Liz’s general research interests are in using molecular genetic data to address issues in evolutionary biology for biodiversity conservation and management of threatened and endangered species. She has been involved in conservation genetics research across terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems, including threatened vertebrate and invertebrate species, and terrestrial and marine plants. She has gained a unique perspective in understanding patterns of genetic diversity and the importance of conserving diversity across connected ecosystems. Her current research focuses on spatial patterns of genetic diversity and climate change stressors in temperate Australian seagrasses. She takes a multidisciplinary approach to interpret genetic data, which then contributes to the development of benthic biodiversity conservation planning and restoration.

Maurizio heads the Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney. Our main focus is in integrating genetic and genomic data with environmental, distributional and functional data across multiple species to understand landscape-level processes and support biodiversity management strategies (from restoration practices to threatened species conservation).

Dr Rebecca Jordan is a conservation geneticist and Research Scientist with CSIRO. She is fascinated about the differences and drivers of genetic variation across the landscape and what this means for the adaptability of plants to environmental change. Her research aims to support conservation decision-making in a rapidly changing world.

Melinda Coleman is a Senior Principal Research Scientist with NSW Fisheries and Adjunct Professor at Southern Cross University and the University of Western Australia. She has previously been an Australian Research Council Fellow and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Maine, USA. She is currently co-editor of the Journal of Phycology. Melinda leads a team of postdocs and students across government and university sectors to inform proactive marine management that anticipates and prepares for climate change. By melding ecology with genomics her team is providing new solutions for conserving and managing kelp forests in a future of increasing change. As a founding member of the Green Gravel action group and the award-winning Operation Crayweed team, Melinda is actively restoring lost kelp forests around Australia with the aim of boosting resilience to future climate change.

Natalie Coy is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Marine Science and Innovation at UNSW Sydney. Her research focuses on restoring and future-proofing Posidonia australis, an endangered seagrass found along Australia’s temperate coast, by investigating the role of genetics, microbial communities, and reproductive dynamics. She recently launched Seeds of the Sea, a citizen science initiative tracking flowering and fruiting events across NSW estuaries to support seed-based restoration. Her work is supported by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, the Wettenhall Environmental Trust, and the Australian Research Council Linkage Program. Natalie has a background in marine biology, forestry, and fire ecology, with previous experience in invasive species management, field ecology, and environmental education. She is passionate about applied science and collaborative approaches that support both biodiversity conservation and long-term ecosystem resilience.

Dr Annika Lamb is a postdoctoral researcher at the Australian Institute of Marine Science with a background in conservation genetics that primarily focuses on coral reef research and conservation. Annika is excited by collaborative and innovative scientific endeavours and motivated to do science with an impact.

Dr. Kevin Bairos-Novak is an evolutionary modeller at the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, interested in assisted evolution interventions for improving coral resilience to climate change. Kevin is passionate about open science initiatives and is a committee member with the Society for Open, Reliable, and Transparent Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (SORTEE).

Carys is a PhD candidate at Macquarie University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, with a background in coral reef research and restoration. Passionate about coral conservation through multidisciplinary approaches, her research focuses on using genomic and bioinformatic tools to understand links between resilience and the genetics of both corals and their symbionts across different reef environments.