Dr. Susan Gardner is a Mexican-American environmental scientist, known for her pioneering research on ecotoxicology and her critical contributions to the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Dr. Gardner has over two decades of experience in supporting countries in conserving and restoring their terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Prior to serving as the Director of UNEP’s Ecosystems Division, she was a senior official in the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of State, and she worked for the Mexican Federal Government as an environmental scientist at the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Washington and a Master’s of Science Degree in Toxicology from North Carolina State University. Her research has generated over 30 publications including a book and book chapters on topics related to ecology, toxicology, fisheries management and species conservation.