OBFS

OBFS International Committee Meeting
2026-08-07 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-03 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-05 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-01 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-03 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-06 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-06 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-16 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) and 3 more dates | ZOOM, -1
The OBFS International Committee meets every first Friday of the month at 11 a.m. EST
We’re excited to have you on the OBFS International Committee! All welcome.
Join meeting

OBFS Board Meeting
2026-07-23 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-28 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM, -1
The OBFS Board of Directors meets via Zoom every eight weeks through the year. Meetings are on Thursdays from 12-2:00 pm Eastern. All OBFS members are welcome to attend these meetings!
Contact Beth Norman (secretary@obfs.org) with any questions.
Join the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86327357115?pwd=[REDACTED]

Virtual Café: OBFS Wildlife monitoring network - How you can participate in a global project
2026-04-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Join us to learn about the OBFS Wildlife Monitoring Network, a collaborative project launched this year by Finca las Piedras (Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon, Peru), Field Research Centre (UHasselt, Belgium), and Gault Nature Reserve (McGill University, Canada).

The team will explain how the program works, share insights from its first year, and show you how you can get involved in this global wildlife monitoring effort.

OBFS Board Meeting
2026-04-02 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM, -1
The OBFS Board of Directors meets via Zoom every eight weeks through the year. Meetings are on Thursdays from 12-2:00 pm, Eastern time. All OBFS members are welcome to attend these meetings!
Contact Beth Norman (secretary@obfs.org) with any questions.
Join the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86327357115?pwd=[REDACTED]

Climate Toolkit Webinar 18: Climate Research and Outreach
2026-02-25 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Wednesday, February 25, 1 – 2 p.m. ET – R.S.V.P. to Attend
Our understanding of the climate crisis is dynamic. As cultural institutions, it’s imperative to be working alongside the latest climate research to enhance public understanding and amplify the most effective solutions – now and as the climate continues to change.
Co-presented with the Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS), this upcoming webinar on Climate Research and Outreach aims to highlight cross-institutional collaborations between higher education, cultural organizations, and research field stations. We’ll hear from Holden Forests and Gardens, Hiram College, and the University of Akron Field Station on forming regional partnerships and engaging the public with the latest climate change research.
Join us virtually on Wednesday, February 25, 1 – 2 p.m. ET to learn about the ways we can amplify each other’s work, partner together, and collaborate on initiatives to better support effective science communication and impactful climate action.
Please R.S.V.P. and once registered, you’ll receive a Zoom link to virtually attend.
We look forward to having you with us!

Virtual Motus workshop Feb 11th & 12th 12 - 3PM EST
2026-02-11 12:00 - 2026-02-12 15:00 (America/New_York)
Powdermill Avian Research Center (www.powdermillarc.org) is pleased to announce it will be hosting a virtual Motus workshop 12 PM – 3 PM EST Wednesday, February 11th and Thursday, February 12th, 2026. The workshop will be held virtually over Zoom. This workshop is aimed towards researchers, educators, students, and others that are interested in learning more about using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. Presentations will focus on techniques for installing and maintaining Motus receiver stations, project planning, transmitters, and data management and analysis Workshop registration is $250 for professionals and $100 for early professionals, Latin Americans working in Latin America, and students.
If you are interested in attending, please register here!

OBFS Board Meeting
2026-02-05 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM, -1
The OBFS Board of Directors meets via Zoom every eight weeks through the year. All OBFS members are welcome to attend these meetings!
Contact Beth Norman (secretary@obfs.org) with any questions.
Join the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86327357115?pwd=[REDACTED]

Technology tools for Field Stations and Marine Labs // Herramientas tecnológicas para estaciones de campo y laboratorios marinos
2026-01-29 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
In recent years, technological innovation and applied research has created a suite of new accessible tools for biodiversity and environmental monitoring that could provide a lot of value to the work that takes place in FSMLs. Come learn more about things like abiotic environmental monitoring, acoustics, animal telemetry, camera traps, machine learning/AI, radio networks, eDNA, and more. Shah Selbe, of FieldKit.org, has spent the last decade working with field stations, protected areas, and marine reserves to identify and deploy appropriate technologies to meet the needs of research and conservation efforts in those places. In this talk he will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of deployment of these sorts of technologies and his work with UCLA’s field station in Cameroon.

