IOS Workshop Glasgow
We’re excited to share that the ESEB- funded special topic network Integration Of Speciation Research (IOS) is hosting a second in-person workshop from 7–11 December 2026 at the Scottish Centre for Ecology & the Natural Environment (near Glasgow).
This workshop is aimed at bringing together ~40 diverse speciation researchers:
- to collaborate on populating a database of published reproductive barriers based on a standardized RIO framework (https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/10083/). This will involve working through papers during the workshop to extract RI measures and other metadata and entering them into a draft database (some preparatory work before the workshop may be requested to facilitate these steps during the workshop)
- to start working towards a manuscript using this database to answer an outstanding question in speciation
- to network, learn about reproductive isolation, and have fun!
If you are interested in applying to participate in the workshop, please fill out the form in the link below by May 20th, 2026. Room & board will be covered by the organizers; all other travel costs are the responsibility of the attendee.
Application link: https://forms.gle/ZJoqtwxDhT5gput46
The previous IOS workshop was held in Finland in 2023 (see more details below) and resulted in new interactions between speciation researchers and a successful publication of integration of speciation research manuscript (https://academic.oup.com/evolinnean/article/3/1/kzae001/7609448).
We look forward to receiving your applications!
Best regards,
The STN IOS organizing committee
Jonna Kulmuni (chair), Sean Stankowski, Carole Smadja, Sonal Singhal (co-chairs), Chris Cooney, Liz Scordato, Joana Meier, Richard Merrill, Konrad Lohse, Nick Barton, Roger Butlin, Jonah Walker, Parvathy Suendranadh, Hilde Schneemann and Rowan Schley
IOS Workshop Tvärminne Finland
The ESEB-funded Special Topic Network, Integration Of Speciation Research (IOS) is organizing a workshop to be held next year (30th March to 3rd April 2023) in Tvärminne field station, Finland. This workshop will gather researchers (~40 people) to consider how we can better integrate speciation research.
The call is now open for applications and we hope to gather a diverse group of participants representing various study organisms, methods used, career stages and countries. We encourage applications from all career stages including early career researchers, fellows, postdocs and PhD students.
Please apply here before 9th of December 2022 (applications closed).
The IOS committee has identified five areas where we think that integration might help advance our field and we have invited discussion leaders for each of these. The topics include: (1) Integrating over different subfields; (2) Integrating over spatial and temporal scales; (3) Integrating over taxonomic/environmental/ecosystems gaps; (4) Consistent reporting standards and measurements of RI and gene flow to facilitate meta-analyses/comparative analyses and (5) Integrating the language of speciation. The aim of the workshop is to discuss these challenges, and write a perspective article that we plan to submit to the Journal of Evolutionary Biology with all workshop participants as authors. During the workshop the discussion leaders will lead small group discussions to highlight the main challenges in each area, identify possible solutions, and draft a detailed outline for each topic.
All costs related to accommodation and meals during the workshop will be covered, but participants are expected to cover their own travel to Finland. However, we acknowledge that opportunities for travel funding may not be equal, and aim to support participants if no other funding exists. If you consider yourself in this situation, please let us know via the application form.
Best regards,
The STN IOS organizing committee
Jonna Kulmuni (chair), Chris Cooney, Sean Stankowski, Carole Smadja (co-chairs), Sonal Singhal, Liz Scordato, Joana Meier, Richard Merrill, Konrad Lohse, Nick Barton and Roger Butlin
Perspectives on Speciation Meeting in London
This event hosted by the Linnean Society of London, and co-organised by IOS and the Evolutionary journal of the Linnean Society brought together researchers from across evolutionary biology and related fields to examine how the process of speciation is understood from different disciplinary perspectives. The one-day meeting created a forum for dialogue between approaches spanning philosophy, palaeontology, systematics, behaviour, and genetics, highlighting both the diversity of viewpoints and the shared questions that unite research on the origin of species.
By placing these perspectives side by side, the symposium aimed to encourage communication across traditional disciplinary boundaries and promote a more integrated understanding of speciation. Discussions throughout the day highlighted how insights from genomic analyses, experimental evolution, fossil evidence, behavioural Ecology, and conceptual frameworks can collectively deepen our understanding of how new species arise and persist.
The symposium featured talks about genomic analyses, experimental evolution, fossil evidence, behavioural ecology, and conceptual frameworks, from an international group of speakers including Bill Baker, Claudia Bank, Roger Butlin, John Dupré, Rosie Gillespie, Joana Meier, Florian Schiestl, Sonal Singhal, Rike Stelkens, Chris Stringer, Andra Meneganzin, and John Wiens.
Contributions arising from the meeting have now been published as a special issue of the Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society: https://academic.oup.com/evolinnean/pages/perspectives-on-speciation