Future Meetings
Here you will find information on future meetings of other professional bodies that are related to palaeontology. You can find out more about the meetings we run on the page Our meetings. If you would like a meeting you are organising to be added to this list, please use our online form: Add a future meeting
19th July - [ICRS] Session #72 - Lessons from the past: what do ancient reefs tell us about the future of coral reef ecosystems?
Lessons from the past: what do ancient reefs tell us about the future of coral reef ecosystems?
Growing evidence suggests that reefs of the geological past operated under similar fundamental ecological principles as modern reefs. Ancient ecosystems—even those from the Paleozoic, more than 250 million years ago—exhibit remarkable ecological similarities with present-day scleractinian coral reefs, including photosymbiosis or growth forms.
Throughout Earth’s history, reef building has waxed and waned in response to environmental changes. Over geological time, at least five major reef crises have been identified, mostly linked to rapid climate change: the Late Devonian, end-Permian, end-Triassic, Pliensbachian-Toarcian, and Paleocene-Eocene boundaries. In many respects, the causes of past reef crises mirror the modern threats driving the current decline of reef ecosystems. Functional analyses of modern coral communities are increasingly being applied to paleoecological studies, enabling more direct and meaningful comparisons between taxonomically distinct ancient ecosystems and today’s reefs.
Key topics for the proposed session include: (1) the paleoecology of past reef ecosystems with direct modern analogues; (2) comparative analyses of coral communities before and after extinction events throughout the Phanerozoic; and (3) patterns of convergent evolution and morphological adaptations to specific environments (e.g. mesophotic reefs).
The growing body of research in palaeontology and paleoecology holds valuable insights into the long-term responses of coral reefs to environmental perturbations. Moreover, the palaeontological record provides the only source of empirical evidence of such responses. These lessons are highly relevant for reef biologists, ecologists, and conservationists. As such, the proposed session would be of interest to a broad audience of researchers.
19th July - Paleo4Alps 2026
PALEO4ALPS corresponds to the XXVI Paleodays of the Società Paleontologica Italiana (SPI), the 96th Annual Meeting of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft (PalGes), the 30th Annual Meeting of the Österreichischen Paläontologischen Gesellschaft (ÖPG) and the Meeting of the Swiss Paleontological Society. The first joint meeting is intended to create a shared forum at the heart of the Alpine region. The conference is explicitly open beyond the membership of these societies and welcomes participants from all areas of paleontological research worldwide.
PALEO4ALPS aims to unite paleontologists working across a wide range of disciplines, geological time periods, fossil groups, and methodological approaches. By fostering exchange between different research traditions and perspectives, the meeting seeks to stimulate discussion, encourage interdisciplinary dialogue, and promote new scientific collaborations within the paleontological community.
The scientific program addresses both current and emerging topics in paleontology, ranging from Alpine case studies to global perspectives. A broad selection of multidisciplinary symposia provides a platform for integrative discussions. At the same time, field excursions to Bolca, the Dolomites, the Southern Alps, and the Carnic Alps will offer participants the opportunity to engage directly with the exceptional geological and paleontological heritage of the Alpine region.
2nd August - Climatic and Biotic Events of the Paleogene
The Paleogene Period was a time of extremes and transitions. Bounded by the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous and the rise of modern grasslands, the climate of the Paleogene was globally much warmer than today’s, yet continents and ocean basins had nearly modern configurations and supported biotic communities and biogeochemical regimes of broadly familiar types. The causes, dynamics and functioning of the Paleogene Earth-Life System are being studied by an international and highly interdisciplinary group of scientists including paleontologists, geologists, geochemists, paleoceanographers, climate scientists, and ecologists, among others. This community is united by its curiosity about the Paleogene Earth and what its history can tell us about our future.
We invite scientists worldwide to attend the 13th Climatic and Biotic Events of the Paleogene conference to be held August 2-8, 2026 at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC. CBEP2026 is co-hosted by NMNH and the U.S. Geological Survey. Together we will share recent advances in our knowledge of the Paleogene and the immediately preceding and following Late Cretaceous and Miocene, centering on these thematic areas:
Climate States and Processes
Stratigraphy and Surface Processes
Terrestrial and Marine Ecosystems
Biogeochemical Cycles
8th September - 19th Argentine Symposium on Paleobotany and Palynology (SAPP) and 58th Annual Meeting AASP-The Palynological Society (AASP-TPS)
The 19th Argentine Symposium on Paleobotany and Palynology (SAPP) and the 58th Annual Meeting of the AASP–The Palynological Society (AASP–TPS), will be held jointly at the Egidio Feruglio Paleontological Museum (MEF) in Trelew, Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina, between the 8th and 11th of September 2026.
Since 1978, the SAPP—organized by the Latin American Association of Paleobotany and Palynology (ALPP)—has become the most relevant meeting in the field of paleobotany and palynology in Argentina, regularly welcoming over 200 participants from different regions such as Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States. Each edition hosts more than 150 scientific contributions, organized into oral sessions, poster presentations, and plenary lectures covering a wide range of topics: anatomy and morphology, systematics and taxonomy, paleobiology, paleoclimatology, aeropalynology, melissopalynology, biostratigraphy, paleomycology, among others.
