The Programme Committee members are:
Our Programme Committee members will be working through the submitted abstracts and helping to develop an exciting and informative programme for the conference.
Aline Finger, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - Scotland
Click here to read Aline's bio
John Ewen, Zoological Society of London - England
Professor John Ewen is a lead in Decision Science and Species Recovery at the Zoological Society of London. Originally from New Zealand, John started in the conservation translocation world working on bird reintroductions there and continues to chair the New Zealand Hihi Recovery Team. He has become increasingly involved with conservation translocations globally and across a range of taxa. John currently provides leadership for the IUCN SSC CTSG’s training in effective application of the IUCN Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations, is a member of the England Species Reintroduction Taskforce and Co-Chairs the IUCN SSC Extinct in the Wild Action Partnership. At the Zoological Society of London, John leads a team providing end-to-end decision support and risk assessments to conservation translocation practitioners. In partnership with Natural England this support focuses on wildlife health risk assessments, health screening, diagnostics, and post-release monitoring.
Katie Beckmann - Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh - Scotland
Click here to read Katie's bio
Marcelo Lopes Rheingantz, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Dr Marcelo Lopes Rheingantz is a Brazilian biologist who works at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and is the executive director of Refauna. His research focuses on conservation biology and wildlife ecology, especially conservation translocations and trophic rewilding in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. He has led conservation translocations projects involving yellow-footed tortoises, red-rumped agoutis, brown howler monkeys, lowland tapirs, and blue-and-yellow macaws. Marcelo is also part of the management team of the Conservation Translocations Brazilian Network.
Martin Gaywood, NatureScot + University of the Highlands and Islands Inverness - Scotland (Chair)
Click here to read Martin's bio
Pritpal Soorae, IUCN Conservation Translocation Specialist Group + Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates
Pritpal Soorae is the Deputy Chair of the IUCN Conservation Translocation Specialist Group (CTSG) and has been involved with the group for over 30 years. He has considerable experience in developing policy guidelines and developing taxon specific guidelines. Pritpal has also edited and published 8 issues of the Global Conservation Translocation Perspectives series which provide case-studies on fauna and flora restorations. His “day job” is with the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi where he works as a wildlife expert involved in baseline surveys, alien species, wildlife trade and working specifically on reptile and amphibian conservation.
Sarah Crowley, Centre for Geography and Environmental Science, University of Exeter - England
Dr Sarah Crowley is a Senior Lecturer in Human and Animal Geography at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall Campus. Her research focuses on human interactions with, and sustainable management of, nonhuman animals. She specialises in applying social research approaches to contemporary animal management challenges, and particularly those relating to introduced, reintroduced, and domestic species. She has worked on the social dimensions of Eurasian beaver, white stork, pine marten, and European wildcat translocation initiatives in the UK, including analysis of stakeholder views and social feasibility studies. Dr Crowley founded the People and Conservation Translocations (PaCT) Network in 2023 and is a peer reviewer for the England Species Reintroduction Taskforce.
Saul Cowen, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions - Australia
Dr Saul Cowen is a research scientist working for the Western Australian state government in threatened fauna conservation. Since starting his career with the great bustard reintroduction program in the UK, Saul has been involved with a number of bird and mammal conservation translocations, most recently leading programs for seven species as part of the ecological restoration of Dirk Hartog Island. One of his current study areas is the potential use of translocations to support the conservation of trapdoor spiders. Saul also chaired the local organising committee for the 3rd International Conservation Translocation Conference, held in Fremantle in 2023.
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