Biodiversity Symposium ¶

The “Biodiversity Symposium” is an annual event that aims to bring together the WSL and Eawag community to discuss a current topic on biodiversity research and outreach. 

The Biodiversity Symposium brings together the biodiversity communities of WSL and Eawag to exchange ideas, explore new approaches, and find inspiration in a relaxed and festive atmosphere.

The first symposium took place in December 2022, with talks by Marc Castellnou (Pau Costa Foundation, Spain), Margaret Owuor (Wyss Academy, Switzerland), and Michael Schaepman (University of Zurich, Switzerland). They presented their perspectives on biodiversity research and management.

In December 2023, the second edition focused on biodiversity and net zero. Guest speakers included Jaboury Ghazoul (ETH Zurich), Zoe Stadler (OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences), and Sascha Ismail (Swiss Biodiversity Forum, SCNAT).

The third Biodiversity Symposium followed in December 2024, addressing the theme “Communicating Biodiversity (or Why it is so Difficult).” Dr. Viktoria Cologna (Collegium Helveticum), Dr. Bianca Saladin (Canton Zurich), and Prof. Bernhard Schmid (University of Zurich and Peking University) explored how scientific knowledge can be transformed into compelling stories that inspire action among the public, policymakers, and stakeholders.