Conference Description
The Speciation GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Speciation is the process by which one species splits into two, leading to increases in biological diversity, both in terms of species richness and phenotypic diversity. The process of speciation entails a combination of phenotypic, genetic, ecological, and reproductive divergence. Often speciation research focuses on the emergent outcome of this divergence, such as reproductive isolation. But, the genetic divergence has detailed mechanistic underpinnings that must be understood if we are to build a comprehensive view of speciation processes. For example, hybrid inviability may be understood more fully through the lens of gene regulatory networks, or developmental biology. Premating reproductive isolation in animals often requires an understanding of the neurobiology and behavioral mechanisms of mate choice, while pollinator-mediated isolation between plants requires an understanding of pollinator ecology and sensory biology and behavior. Ecological speciation can trace its roots to detailed mechanistic understanding of prey capture and foraging decisions (for competition driven speciation), predator-prey interactions, or immunology for parasite-driven speciation. Speciation research therefore is enriched when it draws on detailed analysis of proximate mechanisms (e.g., genetic, developmental, physiological, ecological) that produce emergent properties like reproductive isolation. For the 2025 GRC on Speciation, we seek to bring together biologists studying a range of mechanistic processes that are pertinent to our understanding of speciation, to interact with other biologists who may make speciation and macroevolution their primary focus. By bridging the study of proximate mechanisms of divergence and ultimate outcomes for biodiversity, we hope to foster new collaborations, new insights, and to broaden the speciation research community.
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by November 2, 2024. Please check back for updates.