The Annual Meeting of the AASP–TPS, organized since 1967, is one of the most prestigious international events in the field of palynology. The meeting brings together researchers from around the world to discuss both fossil and modern palynology from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Additionally, thematic symposia, keynote lectures, and field trips to sites of paleobotanical, botanical, and geological interest in the region are planned, offering a unique opportunity for academic exchange in close contact with the Patagonian landscapes.
The event will also feature a set of initiatives aimed at strengthening engagement with the local community. These include educational programs, public exhibitions, and outreach activities designed to bring advances in paleobotany and palynology closer to a broader audience, fostering exchange between science and society in a regional context.
About Patagonia and Trelew
Patagonia is a key region for the natural sciences in the Southern Hemisphere. Its mix of steppes, mountain ranges, sea shores, and well-preserved geological history makes it a reference area for paleontological research. Fossil sites across the region provide extraordinary records that are essential for reconstructing the evolution of ecosystems and biotas through time.
It is also a living territory of exceptional biodiversity, like the Magellanic penguins and southern right whales in the Atlantic coast.
Located in the center of this vast region, the city of Trelew has daily flights to and from Buenos Aires via the Almirante Marcos A. Zar International Airport, and additional air connections through the El Tehuelche Airport (in Puerto Madryn, 60 km north). Trelew also has a regional and national bus terminal, along with a wide range of accommodation, gastronomy, and services, making it a suitable location for scientific meetings of both national and international scale.
Hence, the meeting offers a unique opportunity to explore this region’s natural and fossil heritage while engaging in academic exchange in paleobotany and palynology.
20th September - XII European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference (EPPC)
The XII European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference (EPPC) will take place at the University of Münster in Germany, 20th to 25th September 2026. EPPC takes place every four years, and provides an opportunity for sharing research and ideas related to any area of palaeobotany and palynology. In addition to the main scientific programme, the conference will include an icebreaker reception at the Prince Bishop’s Palace, a conference dinner in the Meranti Hall of Münster’s Allwetterzoo, and post-conference field trips to a range of local sites.
Key deadlines:
Abstract submission - 31st May 2026
Early bird registration - 30th June 2026
Final registration - 31st August 2026
For general enquiries, please contact the organisers at eppc@uni-muenster.de
7th October - Marine Reptile Conference 2026
This conference at Oxford University Museum of Natural History is open to all and we invite professionals, students, amateurs and enthusiasts interested in marine reptiles to attend. The primary focus will be on the fossil record, including topics such as taxonomy, taphonomy, fieldwork, conservation, recent discoveries, the origins of Mesozoic marine reptiles and ancient ecosystems. However, we also welcome abstracts on both extant marine reptiles, as well as the depiction of fossil marine reptiles in scientific and public literature, media and culture.
This meeting will be in-person only, and comprise two days of oral platform presentations, plus discussions, posters and collections tours (7th and 8th Oct).
There will also be optional field trips before (6th Oct) and after (9th Oct) the conference and an evening drinks reception at Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
17th November - Symposium on Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation
The 2026 Symposium on Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation will immediately precede the GCG Winter Seminar and AGM. Despite the title, SPPC has been expanded to cover any topic related to the preparation or conservation of any and all geological material, including all work undertaken to prepare palaeontological or geological material for research, teaching, storage, display, etc.
More information about this meeting18th November - Unnatural Disaster: Fighting Back Against the Steady Erosion of Geological Collections
Despite their clear public popularity, the future of geological collections, as well as the people and institutions who care for them, feels constantly under threat. The 2026 Geological Collections Group Winter Seminar will serve as a ‘call to arms’ for those in our community to present on and discuss the public and scientific benefits of our collections. We are seeking presentations that demonstrate the value of collections, and case studies of when advocacy has, or has not, been effective.
More information about this meeting2nd August - 5th Crossing the Palaeontological–Ecological Gap (CPEG) meeting & 4th Conservation Paleobiology Symposium
The 5th Crossing the Palaeontological–Ecological Gap (CPEG) Meeting and 4th Conservation Paleobiology Symposium (CPS) will be held jointly at University College London (UCL) in the summer of 2027, with planned dates of 2nd–6th August. This combined CPEG–CPS meeting aims to bridge spatial and temporal gradients between palaeontology, ecology, and conservation. We are planning a workshop and four days of in-person presentations, including a wide range of keynote speakers, as well as social events during the meeting.
More information about this meeting22nd May - 13th North American Paleontological Convention
Join us for the 14th North American Paleontological Convention. This international conference brings together paleontologists from all disciplines every four years. Gather on Ordovician bedrock near the Smokey Mountains in a vibrant city for four days of talks, a day of workshops or day trips, and a selection of pre- and post-meeting excursions.
More information about this meeting