TX biodiversity conference

Texas Biodiversity Symposium 2025

Confronting Biodiversity Loss and Conservation in the Age of Human Impact

🗓️ March 14–16, 2025
📍 Kraft Hall 130 | Rice University

Registration: Click here to register

biodiversity

About the Symposium

Join the Texas Biodiversity Symposium to address the urgent challenges of biodiversity loss and conservation in the Anthropocene – the current geological age defined by the significant impact of human activity on the environment.

This event brings together leading scientists, conservationists, and community stakeholders to explore innovative solutions for protecting biodiversity in Texas and beyond. Over three days, participants will examine the intersection of biodiversity science, policy, and actionable solutions for the Gulf Coast.

Sponsored by the Rice Sustainability Institute and the Rice Conference and Workshop Development Fund, the symposium features:

  • Keynotes by renowned experts
  • Collaborative sessions and discussions
  • A poster exhibit showcasing research and innovation

This event aims to foster collaboration across disciplines and strengthen regional solutions through targeted research and partnerships.

Agenda Highlights

Day 1: March 14 – The Science of Biodiversity

  • Opening Address by Local Partner
  • Oral Presentations
  • Catered Lunch
  • Oral Presentations

Day 2: March 15 – The Conservation of Biodiversity

  • Opening Address by Local Partner
  • Oral Presentations
  • Catered Lunch
  • Oral Presentations
  • Keynote Address: Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant
  • Panel Discussion

Day 3: March 16 – Local Biodiversity

  • Field Excursions to Local Biodiversity Hotspots
  • Limited to 14 participants per excursion
  • Sign up with Registration
  • Choose one of the following three:
    • Bolivar Flats
    • Deer Park Prairie
    • Waugh Bridge Bat Colony

Full Agenda

Invited Guests and Panelists

  • Richard Gibbons – National Audubon Society
  • Rae Wynne Grant – Keynote Speaker, Yale University
  • Cassidy Johnson – Rice University
  • Stephen Benigo – Houston Arboretum
  • Charlotte Reemts – The Nature Conservancy

Day 1 – March 14

Opening Events

📍 Location: Kraft Hall

🕛 12:00 PM – Lunch
🕐 1:00 PM – Opening Address
Speakers: Kory Evans & Scott Egan

Biodiversity Talks (1:30 PM - 3:30 PM)

📍 Location: Kraft Hall

1:30 PM – Timothy McSweeny (Houston Museum of Natural Science)

📝 Title: Use of Camera Traps to Monitor Meso-Mammals in an Urban Park
📌 A study on Buffalo Bayou Park’s mammal population through camera trap data collection.

1:45 PM – Amanda Potts (Rice University)

📝 Title: Convergent Evolution of Color in Three Distinct Lineages of Tiger Beetles
📌 Investigating evolutionary patterns in Tiger Beetle populations in New Mexico.

2:00 PM – Amoi Campbell (Rice University)

📝 Title: The Belowground Response of a Restored Grassland to Soil Disturbance and Resource Addition
📌 Exploring how disturbance impacts root traits and plant communities in restored grasslands.

2:30 PM – HoWan Chan (Rice University)

📝 Title: Patterns of Modularity in an Adaptive Radiation of Pupfishes
📌 Assessing structural constraints in rapid fish speciation events.

2:45 PM – Rafael Marcondes (Rice University)

📝 Title: Insights into Bird-Building Collisions from a Monitoring Program on the Rice Campus
📌 Evaluating avian collisions and conservation solutions at Rice University.

Breakout Session & Poster Presentations (3:00 PM - 4:00 PM)

📍 Location: Kraft Hall Foyer

Hannah Yin (Rice University)

📝 Title: Seasonal Temperature & Photoperiod Sequences Drive Developmental Plasticity
📌 Examining how climate change alters reproductive timing in amphibians.

Dileka Kariyawasam (UT Rio Grande Valley)

📝 Title: Tracing Breeding Origins of Wintering Orange-crowned Warblers using Hydrogen Isotope Analysis

Galina Aglyamova (University of Houston)

📝 Title: Light Regimes & Pigmentation in Ranitomeya variabilis Tadpoles

🔚 End of Day 1 (4:00 PM)

Day 2 – March 15th

Conservation Oral Presentations (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

10:00 AM – Richard Gibbons (National Audubon Society)

📝 Title: Performance of Machine Learning for Precision Waterbird Monitoring

10:15 AM – Stephen Benigno (Houston Arboretum & Nature Center)

📝 Title: Restoration Challenges in an Urban Metroplex

10:30 AM – Charlotte Reemts (The Nature Conservancy)

📝 Title: Protecting Lands & Waters: Global to Local Conservation Strategies

10:45 AM – Daniel Brooks (Houston Museum of Natural Science)

📝 Title: Range Expansion of Red-vented Bulbuls in Houston, Texas

11:00 AM – Eric Wuesthoff (Rice University)

📝 Title: The Role of Seed Dispersers in Forest Restoration

11:15 AM – Alexandria Shockney (Rice University)

📝 Title: The Impact of Roost Microclimates on Bat Migration

11:30 AM – Cin-Ty Lee (Rice University)

📝 Title: Flight Call Surveys & Grasshopper Sparrows as Ecological Indicators

11:45 AM – Will Godwin (Sam Houston State University)

📝 Title: Conservation Strategies for Rare Habitat Islands

12:00 PM – Cassidy Johnson (Rice University)

📝 Title: The College Campus as a Conservation Space

🕛 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM – Catered Lunch

Breakout & Poster Sessions (1:15 PM - 2:15 PM)

  • Nova Morales (Houston Arboretum)
    📝 Mapping the Spread & Impact of Deep-Rooted Sedge in Urban Savannas

Keynote Address (2:15 PM - 3:15 PM)

🎤 Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant (Yale University)

Panel Discussion (3:15 PM - 4:15 PM)

💡 Panelists: Richard Gibbons, Cassidy Johnson, Charlotte Reemts, Stephen Benigno

🔚 End of Day 2

Day 3 – March 16th

Excursions & Field Trips

🚌 9:00 AM – Meet at Kraft Hall for bus pickup

🌱 Join us for hands-on conservation excursions to local biodiversity hotspots!

🔚 End of Symposium

Local Partners

The Texas Biodiversity Symposium is proud to collaborate with leading conservation and education organizations dedicated to preserving and protecting the rich biodiversity of Texas. Learn more about their work and how you can get involved:

  • The Nature Conservancy – A global environmental nonprofit working to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.
  • Audubon Society – A national organization dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need through science, advocacy, and education.
  • Texas Native Cats – Focused on the conservation and awareness of Texas' wild cat species, including bobcats, ocelots, and mountain lions.
  • Houston Arboretum & Nature Center – A nonprofit nature sanctuary providing education and conservation programs to protect Houston’s native ecosystems.

Together, these organizations contribute to the research, education, and advocacy needed to support Texas' diverse wildlife and habitats.

Venue

Rice University, Kraft Hall

Parking & Maps

Find Parking Information and Maps

Tickets & Registration

  • General Admission: Free
  • Graduate Students: Free

Click here to register

Hotel Accommodations

A reduced rate is available at the InterContinental Houston in the Texas Medical Center, just minutes from the Rice University campus.

Dates: March 13-17, 2025
Booking: Rooms are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Book Your Hotel Room: Texas Biodiversity Conference Room Block

Transportation

The InterContinental Houston hotel provides a complimentary shuttle to the Rice University campus for hotel guests, available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contact Information

For questions, please get in touch with the Rice Sustainability Institute
📧 si@rice.edu

You may also reach out to the symposium organizers directly: