Conference Programme

12th International Penguin Conference > Conference Programme

ProgrammeConference Programme

The full conference programme for IPC12 is now available below. You can also view the bios of our confirmed keynote speakers on the dedicated Keynote Speakers page.

Conference Programme PDF
Pre-conference workshops
Poster programme

Sun, 30 Aug

0900-1200Improving methods for population estimates and identifying research priorities for rockhopper penguinsDr Jeff WhiteVenue to be confirmed
0900–1200The science communication of penguins: A new approachProf Lloyd Davis, Dr Wiebke FinklerVenue to be confirmed
1200–1230Lunch (at delegates own expense)
1230–1500Antarctic ParasiteNet: A global network on host-parasite interactions across AntarcticaDr Meagan DewarVenue to be confirmed
1230–1630Signals before the storm: Detecting early-warning signals of regime shifts in penguin populationsDr Vincent A Viblanc, Claire SarauxVenue to be confirmed
1100 & 1500 departuresBuses departing from Tullamarine, Melbourne International Airport.Delegates need to preregister for the buses via the registration portal.Tullamarine International Airport
1400–1800Registration OpensBerninneit
1700–1900The Icebreaker

Start the conference by joining colleagues at the traditional IPC Icebreaker. Enjoy a selection of regional wines and local canapés while catching up with peers, making new connections, and settling into the conference in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

Berninneit

Day 1: Mon, 31 Aug

0800–1700Registration opensBerninneit
0900–1500Exhibition opensCommunity Rooms
0800 - 1650Speakers Preparation Room OpensSpeakers are to upload their slides 2 hours prior to the presentation. This might mean the day before if necessary.
0810Welcome to Country & Smoking CeremonyFoyer of Berninneit
0900Opening RemarksWelcome by Catherine Basterfield, CEO, Phillip Island Nature ParksVideo welcome by Minister for Environment, Hon Enver EdrogenAuditorium
Chair: Associate Professor Andre Chiaradia
0910Keynote PresentationWhy count penguins?Prof Hugh Possingham
With thanks to
Auditorium
0940Gentoo penguin occupation and colonisation in relation to glacial retreat and sea ice decline near Palmer Station, west Antarctic PeninsulaDr Megan Cimino
0955Projected redistribution of Southern Ocean penguins under climate changeJoshua Wilson
1010Tracking the invisible: Integrating autonomous prey monitoring and biologging to reveal climate impacts on penguinsDr Claire Saraux
1025–1110Morning teaCommunity Rooms
1110Precipitation as a novel threat for penguins. Increased catastrophic snowfall events break historic breeding success trends; breeding failures now frequent in all threeDr Ignacio Juarez MartinezAuditorium
1125Storm-driven turbidity and suppressed population growth in little penguins: evidence from Ōamaru, New Zealand.Dr Philippa Agnew
1140Predicting prey fields in little penguin foraging habitats using autonomous acoustic monitoringEloise Baleynaud
1155 - 1230Lightning Presentations
  • Emperor penguin’s fossil relatives inhabited subtropical watersAlan Tennyson
  • The heat is on: Behavioural, physiological and reproductive evidence of heat stress in breeding king penguinsDr Vincent A. Viblanc
  • Niche width impacts phenological match-mismatch of Adélie and gentoo penguins in a changing climateDr Megan Cimino
  • Changes in behaviour of royal penguins on Macquarie Island over a fifteen-year time frame – observations of an amateur “citizen scientist”.Dr Neisha Wratten
  • Video evidence of pteropod predation highlights diet flexibility in Adélie penguinsDr Hina T. Watanabe
With thanks to
Auditorium
1230–1345Lunch & Exhibition ViewingCommunity Rooms
1345Do ecological niche models predict abundance? Insights from spatial structure, oceanography, and genetics in Antarctic penguinsEduardo J. PizarroAuditorium
1400Two islands, different journeys: Pre-moult foraging of erect-crested penguins from the New Zealand Bounty and Antipodes IslandsBianca Keys
1415Foraging of southern rockhopper and royal penguins on Macquarie IslandJaslyn Allnutt
1430Stable individual spatial strategies and physiological plasticity in foraging chinstrap penguinsJosabel Belliure
1445Emergence of a prey depletion halo through penguin–krill behavioural dynamicsDr Hina T. Watanabe
1500–1530Stretch break
1530Year-round movement of emperor penguin colonies observed from spaceDr Grant MacdonaldAuditorium
1545The End of the Empire? Discovery of Antarctic moulting sites in satellite imagery reveals new threat to emperor penguinsDr Peter Fretwell
1600 - 1650Lightning Presentations
  • Is past prologue: Might historical foraging plasticity buffer king penguins against future climate impacts?Angela Stahl
  • Living with uncertainty: Using multi-model large ensembles to assess emperor penguin extinction risk for the IUCN Red ListAlice Eparvier
  • Parental stress and offspring performance: reproductive consequences of corticosterone in king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus)Anais Cotton
  • Philopatric behaviour and breeding dynamics of Humboldt penguins in Punta San Juan, PeruArianna Basto
  • Safe in the subs? Population counts indicate a decline in numbers of Hoiho at Motu Ihupuku Campbell IslandDr Melanie Young
  • Using egg density to predict hatching dates in gentoo penguinsDr Yuna Kim
  • Age related changes in foraging behaviour variability of Adélie penguinsLinnet Jessell
  • Pagophilic rather than sea-ice obligate: a review of Adélie penguin moult patternsDr David Ainley
With thanks to
Auditorium
1650–1800Poster Session