En los últimos años, la innovación tecnológica y la investigación aplicada han creado un conjunto de nuevas herramientas accesibles para el monitoreo de la biodiversidad y el medio ambiente, que podrían aportar un gran valor al trabajo que se realiza en las estaciones de campo. Venga a aprender más sobre temas como el monitoreo ambiental abiótico, la acústica, la telemetría animal, las cámaras trampa, el aprendizaje automático/la inteligencia artificial, las redes de radio, el ADN ambiental y mucho más. Shah Selbe, de FieldKit.org, ha dedicado la última década a trabajar con estaciones de campo, áreas protegidas y reservas marinas para identificar e implementar tecnologías adecuadas que satisfagan las necesidades de investigación y conservación en estos lugares. En esta charla, hablará sobre las ventajas y desventajas de la implementación de este tipo de tecnologías y su trabajo con la estación de campo de la UCLA en Camerún.

OBFS Board Meeting
2025-12-11 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-08-21 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM, -1
The OBFS Board meets via Zoom every eight weeks through the year. All OBFS members are welcome to attend these meetings! Contact Beth Norman (secretary@obfs.org) for information.
Join the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86327357115?pwd=[REDACTED]

Virtual Café - The Journey of Ian Billick: From Field Biologist to Elected Official
2025-11-12 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
OBFS International Committee Virtual Café is proud to present “The Journey of Ian Billick: From Field Biologist to Elected Official.”
Join us on November 12th at 1:00 PM EST as Ian shares his inspiring path from the world of field science to public service, highlighting how his experiences in research and nature continue to shape his leadership today.
Join the meeting

The Climate Toolkit Symposium!
2025-10-26 18:00 - 2025-10-28 15:00 (America/New_York) | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1 Schenley Drive, Pittsburgh, 15213
The first in-person symposium for members of the Climate Toolkit, presented by Phipps Conservatory and Duke Farms.
Since 2020, The Climate Toolkit has served as a network to gather cultural institutions to share, mentor and learn how to address climate change within their institutions and inspire the communities they serve. This fall, the Toolkit is pleased to announce its inaugural in-person symposium, to be held at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA. At this multi-day event, which kicks off the evening of Sun., Oct. 26 with an opening night soiree and runs through Tuesday afternoon, we seek to convene partner institutions from around the world, strengthen relationships, spark conversations and collaborations, and bond the network of the Climate Toolkit community towards achieving greater efforts in climate-aligned operations and impactful public engagement.

Tickets to the symposium are available now. A $150 ticket includes full symposium admission and all food and beverages.

Opening Evening
SUN., OCT. 26, 6 – 9 P.M.
This welcoming event, held against the backdrop of Phipps’ lush Tropical Forest Panama exhibit and Special Events Hall, features an opening address, refreshments, a buffet dinner, live music and networking.

Day 1: Case Studies in Climate Success
MON., OCT. 27, 9:30 A.M. – 5 P.M., DINNER AND KEYNOTE PRESENTATION 6 – 9 P.M.
The first full day of the symposium will be devoted to panel presentations and workshops focusing on a number of climate-related topics including decarbonization and electrification projects, water conservation, green investments, case studies of climate-aligned operations, engagement, public programs and more.

Sustainability tours held during the day will give conference attendees an intimate look at Phipps’ state-of-the-art living buildings, green infrastructure, native landscaping, water retention and recycling systems, LEED-certified production greenhouse, and east-wing decarbonization.

A poster session will also be held, allowing individual organizations to showcase their work.

Breakfast, lunch, and coffee will be provided; after a brief recess at 5 p.m., attendees will reconvene for a buffet dinner and guest keynote presentation in the evening.

Day 2: A Deep Dive Into the Future
TUES., OCT. 28, 9:30 A.M. – 3 P.M.
On Day 2 of the Climate Toolkit Symposium, institutions come together for a collaborative deep dive into the future of climate action within the cultural sector. This day emphasizes shared learning, strategy development, and innovative approaches to sustainability, as museums, gardens, zoos, field stations, science centers and other cultural organizations explore collective pathways towards amplifying our greatest climate impact possible.

