Siddeswara Guru is a data and systems specialist with a strong focus on building digital infrastructure for environmental research. His work spans environmental informatics, data integration, and semantic technologies, all aimed at improving access to and usability of Australia’s ecosystem data. At TERN, he leads initiatives that support national-scale research through open, FAIR-aligned data platforms.

As a former Geodetic and Topographic Surveyor, Peter first used GPS in early 1986. As a regular user of this "new" technology, he decided to go into business in 1991 to sell, support, train and consult on GPS (now GNSS) positioning. Peter's business quickly gained recognition for his expertise and customer service related to GPS. His businesses employees about 35 staff involved in GNSS, field services (mapping, inspection and data capture), desktop GIS services and software development. Over the year they have been the recipient of more than 20 industry awards. Peter is considered a world expert on the field application of GNSS technology, and he works mainly with non-surveyors educating subject matter experts in variety of industries to be successful using GNSS in a range of environments. Peter generously shares his knowledge and expertise by writing articles for industry magazines and presenting at industry conferences. Beyond work, Peter is an avid traveler and 4WD enthusiast. He cherishes spending time with his wife Lyn, and their two adult children and their partners, and 4 adorable grandchildren.

Ella Dewilde (she/her) is a PhD candidate at QUT. Her work focuses on investigating the potential of research networks and data to supply high quality information for environmental reporting by companies and individuals involved in beef production. Using her background in both natural sciences and applied economics, she strives to bridge gaps between research and application. Her latest work - to be presented at ESA - is a collaboration with farmers in South East Queensland investigating the potential of remote biodiversity methods to be used as a toolkit by producers, empowering them to monitor biodiversity and make management decisions for biodiversity conservation.

Jo Morris is the Program Manager for Infrastructure at the Planet Research Data Commons (RDC), part of the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC). With over 25 years of experience in the tertiary education sector and more than 15 years dedicated to supporting research, Jo brings a strong IT background and deep expertise in eResearch infrastructure. Her work spans cloud computing, , computational science, software development, data repositories, and research platforms. Jo leads national initiatives to build and sustain the digital infrastructure that empowers Earth and Environmental science, enabling data-intensive discovery and collaboration through robust, scalable, and accessible platforms.

Renee Piccolo is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Queensland and Wildlife Observatory of Australia (WildObs), where she focuses on ecological data management and analysis of camera-trap data, contributing to large-scale biodiversity monitoring and conservation reporting, in partnership with researchers and government agencies. Her PhD, completed through Griffith University and CSIRO, developed a decision-support framework to assess the feasibility of habitat restoration under complex biophysical, social, and governance constraints, using mangrove ecosystems as a case study. This interdisciplinary research integrated spatial modelling, conservation science, and applied ecology to support restoration decision-making.

My PhD project involved the generation of substantial molecular and morphological datasets, including next generation sequencing of thousands of independent molecular nuclear loci. Integration of these data revealed the presence of two unrecognised new species of snake endemic to Australia. My PhD was conferred in July 2023, for which I received a Deans’ commendation and was chosen as the ceremonial mace bearer. I am currently undertaking a NESP funded postdoc working closely with commercial fishing operations to understand the scale and impact on sea snakes in bycatch. My work is multi disciplinary and combines substantial components of bioinformatics, labwork, fieldwork and engagement on the ground with fishermen.

Ben Hope is a Senior Scientist and Koala Ecologist with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. With a background in threatened species and vertebrate fauna surveys, Ben is currently working on the NSW Koala Baseline Survey, guiding efforts to map koala distribution and estimate occupancy across the state He specializes in koala ecology, ecological survey design, pest management, and deploying innovative monitoring tools such as heat-detecting drones and passive acoustic recorders (PARs). His expertise supports the implementation of large-scale, spatially balanced survey methodologies across diverse landscapes including national parks, state forests, and private lands

Dr. Muhammad Kamran Afzal is a visionary scholar at the nexus of artificial intelligence and ecological stewardship. With a B.S. (Hons) in Computer Science from the University of Lahore, an M.S. from Northwestern Polytechnical University, and a Ph.D. from the School of Informatics at Xiamen University, each achieved under the esteemed Chinese Government Scholarship, Dr. Afzal embodies a rare blend of technical depth and environmental commitment. His research ambitiously bridges computer graphics, deep learning, and remote sensing, focusing on the intelligent interpretation of complex geometries and large-scale 3D landscapes. From LiDAR mapping to point-cloud analysis, his work pushes the frontiers of pattern recognition, shape understanding, and geospatial data analytics. A passionate advocate for biodiversity, Dr. Afzal channels cutting-edge AI into ecological conservation, crafting automated frameworks for species monitoring and mitigating human–wildlife conflict. His innovative approaches are redefining how we perceive and protect fragile ecosystems under the pressures of urban expansion. As a student ambassador for Transparency International Pakistan and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, he also champions integrity and knowledge-sharing within the global scientific community. Dr. Afzal’s work stands as a bold and rigorous testament to science in service of a resilient, sustainable future.

Callan is an ecologist and researcher specialising in acoustic monitoring and automated detection. He is currently a PhD candidate and Research Assistant at the Queensland University of Technology where he works primarily on projects involving birdsong and machine learning. Callan also works as a Threatened Species Technical Coordinator at BirdLife Australia, where he work on acoustic monitoring projects involving cryptic, endangered species.

Eleanor is a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, investigating the impacts of fire on bird activity in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Her research combines ecoacoustics and artificial intelligence to explore how fire severity, fire frequency, and vegetation structure and compositions shape avian responses in recently disturbed landscapes. By examining both species-specific and community-level responses, she aims to identify which birds thrive and which struggle after fire and to understand how changes in habitat and resource availability contribute to these patterns. This knowledge will enable us to establish proactive conservation strategies in post-fire landscapes. Eleanor is also studying the effects of hazard-reduction burns to understand better how controlled burning influences local bird populations and communities. Additionally, she is developing a streamlined workflow for manually verifying acoustic recordings and assessing the accuracy of BirdNET in detecting bird species within a Key Biodiversity Area in south-eastern Australia.