RICARDO SGRILLO is presently a scientist at Cocoa Research Center, Brazil  (www.cepec.gov.br) where he develops mathematical models for Agriculture  and natural systems. He has been collaborating with the IPPC/FAO (as a  consultant) in the development of international standards. He is an  Agronomist and has a Master's Degree in Nuclear Energy and a Doctor's in  Entomology from the University of Sao Paulo. From 1974 to 1994 he was a  scientist in different Brazilian organizations as the Center for Nuclear  Energy in Agriculture (CENA/USP), the National Research Center for  Temperate Agriculture (CNPFT/EMBRAPAl) and the Cocoa Research Center  (CEPEC/CEPLAC). He mostly worked in the development of mathematical models  for Agro-ecological systems. From 1994 to 2001 his activities were closely  related to phytosanity, as Technical Secretary of the Southern Cone Plant Protection Committee (COSAVE) and as Chief of the Division of  International Affairs of the Department of Plant Protection and  Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture, Brazil.  He has published more than  60 scientific paper and developed several scientific software.  Presently he also teaches graduated courses on environmental modeling at the State  University of Santa Cruz, UESC/Brazil.