Keynote Speakers
Dr. Arthur Bogan
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
Dr. Bogan's research is focused on developing a phylogeny of the freshwater bivalves of the world. Other research interests lie in developing a handbook on freshwater gastropods of North Carolina. He is also part of a collaboration team that's been formed to produce a photographic catalogof the nearly 1,000 named taxa in the North American freshwater gastropod family Pleuroceridae.
Dr. David Aldridge
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Dr. Aldridge research focuses on the ecology of aquatic ecosystems, and in particular invasive species and the role of bivalve molluscs. Much of his work centres on using biology and ecology to answer questions which have wider practical applications. He is also the founder and Managing Director of BioBullets, a company that produces bivalve antifouling particles, since its inception in 2003.
Dr. David L. Strayer
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook New York, United States of America
Dr. Strayer's research is focused on the distribution and roles of freshwater invertebrates. He worked for many decades on the ecology of the Hudson River and on understanding the controls on distribution and abundance of pearly mussels.
Dr. Jurgen Geist
Wildlife Biology & Wildlife Management Unit, TechnischeUniversität München, Freising, Germany
Dr. Geist research is directed to the development of system biology models for chronological and spatial distribution of biodiversity in water ecosystems which integrate molecular biology and ecology approaches. Focus is placed on the quality of the aquatic habitat, genetic and demographic structures of fish and mussel populations, aquatic food webs and the development of stress biomarkers to indicate pollution in water bodies.
Dr. Mary Seddon
Chair of the SSC’s Mollusc Specialist Group.
Dr. Mary Seddon is Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Mollusc Specialist Group and an internationally recognized expert in freshwater mollusk conservation. Her work focuses on the assessment, conservation, and sustainable management of threatened mollusk species worldwide, with particular emphasis on freshwater systems. Dr. Seddon has played a leading role in advancing global Red List assessments, shaping conservation policy, and strengthening international networks dedicated to mollusk biodiversity. Through her long-standing engagement with the IUCN and collaborative research initiatives, she has been instrumental in elevating the profile of freshwater mollusks in global conservation agendas.
Dr. Agustín Basso
Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Santa Fe, Argentina / BIVAAS network South America
Dr. Agustín Basso is a biologist and researcher at the Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Argentina) with extensive experience in freshwater aquatic organism conservation and ecotoxicology. He is also a member of BIVAAS (Bivalves da Água Doce da América do Sul) and a key promoter of BIVALCONS, the South American network of sites dedicated to the conservation of freshwater bivalves. In addition, he contributes to scientific communication as an editor of the Bulletin of the Argentine Malacological Association.