The Poster Session offers a valuable opportunity to discover new research, exchange ideas, and connect with colleagues from across the profession. Featuring a broad range of poster presentations, the session encourages discussion with authors and provides insight into current projects, innovations, and emerging trends.

Enjoy light refreshments as you explore the displays, engage in conversations with presenters, and expand your professional network in an informal and welcoming environment. Whether you're sharing your own work or learning from others, the Poster Session is an excellent way to gain fresh perspectives and make meaningful connections.

With thanks to
Community Rooms
1800End of Day 1 of Conference
With thanks to our Session Sponsors

Day 2: Tue, 1 Sep

0830Registration OpensBerninneit
0830-1730Speakers Preparation RoomSpeakers to upload their slides 2 hours prior to the presentation. This might mean the day before if necessary.
0900-1515Exhibition OpensCommunity Rooms
0900Welcome & Summary of Day 1Auditorium
0910Keynote PresentationFrom Prediction to Preparation: Forecasts for Proactive Penguin ConservationDr Alistair Hobday
With thanks to
Auditorium
0940Divergent responses of rockhopper penguins to extreme oceanographic variabilityDr Andrea Raya Rey
0955Cumulative effects of extreme events on little penguin foraging performance in a global warming hotspotAndrea Kaplan
1010Future winter habitat suitability of an ice-obligate Adélie penguin under different climate scenariosDr Zuzana Zajková
1025-1055Morning TeaCommunity Rooms
1055Paradise Lost? Dramatic population changes in the world's largest penguin colonyDr Gemma ClucasAuditorium
1110Climate lags matter: SST anomalies drive stage-specific shifts in Humboldt penguin breedingDr Susana Cárdenas-Alayza
1125When earlier phenology becomes beneficial: Increasing double brooding in a long-lived seabirdAlice Eparvier
1140Where penguins waddle, do oceans warm? A multi-dataset assessment of emperor and Adélie colony exposure to marine heatwaves and sea-ice changeRaven Quilestino-Olario
1155 - 1230Lightning Presentations
  • Surviving the heat: Increasing Ocean temperatures and shifting breeding patterns of little penguins until the end of the centuryAndrea Kaplan
  • Little penguins move to coastal refuges to rest overnight under strong sea conditionsYan Ropert-Coudert
  • A Coastal Canary? Little penguins signal climate strain on temperate AustraliaDr Sandra Vardeh
  • The effects of environmental variation on the survival and reproductive ecology of little penguins in an urbanised colonyMeagan Tucker
  • Climate variability shapes mercury exposure in little penguins: insights from a 15-year time series at a global warming hotspotMargot Arabadjieva
  • Spatial variation in body condition of a coastal sentinel, the little penguin, reflects marine and terrestrial factorsDr Melanie Wells
With thanks to
1230-1330LunchCommunity Rooms
1330HPAI assessments in penguin populations at Heard Island and McDonald IslandsDr Julie McInnesAuditorium
