Dr Copeland is acting head of the icipe Biosystematics Unit, which provides taxonomic support across the Centre's themes, programmes and projects, as well as training in insect identification for graduate students. He also coordinates survey and inventory studies focusing on Kenyan Hymenoptera and Diptera.

He received his PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame, USA, and conducted post-doctoral training on the control of the Glossina tsetse species.

Dr Copeland has extensive experience in field studies, having also worked on Anopheles mosquitoes, taxonomy, ecology and host distribution of Tephritidae, and evaluation of natural enemies of Hydrilla verticillata.

He is author or co-author of over 70 peer-reviewed publications.