turn, this has led to insight into how human activity has impacted, and is likely to impact upon the biosphere. He has published more than 300 articles, reports and books in the above disciplines. John has also served as President, International Union of Biological Sciences (2007–09); President, ISZS (2004–08); Chair, IUBS Ethics Commission (2004–12) and President, Australasian Association of Paleontologists (2002–04). Currently, he is the Chair of two Australian fisheries management committees (2013 on); Honorary professor, Wismar University, Germany (2004 on); Honorary Member, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Biology) (2011 on); President Emeritus, ISZS and Honorary Editor-in-Chief, Integrative Zoology.