1345Health and infectious disease surveillance of rockhopper and gentoo penguins in the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) from 2018 to 2024.Dr Ann Duncan
1400Passive disease surveillance of little penguins at Phillip Island (Milawul) – an overview of the first two years of findingsDr Jasmin Hufschmid
1415Rising parasite pressure in Antarctic penguins: increasing tick infestation across Pygoscelis coloniesDr Katarzyna Tołkacz
1430Diet–microbiome shifts and disease resilience in endangered hoiho, yellow-eyed penguinsDr Eiren Sweetman
1445Bridging the gap: Leveraging ex situ expertise for in situ penguin conservationKaren Waterfall
1500-1515Stretch Break
1515Population genomics of yellow-eyed penguins uncovers subspecies divergence and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndromeDr Janelle WierengaAuditorium
1530The new world of microplastics: A field fraught with issues of contamination and accuracy of the results that we present to the scientific communityDr Brian Walker
1545A novel, localised cellulitis syndrome in African penguins during catastrophic moultAlbert Snyman
1600-1650Lightning presentations
  • Handled with care - stress response development, survival, and recruitment of korōrāShelley Ogle
  • Feather CORT: a novel, minimally invasive monitoring technique for chronic stress levels in New Zealand KorōrāOlivia Ediriweera
  • Linking post-moult physiology to migration in chinstrap penguins from Deception IslandJosabel Belliure
  • Modelling oil spill risk to African penguins in Algoa Bay, South Africa (from ship-to-ship bunkering)Dr Katrin Ludynia
  • Species-specific immune signatures in Antarctic penguins under environmental changeMeagan Dewar
With thanks to
1650 - 1710Stretch Break
1710 - 1800Lightning Presentations
  • Babesia spp. infection in wild and rehabilitating little penguins: Evidence for immune adaptation across life history stagesDr Rachel Chang
  • Effects of Aspergillosis on vocal behaviour and call structure in Humboldt penguinsVictor Scheire
  • Little blue penguin gut microbiome: A 2026 case study in disease and developmentKayla Strate
  • Environmental and health associations with parasite presence on a coastal sentinel, the little penguinDr Melanie Wells
  • Novel Candidiasis granuloma in a little penguinDr Adrienne Lavinia
  • Health assessments and pathogen surveillance: How building health data aids in conservation decision makingDr Matt Allender
  • From managed care to wild populations: The role of The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore in African penguin conservationJess Phillips
  • A day as a penguin: Welfare monitoring of three zoo-housed colonies of African penguins through ethological observations and analysis of keepers' perceptionsFrancesca Bandoli
  • Beyond euthanasia: Biosecurity and survival during an HPAI outbreakAlbert Snyman
With thanks to
Auditorium
1800End of Day 2 of Conference
With thanks to our Session Sponsors

