Welcome Prof Benoit Guénard!

In late August 2026, the TEE Lab was honoured to host Associate Professor Benoit Guénard for a very fruitful visit. Benoit is an Associate Professor in The University of Hong Kong and the founding director of the Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum. He also founded the impressive Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics (GABI) Project, which has led to multiple high-impact publications that exemplify the importance of having baseline taxonomy and natural history data to advance biodiversity research.

Prof Benoit at NTU ASE. Photos 2026 Xin Rui.

During his time here, we were treated to a series of insightful presentations from Benoit, including an in-depth sharing on the GABI Project and a well-received seminar on the importance of insects in global conservation trends and priorities.

Presentations on GABI and the importance of insects. Photos 2026 Xin Rui.

We also had engaging discussions with our colleagues at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM). During a lunchtime sharing, Benoit presented on the changing trends of global ant discovery, highlighting changes in discovery rates and the importance of training local taxonomists to fuel new species descriptions.

Lunchtime sharing by Benoit and Eleanor at LKCNHM. Photos 2026 Xin Rui.

TEE Lab's Associate Professor Eleanor Slade shared exciting details of the AMBER project, stressing the need for comprehensive reference libraries for accurate species detection and recognition. Our close collaborator and museum curator, Dr Wendy Wang, also gave an insightful tour of the museum's collections and gallery.

Discussions at NTU ASE, LKCNHM and visiting the museum collections with Dr Wendy Wang. Photos 2026 Wendy Zhang & Xin Rui.

We had a wonderful time with Benoit during his visit and look forward to the many exciting collaborations ahead!

Enjoying SG's local cuisine at Chinatown Hawker Centre. Photo 2026 Xin Rui.