Clara Borrel, MSc, is a PhD student at Deakin University (Victoria, Australia), where she investigates the breeding behaviours of the Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus), with a focus on the coordination of parental activities. She holds a Master’s degree in Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution with a specialisation in Functional, Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology from Université de Rennes, France, as well as an Agricultural Engineering degree from l'Institut Agro, France. Clara’s research interests lie in bird ecology, behavioural ecology, cooperative behaviours, and evolutionary biology, with a strong emphasis on field-based approaches. During her Master’s studies, she worked with the POLar Ecology Group at the University of Gdańsk, Poland, conducting behavioural research on the Little Auk (Alle alle), including the use of GLS-based tracking methods to monitor parental care. Her PhD project builds on this experience, examining how avian parents coordinate their efforts to raise offspring. For her PhD research, Clara has received several grants and awards, including support from the Geelong Field Naturalists Club – Environment Fund, BirdLife Australia’s Stuart Leslie Bird Research Award, the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, and a Highly Commended Award from the Ecological Society of Australia.

Mike works with lizards of the Egernia group and is the current custodian of one of the longest running lizard/tick surveys in the world (continious since 1982). He also is the chair of the pygmy bluetongue lizard recovery team and has active research on translocations and environmental impacts on this engangered species.

I am a behavioural ecologist with expertise in animal behaviour, conservation, and bioacoustics, with a strong focus on mechanistic approaches. My research has two major themes: My first research focus investigates the extent to which prenatal experiences affect the development of postnatal cognition, behaviours and fitness. My second research focus identifies ecological and behavioural processes that influence population dynamics and animal response to environmental and human-induced changes.

Jasmin Annett is a PhD candidate for the University of the Sunshine Coast, Biomechanics and Biorobotics lab lead by Associate Professor Christofer Clemente. Jasmin specialises in quantitative movement and behavioural ecology, and has published work on the behavioural differences of Mahogany Gliders and Brushtail Possums using accelerometers and AI. She is passionate about utilising new forms of technology to broaden our understanding of animal movement in the wild in an effort to better conserve and protect native wildlife. She is currently undertaking her PhD in Kangaroo movement, using high tech collars to derive fine-scale estimates of habitat use amongst various species of macropod across Australia. In her free-time she enjoys volunteering for local land-care organisations assisting in the facilitation of regional management projects.

Prof Andersen is Professor of Terrestrial Invertebrates in Charles Darwin University’s Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods. Prof Andersen’s primary research interests are in the global ecology of ant communities, where he integrates community ecology, historical and contemporary biogeography, and systematics to gain a predictive understanding globally of ant diversity, behavioural dominance and functional composition in relation to environmental stress and disturbance. He applies this understanding to the use of ants as bioindicators of ecological change.