Day 3: Wed, 2 Sep

0830Registration OpensBerninneit
0830-1700Speakers Preparation RoomSpeakers are to upload their slides 2 hours prior to the presentation. This might mean the day before if necessary.
0900-1510Exhibition OpensCommunity Rooms
0900Welcome and Summary of Day 2Auditorium
0910Keynote PresentationDr Stephanie Jenouvrier
With thanks to
Auditorium
0940How food availability shapes penguin foraging successDr Claire Saraux
0955Updated population estimates for the endangered northern rockhopper penguin at Tristan da Cunha in the South AtlanticDr Antje Steinfurth
1010Schrödinger’s penguin? Divergent population trajectories and the challenge of assessing the threat status of the Erect-crested penguinDave Houston
1025-1055Morning TeaCommunity Rooms
1055Declining Humboldt penguins in Chile: Trends, possible causes and future perspectivesDr Alejandro SimeoneAuditorium
1110Do Humboldt penguins forage differently across colonies? A multi-site tracking studyDr Carlos Zavalaga
1125Status of little penguins in New South Wales, AustraliaDr Lisa O'Neill
1140Comparison of fine-scale breeding and moult data to reveal population change in Humboldt penguins in PeruDr Patty McGill
1155A penguin epigenetic clock and its application to demographyDr Robin Cristofari
1210Re-establishment of an African penguin colony: Refining strategies for bolstering recruitment potentialChristina Hagen
1225-1330Lunch & Exhibition ViewingCommunity Rooms
1330 - 1410Keynote PresentationAdélie penguins as monitor of the marine environmentDr Akiko Kato
With thanks to
Auditorium
1410Hydrodynamic optimisation of penguin bio-logging devicesDr Janine Schoombie
1425Investigating carry-over effects in Pygoscelid penguins using long-term time-lapse camera monitoringMarie Rusch
1440A prototype automated population counter for Magellanic penguins using thermal drone imagery and machine learningDr Brett Buzzanga
1455Validating automated penguin monitoring systems as indicators of African penguin foraging success and prey availabilityEleanor Weideman
1455 -1510Stretch Break
1510Habitat use by high-latitude penguins: A comparison of biologging and at-sea surveysDr Tammy RussellAuditorium
1525AI comes of age to integrate timelapse monitoring with population countsProf Tom Hart
1540Drone–AI approaches for monitoring remote penguin colonies at Heard Island and McDonald IslandsDr Jarrod Hodgson
1540 -1655Lightning Presentations
  • Estimating ‘hot-spots’ of little penguin predation by long-nosed fur seals – it’s complicatedDr Rebecca McIntosh
  • From fluff to fledgling: chick growth and survival in a dynamic worldSylvie Evans
  • Sex-specific variation in pre-moult foraging movements of Magellanic penguinsChloe Rabinowitz
  • Linking personality to foraging behaviour in chinstrap penguins: a bio-logging approachJosabel Belliure
  • Using biologging data to unravel cognitive processes in foraging king penguins: Within-trip experience-based decision and across-trip memory.Dr Camille Lemonnier
  • Mixed breeding and interspecific pairing in crested penguins: towards a global compilation of anomalous reproductive events across coloniesJosabel Belliure
  • Spatial segregation in habitat use by breeding macaroni penguins from a colony in Kerguelen islands is linked to differences in energy requirements and prey depletion halo.Dr Camille Lemonnier
  • Re-assessment of long-term survival and breeding success of African penguins oiled in the MV treasure oil spill in 2000Prof Peter Barham
  • Performance of deep learning models to estimate foraging effort in Antarctic Pygoscelis penguinsDr Stefan Schoombie
  • Sentinels of change: understanding resilience of Antarctic seabirds to global warming using ancient environmental DNADr Theresa Cole
  • From Research to Practice: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Penguin Conservation through Genetic Resource BankingPaweł Borecki
  • Genome architecture and structural variation reveal the evolutionary history of Southern Ocean gentoo penguinsDr Juliana A. Vianna
  • Phylogenetic niche conservatism shapes climate vulnerability in Southern Hemisphere seabirdsAmanda Santos
With thanks to
1655 - 1800Poster Session

The Poster Session offers an interactive opportunity to discover new research, connect with colleagues, and engage in conversations about the latest developments in the field. Featuring a broad range of poster presentations, the session provides a welcoming environment to discuss ideas directly with presenters and explore innovative work from across the profession.

