Kiole Imale is from Maprik Kuminibis Village, East Sepik Province, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Tropical Agriculture from the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment, graduating in 2020. He began his professional career as a Smallholder Agricultural Advisory Officer with Hargy Oil Palm Limited before joining the New Guinea Binatang Research Centre (NGBRC) to lead a project on Climate Smart Agriculture under the EU-STREIT Programme in Sepik. Over four years with NGBRC, he gained extensive experience in project management, stakeholder engagement, and scientific research approaches.

Kiole was awarded an EU-FCCB Scholarship in 2025 and is registered as an MPhil candidate at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology in the School of Agriculture. His research interests lie in invasion biology and agroecology.

His research, “How Alien Plants Establish Themselves in the Ecological Succession of Tropical Rainforests: An Experimental Test in New Guinea,” examines the functional traits of alien (non-native) plant species and the mechanisms through which they invade tropical rainforests during secondary succession. Experimental gardens have been established at Ohu Village, Madang Province, approximately 12 km from Madang town. The study is among the first comprehensive experimental investigations of alien plant invasion in tropical rainforests, encompassing both native plant competition and insect interactions. It contributes to ecological theory, practical conservation strategies, and collaborative partnerships with local landowners in one of the world’s largest remaining tropical rainforest regions.