Programme

The full programme for ECBB 2026 will be released nearer the time. In the meantime, you can find out more about our plenary speakers.

Jump to: Plenaries

As an indication of how the conference will proceed, we expect to open guest registration at 4.30pm on 1 September, with a wine reception to follow at 6.30pm.

Delegates will also be able to register from 8.30am on 2, 3, and 4 September, with a conference dinner planned for 6.15pm on 3 September, and closing remarks scheduled for 1pm on 4 September.

Prof Lauren Brent

Professor of Ethology,
University of Exeter

Lauren's research aims to understand the evolution of social connections and societies. Her research asks when and why this structure arises, sets out to quantify the consequences variation in social ties has for the health, aging and fitness of individuals, and attempts to determine the adaptive function of social ties.

Lauren uses data from group-living mammals, applies techniques from social network analysis, and takes advantage of natural experiments, including the aging process and major ecological disruptions. Together with colleagues, she has co-founded two big-team science initiatives: MacaqueNet and the Cayo Biobank Research Unit. Her group also created BISoN, a Bayesian framework and R package for social network analysis.

Prof Tim Caro

Professor
University of Bristol

Tim studies the evolution of coloration in mammals from several angles. He uses comparative methods to uncover the ecological drivers of camouflage, warning coloration, signalling and physiological factors in driving coat coloration in many mammalian orders.

With collaborators he models how contrasting fur coloration is viewed by predators and conspecifics. Building on a decade of research as to why zebras have stripes, he studies the mechanism by which tabanid flies avoid landing on striped horse coats in the field.

In Zanzibar, he carries out annual fieldwork studying colour polymorphisms and the population ecology of coconut crabs and Pemba flying foxes and advise the government on how to maintain these vulnerable species. He is involved in team-research on how community-based and government-led conservation schemes protect forest patches on Zanzibar.

Prof Mariella Herberstein

Head of Centre for Taxonomy & Morphology
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change

Mariella is interested in all aspects of spider behaviour – from mating behaviour and sexual cannibalism, to web-building, mimicry and deception. She also collaborates with students and post-docs in the behavioural ecology of various insects, including moths, bugs, damselflies, and praying mantids.

Some of the more recent projects that she has been involved in include the evolution of imperfect mimicry in ant-mimicking spiders, warning signals in moths and butterflies.

Prof Andrew Radford

Professor of Behavioural Ecology
University of Bristol

Andy has two main research interests. One is the conflicts and collaborations that arise within and between groups, and how vocal communication is used to mediate these social interactions. Andy’s second line of research, which will be the focus of his talk, concerns the impact and mitigation of human activities on wildlife.

A particular focus has been noise pollution, initially documenting effects on the behaviour, physiology, development and fitness of a variety of terrestrial and marine species, but increasingly testing potential management solutions. That work now includes coral reef restoration more broadly, especially the role that sound can play.

Beyond research, Andy is an award-winning lecturer and supervisor, and is passionate about public engagement, running various school events and being involved in numerous radio and TV programmes as he looks to inspire wide audiences about the beauty and value of the natural world. Most recently, he was presented with a Nature Award for Mentoring in Science 2025, presented by the science journal Nature.

Dr Bibiana Rojas

Associate Professor
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

Bibiana's group addresses questions lying at the interface between behavioural, evolutionary, sensory and, more recently, disease ecology. They are particularly interested in predator-prey interactions, parental care behaviour, and life history trade-offs, and how these are impacted by global change. They study these topics mostly in amphibians, which are known to be reliable indicators of ecosystem health, and the most endangered vertebrate taxon due to anthropogenic activities.

Currently, with a large network of collaborators across multiple fields, their main projects focus on the evolutionary ecology of phytotelm breeders, the dynamics of disease transmission in the wild, the effects of mercury contamination on life history and behaviour, and the evolution of warning signals and chemical defences in poison frogs and fire salamanders in relation to habitat alteration and climate change. They are fond of interdisciplinary studies, and carry out their research both in the laboratory and in the field, always grounded on their study systems’ natural history.

Dr Christopher Schell

Assistant Professor
University of California, Berkeley

Christopher is an urban ecologist, professor, Afrofuturist, father, and writer. Research in the Schell Lab combines animal behaviour, physiology, urban biodiversity conservation, environmental justice, and One Health to investigate how carnivores – namely coyotes, foxes, and raccoons – adapt to life in cities.

In addition, Schell’s lab integrates critical discourses on how structural oppression (e.g., redlining, pollution burden, and socioeconomic disparities) directly shape the very urban features associated with human-wildlife interactions, conflict, and adaptation. This transdisciplinary work aims to disentangle how environmental injustices have structured our urban ecosystems and how we can harness those lessons to build more just, biodiverse, and resilient cities.