Leal, a leading global scientist and inventor in the field of insect olfaction and communication, is known for his impact in the fields of molecular, cellular biology and entomology.A member of RES since 2008, he was named a Fellow of RES in 2009 and Honorary Fellow in 2015.
The organization, founded in 1833 in London, is devoted to the understanding and development of insect science, and supporting international collaboration, research and publication. It aims “to show every person how remarkable and valuable insects are,” RES officials said.
Leal said he plans to “hone in on new ways to develop and promote diversity and inclusivity,” and “to see our global entomological community bud, bloom and flourish.”
Leal, who joined the UC Davis entomology faculty in 2000, chaired the UC Davis Department of Entomology in 2006-2008 before accepting a position in 2013 as professor of biochemistry in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. He chairs the Council of the International Congresses of Entomology, the body that ensures the continuity of the international congresses of entomology, succeeding May Berenbaum of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“As a citizen of the world--born in Brazil, educated in Brazil and Japan, and honored as a Distinguished Professor with the University of California, Davis---I am eager to be serve as a trustee of the Royal Entomological Society and be part of the RES strategic plan to (1) move insect science forward internationally, (2) empower the global entomological community, and (3) to promote diversity and inclusivity,” Leal said.
His peers praise him for his contributions to insect science, including his teachings (he has taught insect physiology for almost 15 years); his internationally recognized research for his pioneering and innovative work in insect olfaction and communication; his publication record; his global entomological leadership; his administrative positions; and his commitment to serving humanity and engaging with scientists from all over the world.
Leal, named a UC Davis Distinguished Professor in 2016, co-chaired the 2016 International Congress of Entomology in Orlando, Fla., one of entomology's most prominent events (6,682 registrants from 102 countries).
He is a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America (2009), American Association for the Advancement of Science (2005), and the National Academy of Inventors (2019). He served as president of the International Society of Chemical Ecology, among other leadership activities.
During the COVID pandemic, Leal brought together the entomological and chemical ecology communities through various creative activities, including inventing and organizing a symposium, “Insect Olfaction and Taste in 24 Hours Around the Globe,” drawing thousands of participants from nearly 60 countries. He provided a platform for young scholars to highlight their recent work and interact with well-established scholars in the field.
Leal received his Ph.D. in applied biochemistry from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, with subsequent postdoctoral training in entomology and chemical ecology at the National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Science and Cornell University, respectively. He was the first non-Japanese person to earn tenure at Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
UC Davis and RES are closely connected. Peter Cranston, emeritus professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, became an Honorary Fellow of RES in 2010. Among the RES Fellows are emeriti professors Frank Zalom (a past president of the Entomological Society of America) and Phil Ward, both of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and Art Shapiro, emeritus professor, Department of Evolution and Ecology.
As of October 2018, there are approximately 1,689 living Fellows, Foreign and Honorary Members, of whom 85 are Nobel Laureates, according to Wikipedia. Among the notables are Sir David Attenborough, Honorary Fellow; and Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein, Fellows. RES Fellowship has been described by The Guardian as "the equivalent of a lifetime achievement Oscar."