Phipps President and CEO Richard Piacentini and the Climate Toolkit team will lead interactive sessions on Regenerative Thinking that push beyond traditional modes of decision-making and leadership structure. The schedule will include time for breakout groups to work on climate-related projects or to create institutional climate action plans.

Through focused discussions and workshops, participants will envision a resilient, climate-conscious future, grounded in cross-sector collaboration and bold institutional leadership.

Breakfast, lunch, and coffee will be provided.

The Future of Field Work: The Promise and Perils of Research in the Twenty-First Century
2025-10-23 14:00 - 2025-10-24 17:00 (America/New_York) | The American Philosophical Society, 427 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106, United States
Thursday, October 23, 2025 – Friday, October 24, 2025 is the American Philosophical Society’s upcoming conference in Philadelphia, PA (USA) centered around The Future of Field Work. Dr. Jennifer Gee will be representing the Organization of Biological Field Stations to discuss Models of Sustainability with Dr. Nancy Simmons from the American Museum of Natural History who will be speaking about her multidisciplinary, collaborative research team that studies bats in Belize, and Dr. Jill Pruetz from Texas State University who will discuss how her team is sustaining its long-term Fongoli Savanna Chimpanzee Project. This session will be held on Friday, October 24 from 3:15 – 4:30 PM.
Registration is required for the conference sessions and keynote presentation but there is no fee.
Sessions will be live streamed and posted on the APS YouTube channel.
The American Philosophical Society (APS) was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin and is the United States’ oldest learned society, dedicated to advancing useful knowledge. In 2005 the American Philosophical Society launched the Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research. The brainchild of APS President Baruch Blumberg, the fund was created to support exploratory field studies for the collection of specimens and data and to provide the imaginative stimulus that accompanies direct observation. Since its inception, the program has been doggedly interdisciplinary and has supported over 900 projects on all seven continents in a wide-range of fields, such as archaeology, anthropology, biology, ecology, geography, geology, linguistics, paleontology, and population genetics, among others.

Living Data 2025: Unified information driving transformation
2025-10-21 - 2025-10-24 | Bogotá, Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
The conference will explore cutting-edge approaches to biodiversity data, focusing on four key themes: Open Data, Data Integration, Biodiversity Data Application, and Community Engagement and Capacity Building.

The Crucial Role of Field Stations in Science
2025-09-19 18:30 - 21:00 (America/Denver) | Center for the Arts, 606 6th Street, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, United States
Join OBFS for a The Crucial Role of Field Stations in Science, featuring Miles O’Brien, national science correspondent for PBS NewsHour.
Each ticket includes light bites, beer and wine, and silent auction.
Tickets are now available.

2025 OBFS Annual Meeting
2025-09-15 00:00 - 2025-09-19 23:59 (America/New_York) | Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), 8000 County Road 317, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, United States
The 2025 Annual Meeting will take place from September 15th to 19th at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado. This year’s theme, Resilience and Adaptation, Fear, and Triumph: A RAFT to Field Station Success in a Turbulent World, will be woven throughout the conference, with engaging plenary speakers, interactive workshops, and vibrant social events. In turbulent times, let’s paddle our RAFT together!
This Year’s Host Site
The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) is located on Colorado’s Western Slope in the historic townsite of Gothic, near the popular tourist destination of Crested Butte, CO. Established as a field station in 1928, RMBL occupies lands once inhabited by the Ute Tribes and later developed into a silver mining town in the late 1800s. Many buildings from the mining era are still in use today, serving various purposes, including as a coffee shop and student housing. Today, RMBL is home to one of the largest annual migrations of field biologists and provides full logistical support for scientists, educators, and students. As researchers tackle increasingly complex questions about our dynamic world, RMBL remains a vital resource for uncovering nature’s fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes.
Meeting Overview

