Michael is Lead Scientist for Earth Fire Alliance, a global coalition delivering high-fidelity wildfire data and building a research-to-operations framework. He spent nearly a decade in academia developing remote sensing and ecosystem science programs, worked at NASA translating Earth observation data into actionable fire management support, and began his career as a wildland firefighter and state resource manager. This combination of research rigor, operational experience, and field-based perspective shapes his approach to closing the gap between detection and action in wildfire management.

Franco Rodríguez Viau is a technology entrepreneur and founder of Satellites on Fire.Their AI-powered wildfire intelligence platform detects, monitors and helps prevent wildfires in real time. The product combines satellite imagery, ground-based optical, thermal camera signals and meteorological data to deliver early ignition alerts to governments, forestry companies, insurers and utilities.

He started his path at 16, after watching wildfires devastate family homes and ecosystems in Argentina. In 2025 alone, they helped coordinate response to over 600 fire incidents and operate in 21 countries across 5 continents.

Dr. Haris Piplas is an urban systems strategist working at the intersection of climate adaptation, infrastructure integration and large-scale city transformation processes. His work focuses on bridging strategic urban vision with implementation capacity in complex governance environments.

His work spans metropolitan development in Zurich, climate adaptation strategies for Mannheim, smart city and innovation frameworks for Jakarta, urban reconstruction in Ukraine, spatial planning in Basel, neighbourhood transformation in Berlin, urban regeneration project for European cities (Barcelona, Milano, Stockholm, The Hague, Warsaw, Thessaloniki etc.) sustainable urban development programs across six Indian cities, and complex regeneration initiatives in Southeast Europe, among others.

He serves as Director of Integrated Urban Solutions at Drees & Sommer, leading interdisciplinary teams across architecture, planning, energy, mobility, real estate economics and public space in complex transformation environments.

Dr. Piplas is BSLA delegate to IFLA Europe and IFLA World and serves on multiple international advisory and juror boards including ULI NEXT Europe, the New European Bauhaus and the ULI European Leadership Award. He has acted as consultant and adviser to institutions such as UN-Habitat, IPCC, IPBES, World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos Baukultur Alliance and GIZ.

He holds a Dr.sc. from ETH Zurich, where he lectures in Spatial Transformations, and contributes to Smart City Solutions Master Program at Stuttgart Technical University. Formerly, he was employed guest expert and lecturer at Technical University of Munich, Die Angewandte Vienna and University of Geneva.

As EDF’s first New York director, Andy had led roles in many of the city’s most innovative environmental solutions, from its first sustainability plan, to waterfront transformation, clean-energy innovation, congestion pricing and electric vehicles. He helped build EDF’s international presence, with initiatives that bring together private investment and public policy. With partners in the private sector, government and philanthropy, he now works globally on practical solutions for people and the planet.