Enjoy light refreshments as you browse the displays, exchange insights with fellow delegates, and expand your professional network. Whether you're sharing your own research or exploring the work of others, the Poster Session is an excellent opportunity to learn, collaborate, and be inspired.

With thanks to
Community Rooms
1800End of Day 3 of Conference
1900 - 2100Documentary Premiere Winners & Losers among little penguins by Aurélien Prudor, acclaimed French documentary makerAuditorium
With thanks to our Session Sponsors

Day 4: Thu, 3 Sep

0830Registration OpensBerninneit
0830-1530Speakers Preparation Room OpensSpeakers are to upload their slides 2 hours prior to the presentation. This might mean the day before if necessary.
0900-1515Exhibition OpensCommunity Rooms
0900Welcome and Summary of Day 3Auditorium
0910Keynote PresentationNot the dove of peace but the penguin of insightProf Beth Fulton
With thanks to
Auditorium
0940Penguins, prey and policy: evaluating new fisheries closures for the Critically Endangered African PenguinDr Alistair McInnes
0955Fishery-induced changes in prey schooling reduce foraging efficiency and energy balance in African penguinsDr Jacqui Glencross
1010Living with the enemy: Humboldt penguins appear to defy fisheries and coastal development in central ChileDr Ursula Ellenberg
1025-1055Morning TeaCommunity Rooms
1055Bycatch of Humboldt Penguin near breeding colonies: Integration of onboard observations and testing of co-designed mitigation measures in artisanal gillnet fisheriesVerónica López-LatorreAuditorium
1110Magellanic penguin foraging efficiency during chick provisioning declines with increased commercial fishing hoursDr Katie Holt
1125Foraging among the fleet: Biological and environmental drivers of habitat selection and foraging performance of Magellanic penguins in fished seascapesMeredith Honig
1140Linking ocean foraging to life on land: Carry-over effects on Southern Rockhopper penguins phenology across a decadeDr Samanta Dodino
1155 – 1230Lightning presentations
  • Evaluating Ross Sea mesopredator habitat use in response to Marine Protected Area implementation and shifting environmental and sea-ice regimesDr Rachel Hickcox
  • What drives penguin recovery? Insights from IUCN Green Status of Species and life-history and threat-based analyses.Ella Wallis
  • Penguin conservation requires an evolutionary perspectiveDr Josabel Belliure
  • Fishing tips from expert divers: Ascending foraging strategy in wild Adélie penguinsMiki Nara
With thanks to
1230-1330Lunch & Exhibition ViewingCommunity Rooms
1330Catastrophic decline in a super colony of little penguinsDr Duncan SutherlandAuditorium
1345Survival of little penguin adults and chicks is influenced by marine temperatures and rainfallDr Belinda Cannell
1400Beyond individual personality traits: Behavioural syndrome in little penguinsA/Prof Diane Colombelli-Négrel
1415Effects of sibling rank and sex on CORT and growth in two-chick broods of little penguinsJustine Wintz
1430Constructing gentoo penguin food webs for ecosystem monitoring: seasonal shifts in diet and network structure at Macquarie IslandGeorgia Byrne
1445The heat is on: Short-term natural heat exposure leads to physiological alterations in breeding king penguinsLéo Marcouillier
1500-1515Stretch Break
1515Antarctic site inventory: 32 years of counting penguins in AntarcticaKate RobbAuditorium
1530African Penguin mutual display song playback encourages breeding behaviour: Implications for conservationRenske Kerkhofs
1545Unusual breeding strategies by African penguins on Robben IslandProf Peter Barham
1600End of Day of Conference
1630Coach pickup for delegates who have registered for the Penguin Parade and the DinnerCoach bay, Berninneit
1800-1900Penguin Parade & Water Ceremony
1930-2130Conference Dinner (Registration required)

Experience one of the most iconic penguin attractions before joining fellow delegates for the Conference Dinner. Begin the evening by watching the world-famous Penguin Parade, then continue the experience over a relaxed dinner with colleagues.