Monday, September 15: Pre-Meeting Workshops
Tuesday, September 16: Field Trips/3 pm Start of Annual Meeting/Evening Plenary
Wednesday, September 17: Morning Plenary/Concurrent Sessions/Lightning Talks & Poster Session/Evening Plenary/Social Event
Thursday, September 18: Concurrent Sessions/RMBL Station & Science Tours/Auction and Dance Party
Friday, September 19: Departure Day – Meeting Adjourns/Post-Meeting Workshops/OBFS Development Event with Miles O’Brien in Crested Butte

Applied Bioacoustics in Conservation and Practice Field Course - July 2025
2025-07-06 00:00 - 2025-07-19 23:59 (America/New_York) | Skukuza Research Station (SSLI Campus), SSLI Campus, Skukuza, Mpumalanga, 1350, South Africa
Hosted in collaboration with the Organization for Tropical Studies and the African Bioacoustics Community, this hands-on field course explores bioacoustics in terrestrial ecosystems. Participants will gain essential skills and knowledge to apply acoustic methodologies in ecological research and conservation. The two-week program combines theoretical foundations with practical techniques for field recording, biodiversity monitoring, and ecosystem assessment, with a focus on real-world applications in Africa’s rich ecosystems.
Key Topics:

Principles of bioacoustics and sound propagation.
Field recording techniques and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM).
Signal processing, data management, and species classification.
Applications of bioacoustics in ecosystem monitoring and conservation.

Who Should Apply: Graduate students, researchers, conservation practitioners, and anyone with an interest in using sound as a tool for ecological and conservation research.
What’s Included:

Accommodation, meals and transportation at the Skukuza Research Station.
Training materials and access to field recording equipment.
Instruction and mentorship from experienced bioacousticians and ecologists

Scholarships: A limited number of scholarships are available. Applicants must submit a motivation letter as part of their scholarship application.
Registration and more information
Visit https://tropicalstudies.org/course/applied-bioacoustics/. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and spaces are limited.

OBFS Board Meeting
2025-06-26 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)

OBFS Advancing Equity Award
2025-06-20
The OBFS Advancing Equity Award (formerly known as the Human Diversity Award) provides recognition for unique activities, programs, or approaches (funded or unfunded) that increases the involvement, engagement, and sustainability of underrepresented groups in field science. Broadly speaking, underrepresented groups in field science may include, but are not limited to, ethnic minorities (African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and others), women, first-generation college students, inner-city youth, disadvantaged rural communities, K-12 groups, tribal colleges, community colleges, undergraduate institutions with small programs, and citizen science programs.
Advancing Equity may be accomplished by disseminating materials and using, rearranging, or creating infrastructure to facilitate and stimulate both applied and individualized approaches to experiential scientific learning. We will also recognize stations that demonstrate how retention and application of new scientific concepts are promoted to facilitate further discovery and increase scientific dialogue among diverse user groups. This may include a pedagogy for the basic knowledge needed by underrepresented groups to address the current challenges in environmental and natural resources management and research at all educational levels (K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education).
In addition to the honor and recognition of peers, the OBFS Advancing Equity Award includes a permanent plaque for the winning station; an official award letter; a second traveling OBFS plaque that lists previous winners and is housed at the most recent recipient’s facility; and recognition on the OBFS website. The award may include a travel reimbursement of up to $1000 for the awardee to attend the annual OBFS meeting if travel funds are limited for the winning institution. The winning institution will be recognized at the 2025 OBFS conference. Lastly, we ak awardee(s) to serve on the IDEA+ committee the following year and help review the following year’s applicants.

Timing of Submission, Review and Award

Mid-April

A request for nominations for the award will be announced on the OBFS website and through the OBFS list server. Nomination of institutions by others as well as institutional self-nominations will be accepted.

June 20

Supporting material due here: https://forms.gle/xigXsrRYHeGM7LcR6

Early August

OBFS IDEA+ Committee announces recipients as determined by members of the OBFS Advancing Equity Award Committee who are not from organizations with current applications and approved by the OBFS Board.

September 15-19

Award will be presented at the OBFS Annual Meeting. The OBFS Historian will photograph the representative(s) from the field station receiving the award at the 2025 Annual Meeting.

Upload nominations and support material to – Advancing Equity Form
Reach out to Jessica Malisch (jmalisch@ucmerced.edu) with any questions.
