ECCB2026 Registration Fee Waivers
February 19, 2026
Berta Martin-Lopez (Leuphana University Lüneburg, Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)) will bring a blend of natural and social sciences to ECCB 2026 as one of the keynote speakers. With research spanning several countries, she implements multiple methods to engage as many voices as possible.
“Conservation can only be effective if it is truly inclusive by considering systems in a general way. We need to embrace the rich diversity of communities’ understandings rather than fitting them into different scientific frameworks. Our world is not confined to one habitat; we must include the diversity of both humans and more-than-human worlds. Language, particularly the words we choose, is key to achieving this.”
“Our world does not live in one habitat.”
“As conservationists, we are moving in a positive direction. However, many of us are trained in a traditional manner, focusing on dominant mechanistic viewpoints and relying on linear facts. If we want to strengthen the connection between our work and other fields of study, we should embrace the plurality of disciplines and methods. Especially in understanding our position with nature and our research, power relations are present. As Foucault said, “power is the air we breathe.” This means reflecting on our positionality and the lenses we use to approach our research. By maintaining an open and plural approach, we can create a space for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange.”
“We need to embrace the plurality of disciplines and methods.”
“At the beginning, I felt that I was not the stereotype of what a scientist was meant to look like. I was a young female researcher who sometimes felt sidelined. I learned to collaborate and partner with those who can amplify our voices through different ways of conducting research. If I could give advice to the young researchers coming to ECCB ‘26: Do not be afraid to be unique, creative, and occupy space. Science has many theories, but the diversity of people is what makes it so rich.”