The evening offers the perfect opportunity to unwind, share ideas, strengthen professional connections, and enjoy great food in a cosy setting. It's a memorable way to celebrate the conference.

Little Chicks Café, Penguin Parade
With thanks to our Session Sponsors

Day 5: Fri, 4 Sep

0830Registration OpensBerninneit
0830-1530Speakers Preparation Room OpensSpeakers are to upload their slides 2 hours prior to the presentation. This might mean the day before if necessary.
0900-1330Exhibition OpensCommunity Rooms
0900Welcome and Summary of Day 4Auditorium
0910Keynote PresentationFrom linear foraging to seabed mining, from marathon to super-charged penguins - 25 years of penguin research in Aotearoa New ZealandDr Thomas Mattern
With thanks to
Auditorium
0940Determinants and consequences of pair bond disruption in little penguinsDr Vincent A. Viblanc
0955Quantifying social bonds and coordinated foraging in African PenguinsJody McComb
1010Long-term stability of Tawaki pre-moult foraging revealed through stable isotope analysisDr Jeff White
1025-1055Morning TeaCommunity Rooms
1055A winter’s tail: Feather amino acid isotopes identify contrasting seasonal trophic niches in two Antarctic penguins with differing migration strategiesDr Michael PolitoAuditorium
1110Sedimentary ancient DNA reveals long-term ecological dynamics of Adélie penguins in the Ross Sea, AntarcticaDr Theresa Cole
1125Tracking river contributions to little penguin diets using sulfur stable isotopesJulia Braga Morais
1140Spatiotemporal variation of δ13C isotope values in ancient and modern Adélie penguin bone collagen from the Ross Sea, AntarcticaValerie Muñoz
1155 - 1230Lightning presentations
  • Automatic acoustic identification of individual penguins as the basis of population monitoringProf Bernd Meyer
  • Event cameras, a novel tool for studying behaviour. Pilot study monitoring ecstatic displays on wild penguinsDr Ignacio Juarez Martinez
  • How much monitoring is enough? Estimating the minimum sampling effort required to detect population change in little penguinsDr Maria Schreider
  • Mitigating transponder tag migration risk in Hoiho – testing a new techniqueMelanie Young
  • Unique underwing plumage patterns allow individual identification of 350 king penguins at the Bahia Inútil colony, Tierra del Fuego, Chile, and most are visiting subadultsDr Charles Munn
  • Local predation impacts on African based on rehabilitation and mortality records at SANCCOB (2017–2025)Albert Snyman
With thanks to
1230-1330Lunch &ExhibitionCommunity Rooms
1330Sex-specific migratory behaviours lead to increased risk exposure for female Magellanic penguinsDr Eric WagnerAuditorium
1345A multi-use non-invasive faecal sampling approach for hormone, microbiome, and genetic sex monitoring in African penguinsDr Susan Smith
1400Variation in body temperature and heart rate of incubating Adélie penguins in response to microclimatic conditionsDr Ayaka Saito
1415An integrated database for Tasmanian little penguinsDr Perviz Marker
1430Seabirds to seascapes: Integrating multi-disciplinary research to inform management of little penguins in New South WalesKate Akkerman
1445Evidence of olfaction and olfactory communication in Humboldt penguinsAlex Wilder
1500-1515Stretch Break
1515Vocal communication in the African penguin: acoustic cues to identity, size, and health in a critically endangered speciesProf Livio FavaroAuditorium
1530Saving starving seabirds: The development of a sex-specific body condition index (BCI) for African penguins to understand if spatial and temporal patterns of emaciation are linked to food availabilityDr Lisa Nupen
1530 - 1600Closing Ceremony and AwardsProfessor Mike Cullen award for the Best Presentation
Sponsored by
1630Coaches departing to Melbourne, Tullamarine Airport (Preregistration required)Coach bay, Berninneit
With thanks to our Session Sponsors
Saturday 5 September
0900Coaches departing to Melbourne, Tullamarine Airport (Preregistration required)Coach bay, Berninneit