Plenaries and panels
Plenary Speakers 2026
Professor Brendan Wintle
University of Melbourne
Professor Brendan Wintle is a global leader in conservation ecology and ecological modelling research towards species conservation. Based at the University of Melbourne, Brendan is the Director of the Melbourne Biodiversity Institute, a Professor in Conservation Ecology and a Principal Investigator in the Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group.
Brendan undertakes research to support decision making and policy development for biodiversity and conservation. His research tackles technical developments including species distribution and population modelling to inform conservation spending, management and monitoring.
Brendan was previously the Director of the Commonwealth Government funded Threatened Species Recovery Hub and was recently an ARC Future Fellow and Theme Leader in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions.
In his spare time, you can find Brendan searching for spider orchids, greater gliders, bogong moths and obscure wineries.
Bronwyn Hradsky
University of Melbourne
Bronwyn is a conservation ecologist whose work aims to improve the management of invasive predators and fire – two key threats to Australia’s native fauna. She is based with the Quantitative and Applied Ecology research group at the University of Melbourne and currently holds an ARC Early Career Industry Fellowship. Bronwyn’s research approaches include field experiments, agent-based simulation models and quantitative analyses. She enjoys working with students and land managers to address priority research questions and achieve real-world management outcomes.
Panel Speakers 2026
Panel 1: Urban Ecology (Day 1 - Afternoon)
Jacinta Humphery (Moderator)
RMIT University
Dr Jacinta Humphrey (she/her) is an Urban Ecologist and Research Fellow in the Interdisciplinary Conservation (ICON) Science group at RMIT University. She completed her PhD at La Trobe University, where she investigated the influence of urban development on the birds that share our suburbs. Jacinta’s current work explores Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design and aims to find opportunities to improve habitat for wildlife in residential streets, urban parks, schoolyards and private gardens.
Sarah Bekessy
RMIT University
Professor Sarah Bekessy (ARC Industry Laureate Fellow) leads the ICON Science research group at the University of Melbourne which uses interdisciplinary approaches to solve complex biodiversity conservation problems. She is particularly interested in understanding the role of human behaviour in conservation, in designing cities to encourage ‘every day nature’ experiences and in defining and measuring ‘nature positive’ development. She developed the Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design protocol that has now been used by numerous developers, governments and non-government organisations to design innovative urban biodiversity strategies. Sarah is a Lead Councillor with The Biodiversity Council, a Board member of Bush Heritage Australia and a member of the WWF Eminent Scientists Group.
Theresa Jones
University of Melbourne and Australasian Dark Sky Alliance
Therésa Jones is a Professor in the School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne. She is an evolutionary and behavioural ecologist who explores the ecological impact of light pollution. Her research has demonstrated the largely negative effects of artificial light at night on the behaviour and physiology of multiple animal species and their communities. She works with external stakeholders to translate academic knowledge into real world solutions that mitigate the impact of light pollution for wildlife. She has contributed to State and National light pollution guidelines in Australia and is a member of the Network for Ecological Research on Artificial Light and Director (and Ecology committee chair) of the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance.
Dr Holly Kirk
Curtin University
Holly is an urban ecologist researching and teaching in the School of Design and the Built Environment at Curtin University, specialising in the application of ecology to urban planning and design. An expert in spatial modelling and animal movement, for the last six years she has been using this skill to plan cities that support and enhance urban nature. Holly works closely with industry and government, understanding how Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD) can be implemented in different urban developments: from greenfield residential sites to high-rise inner-city buildings. Her work on ecological connectivity modelling has been used to create biodiversity plans in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and the ACT. She is currently developing an open-access tool to help decision-makers prioritise places and actions for urban biodiversity conservation, funded by an ARC Industry Fellowship. Holly is passionate about translating scientific theory into positive on-ground action for people and nature.
Maddi Miller
University of Melbourne
Panel 2: Agents for change (Day 2 - Afternoon)
Miki Perkins (Moderator)
The Conversation
Miki Perkins is the Environment + Energy editor at The Conversation. Previously, she was a senior journalist at the Age for 18 years. She specialises in climate and environment reporting.
Ben Cullen
Trust for Nature: South Central Area Manager
Ben Cullen is a conservation ecologist with over two decades of experience protecting threatened species and restoring ecological resilience in urban and peri-urban landscapes. As Area Manager for South Central Victoria at Trust for Nature, he leads projects that support long-term biodiversity outcomes across private land, with a strong focus on habitat protection in rapidly developing areas. His work includes managing a network of conservation reserves, covenanting strategic parcels of land, and collaborating with councils, landholders, and Traditional Owners to protect and enhance remnant ecosystems.
Ben has played a key role in recovery programs for species such as the Helmeted Honeyeater, Leadbeater’s Possum, Powerful Owl, and several threatened orchid species. He has delivered innovative urban ecology initiatives including riparian restoration along the Yarra River, and works closely with Traditional Owners to embed cultural knowledge and support self-determined aspirations in conservation planning and delivery. He regularly contributes to conservation media, including radio, television, and print.
Professor Liam Smith
Monash University
Professor Liam Smith is the Director of BehaviourWorks Australia (BWA) at Monash University. He established BWA in 2010 to bridge a gap between behavioural science and application to real world challenges aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. BWA team now consists of 35 staff who have collectively delivered over 700 projects with government and industry partners. Liam has authored close to 100 research papers, over 250 reports and is the lead editor on BWA’s new book “Inspiring Change”. He holds several board and committee positions and is currently on the Board of Inclusive Australia, a Lead Councillor for The Biodiversity Council, a member South East Water’s Customer Engagement Council and on the Climate Advisory Panel for the Municipal Association of Victoria.
Janet Bolitho
Yarra Riverkeeper Association