A sustainable development and environmental scientist by training, Dr. Izursa’s primary teaching topics are the design and application of multi-trophic systems as an option for sustainable food production, international crop production, climate-smart agriculture, and the design and use of innovative social markets techniques as payment for ecosystem services. His research interest are energy and nutrient fluxes in integrated food production systems; water dynamics in sustainable food production; hydroponics, and aquaponics. He has completed a post-doctoral program with the University of Florida, focusing his research on quantifying energy balances of biofuel feedstock production systems and their effect on greenhouse gases production. Prior to that, Dr. Izursa worked in several national and international non-governmental organizations working in environmental and food security related issues. He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences; his M.Sc. in Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology from the University of Maryland; his M.Sc. in Higher Education from the University Amazónica of Pando and has won a number of honors and awards including the Fulbright and the Russell E. Train Education for Nature Fellowships.