Two of Embrapa's researchers who are members of the British Society for Plant Pathology – BSPP are the only Brazilians to be part of a celebration of the institution's 40th anniversary, which gathers members from 51 countries. Francisco Ferraz Laranjeira and Juliana Freitas-Astúa, researchers at Embrapa Cassava and Fruits, were selected for the campaign 40 Faces of Plant Pathology, which offers profile pages for each participant, with information about their personal and professional trajectory, what plant pathology challenges they would most like to see solved, and what plant pathology challenges they would most like to see solved. BSPP organizes regular scientific meetings, edits three international pathology journals — including Plant Pathology, one of the most reputed ones in the world —, and make funds available to members for both travel expenses and short term undergraduate and masters level studentships. Both researchers have a close relationship with British peers: Laranjeira was a postdoctoral scholar in Biomathematics at the University of Cambridge and a visiting researcher at Rothamsted Research, while Juliana is an associate editor of the journal Plant Pathology and co-chairs the Rhabdoviridae study group at the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses – ICTV. “Knowledge exchange will always be the foundation to strengthen science. Participating in an international scientific society further consolidates that foundation. BSPP's '40 Faces' initiative shows the scientist behind the papers, which makes the whole process slightly more approachable. I enjoyed my participation and am happy to be one of the chosen ones”, Francisco Laranjeira reports. Check some of the answers from the profiles of the researchers for "40 Faces of Plant Pathology" campaign below: Francisco Laranjeira, researcher and deputy head of Research, Development & Innovation at Embrapa Cassava and Fruits: - If you could solve one problem in plant pathology, what would it be? Citrus Huanglongbing. It is the most important citrus disease in the world, a veritable pandemic. Despite many advances in recent years about its epidemiology, it is still needs more sustainable management solutions. Nowadays, its control requires as much as 40 insecticide spraying a year to control its vector. - If you could solve one issue relating to inclusivity and diversity within the field of plant pathology what would it be? Gender inequality. I am not sure whether it is an issue for all BSPP members, but in developing countries it certainly is. Despite most of our graduates being women, that fact is not yet reflected in panel’s composition, societies’ boards nor R&D directorships. - If you weren’t a plant pathologist, what would you be? I most certainly would be involved in some aspect of Science. I’m an amateur cave explorer and scuba diver, so I’d probably would be doing that professionally. The full interview is available on https://www.bspp.org.uk/francisco-laranjeira-is-one-of-our-40-faces-of-plant-pathology/ Juliana Astúa, researcher at Embrapa Cassava and Fruits and president of the Brazilian Society of Plant Pathology (SBF): - If you could solve one problem in plant pathology, what would it be? That’s a tough question, with so many important diseases out there! But I would be delighted if the citrus growers did not have to struggle with leprosis anymore. This would represent not only grater profits for them, but also less pesticides to the environment and even to our daily sweet orange juice! - If you could solve one issue relating to inclusivity and diversity within the field of plant pathology what would it be? Throughout my formal education, I interacted with many female fellow students, but very few female professors and even fewer female administrators. In the last 20 years, since I finished my PhD, I see a clear movement towards gender equity and I now interact with many more females in those positions, which makes me happy and hopeful for the future. However, as a researcher who teaches courses to graduate students, I don’t see the same happening with minorities and people with disabilities over time. Therefore, I would certainly like to address this issue and encourage students from different backgrounds and facing different disabilities to get acquainted and pursue their studies in plant pathology. But if I have to pick one particular issue, it would be making people with disability feel welcome in the field! - If you weren’t a plant pathologist, what would you be? I would be an entomologist or acarologist. I loved those areas during college, and I work with the interface between entomology/acarology and plant pathology, since one of my research focuses is viral transmission by vectors. Most certainly, if I were an entomologist, I would work with arthropods as pathogen vectors anyway. The full interview is available on https://www.bspp.org.uk/juliana-freitas-astua-is-one-of-our-40-faces-of-plant-pathology/