About the Conference
The CAVEPS 2025 schedule will include one day of workshops (Monday 24th November) and four days of regular conference sessions (Tuesday 25th- Friday 28th November). There will be both pre- and post-conference fieldtrip options offered. We invite you to consider presenting your work on any aspect of vertebrate morphology, phylogeny, systematics, evolution, development, zooarchaeology and palaeoecology, in either oral or poster format (registration and abstract submission portal to follow soon.)
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The full schedule will be posted here once it is finalised.
Keynote Speakers
We have already secured a fantastic lineup of Keynote Speakers who will present at the meeting.
Prof. Robin Beck
University of Salford
After an inexplicable period of fascination with dinosaurs as a child, Robin later realised that fossil mammals were a far more interesting topic of study. He followed his undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge (1999-2002) with an MSc at the Natural History Museum, London (2002-2003), where he was lucky enough to be involved in a major research project that produced the first comprehensive phylogeny of all living mammal species recognised at the time, using supertree methods. A speculative email to Mike Archer led to the offer of a PhD project studying weird or otherwise enigmatic marsupials and their relatives, which he undertook at the University of New South Wales (2005-2008), supervised by Mike and Sue Hand. After this, he did a postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History (2009-2011) supervised by Rob Voss, working on marsupial morphology and phylogeny, the results of which were finally published as a major monograph in 2022. He then returned to the University of New South Wales as a DECRA postdoctoral fellow (2012-2014), focusing on fossil mammals from the early Eocene Tingamarra Local Fauna of northeastern Queensland. At the end of 2014, he moved back to the UK to take up a lectureship at the University of Salford, where he is currently Professor of Evolutionary Biology. His research remains primarily focused on mammalian evolution (with minor detours into isopods and fishes), and he has a strong interest in phylogenetic methods, particularly those that integrate fossil and molecular evidence.
Dr. Jacqueline Nguyen
Australian Museum / Flinders University
Dr Jacqueline Nguyen is an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow at Flinders University, Adelaide, and a Scientific Officer in Ornithology at the Australian Museum, Sydney. She was previously an Australian Museum Chadwick Biodiversity Fellow after receiving her PhD from the University of New South Wales.
Jacqueline’s research interests include the systematics, morphology, and evolution of Australian birds, particularly songbirds. She is interested in using a combination of fossils, morphology, and DNA to gain a better understanding of the evolutionary history of birds, living and extinct. Jacqueline has described several species of Australasian fossil birds and has collaborated on phylogenomic studies to estimate the relationships and evolutionary timescale of modern birds. She also enjoys engaging with diverse audiences to raise the profile of Australian birds.
Dr. Peter Bishop
Harvard University
Peter has had a lifelong passion for palaeontology, geology and mathematics, and for sharing this passion with others. He started his career in 2007 as a high school student volunteer at the Queensland Museum, publishing his first paper in 2010 (on invertebrates, don’t judge him too harshly). He gained a BAppSc (Hons) in Geosciences from QUT in 2012, completed his PhD in Evolutionary Biomechanics from Griffith University in 2017, and subsequently held post-doctoral positions at Griffith University, the University of the Sunshine Coast and the Royal Veterinary College. Since 2021, he has been a Research Fellow in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. Much of his research has involved integrating biomechanics with data from fossils and modern animals, using physics-based approaches to examine the adaptive significance of evolutionary changes in the vertebrate skeleton. Currently his research explores the sprawling-to-erect postural transition that took place in the ancestors of mammals, where he is using biomechanical modelling to understand the anatomical and physical factors that shaped this transition. Peter sees tremendous potential in the application of these approaches to understanding the diversity of Australasian vertebrate faunas, and their utility as powerful vehicles for education and science communication.
Mr. David Elliot OAM
Australian Age of Dinosaurs
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David Elliott is the Executive Chairman and co-founder of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History in Winton, Queensland. His journey in Australian palaeontology began in 1999 with the discovery of a dinosaur bone on Belmont Station, sparking a significant excavation effort in 2001 that revolutionised fossil excavation techniques. Alongside his wife Judy, David founded the Australian Age of Dinosaurs in 2002, aiming to preserve the region's significant dinosaur fossils. Since then, he has led numerous excavations, uncovering new species and significantly contributing to our understanding of prehistoric life. His contribution to regional sustainability through the development of palaeotourism has led to recognition as Australia’s Local Hero in 2024 and a Queensland Great in 2025.
With the Australian Age of Dinosaurs now home to Australia’s most significant collection of Australian dinosaur fossils, David is preparing for the final stage of the Museum – a world-class Museum of Natural History. This future landmark will serve as a central hub for Australian paleontological research and discovery, elevating our understanding of the past and inspiring future generations of scientists and enthusiasts alike.
Sign up and payment for these activities is
available on the Registration Form.
Workshops & Field Trips
Workshops
The workshops will be taking place at a variety of venues across the Bedford Park Campus and range in duration from 90 minutes to 4 hours.
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Workshop #:
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Publishing in top journals (Mike Lee).
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Media training workshop (Adele Pentland and Sally Hurst).
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Bibliometrics in Australasian vertebrate palaeontology (Gilbert Price).
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Musculoskeletal modelling and simulation (Peter Bishop, online).
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Fossil casting methods (Carey Burke).
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Constructive approaches for post-colonial palaeontology (Decolonising Palaeontology Working Group).
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3D Reconstruction and Animation (Astrid O’Connor).
There will be two fieldtrips associated with the 19th CAVEPS meeting:
1. Pre-conference: a two-day trip to the Naracoorte Caves World Heritage site (21st-22nd November)
2. Post conference: a multiday visit spanning the late Oligocene Lake Pinpa sites to the Ediacaran Hills at Nilpena, including a journey through time in Brachina Gorge of the beautiful and iconic Ikara - Flinders Ranges (29th Nov.-4th Dec.).
Field Trips
CAVEPS Auction
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A fun-filled auction will be taking place at the conference dinner. Funds raised from the auction will go towards student prizes and the running of future CAVEPS meetings.
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We are currently asking for auction item donations and nothing is too big or too small! Items may range from palaeontology-themed reprints or textbooks (let’s help our budding palaeontologists expand their libraries) to fossil casts, artwork, clothing or digging equipment (anything palaeo-themed you can dream up).
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If you’re interested in donating an item you can bring it to the conference or contact aaron.camens@flinders.edu.au
Auction night.
