7th Galapagos Research and
Conservation Symposium

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristóbal Island, will host the 7th Symposium on Research and Conservation in Galápagos. This important multidisciplinary event, which will take place on Monday, July 14 and Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the Charles Darwin Convention Center, will be organized by the Galapagos Science Center, thanks to the sponsorship of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and with the support of the Galápagos National Park.

The main objective of the symposium will be to share information about the scientific research being conducted in the Galápagos Islands, including applied methodologies, current findings, and future directions. During the event, 50 presentations will be delivered, focusing on research and initiatives related to conservation, environmental change, biodiversity, and oceans, as well as topics related to the community and local public health.

In addition to scientific talks, the symposium will offer a poster session, where attendees will be able to explore topics in greater depth and ask direct questions to the presenters.

The speakers will be active researchers in Galápagos, with broad collaborative networks and a strong commitment to training the next generation of scientists in the archipelago. This gathering will provide a unique opportunity for participants to collaborate on projects and form new national and international partnerships and networks, which are vital for successful conservation efforts.

The symposium will also aim to promote community involvement, both as presenters and audience members. This will allow authorities to understand the population’s needs and concerns firsthand, providing valuable input for decision-making. This space will inform the Galápagos community about the unique ecosystem in which they live, as well as the environmental and public health challenges they face.

Symposium 2024

Symposium 2023

Symposium 2019

Symposium 2018

Symposium 2017

HISTORY

The Galapagos Research and Conservation Symposium was established in 2016 with the primary objective of bringing together scientists from the Galapagos National Park Directorate, the Galapagos Science Center, and the Galapagos community to foster discussion, exchange ideas, and collaborate on scientific efforts related to the conservation of vulnerable island ecosystems and populations.

To learn more, please refer to the proceedings of previous events.

Watch the videos of the previous events:

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In 2022, the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) and the broader UNC & USFQ Galapagos Initiative will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. We are proud to announce the World Summit on Island Sustainability scheduled to be held on June 26–30, 2022 at the Galapagos Science Center and the Community Convention Center on San Cristobal Island.

The content of the World Summit will be distributed globally through social media and results documented through papers published in a book written as part of the Galapagos Book Series by Springer Nature and edited by Steve Walsh (UNC) & Carlos Mena (USFQ) as well as Jill Stewart (UNC) and Juan Pablo Muñoz (GSC/USC). The book will be inclusive and accessible by the broader island community including scientists, managers, residents, tourists, and government and non-government organizations.

While the most obvious goal of organizing the World Summit on Island Sustainability is to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the GSC and the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, other goals will be addressed through special opportunities created as part of our operational planning of the World Summit.

For instance, we seek to elevate and highlight the Galapagos in the island conservation discourse, seeking to interact with other island networks in more obvious and conspicuous ways to benefit the Galapagos Islands, the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, and the world. We will seize the opportunity to further develop the I2N2 – International Islands Network-of-Networks. Further, we wish to highlight and emphasize multiple visions of a sustainable future for the Galapagos Islands and we cannot do this alone. Therefore, engaging the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism, the Government Council of Galapagos, the Galapagos National Park, and local Galapagos authorities, including government and non-government organizations and local citizen groups, is imperative.

The Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos

Borrowing from Hawaii’s and Guam’s Green Growth Program and the Global Island Partnership, we wish to examine existing global programs that emphasize island sustainability and their incorporation into life, policies, and circumstances in the Galapagos Islands. We will also seek to enhance our connections with the institutional members of our International Galapagos Science Consortium and expand the Consortium through the recruitment of other member institutions. We will also work to benefit islands and their local communities by working with citizen groups as well as important NGOs who seek to improve the natural conditions in the Galapagos and diminish the impact of the human dimension on the future of Galapagos’ ecosystems.

Lastly, we will use the World Summit to benefit UNC & USFQ and our constituencies through a strong and vibrant communication plan about the World Summit, creating corporate relationships as sponsors, identifying funding goals through donors, and benefiting our study abroad program for student engagement in the Galapagos Islands. We plan to develop and issue a Galapagos Sustainability Communique after the World Summit that includes the vision and insights of all its participants for a sustainable Galapagos with applicability to global island settings.

We are eager to hear your perspective and have you join us at the World Summit on Island Sustainability!