UW’s Biodiversity Institute to Sponsor Wyoming Herpetological Symposium

The Wyoming Herpetological Society is hosting its first-ever Wyoming Herpetological Symposium. And it will do so at the University of Wyoming.

The symposium will take place at the UW Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center auditorium from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. The Biodiversity Institute and the lab of Sean Giery, an associate research professor in UW's Department of Zoology and Physiology, will sponsor the event.

The symposium is a chance to gather all herpetofaunal enthusiasts to share their field herping stories, ongoing projects and research. The Wyoming Herpetological Society welcomes enthusiasts, amateurs and professionals from all backgrounds, skills and perspectives.

"This is our first-ever symposium," says Mason Lee, senior project coordinator for the UW Biodiversity Institute. "We're very excited to bring together herpetological enthusiasts and researchers in Wyoming and the region to celebrate the awesome research and field adventures that everybody has been up to."

Attendance is free and open to all herpetological enthusiasts in Wyoming and surrounding states. Registration is now open and will close Wednesday, Nov. 4. To register, go to https://forms.gle/p2FLvFCdsz59o5d68.

Abstract submissions for talks -- five minutes and 15 minutes in length -- at the symposium are being accepted. Four different talk themes are herpetological projects and research (Wyoming and non-Wyoming), and field herping/herp adventures (Wyoming and non-Wyoming). The abstract submission deadline is Thursday, Oct. 15. To submit an abstract, go to https://forms.gle/S5tArQDqwtFkDwKZ6.

The symposium also will host a photo contest. Photos entered in the contest can be of herpetofauna from anywhere in the world, as long as the photo was taken during 2026. Each attendee can submit up to five photos. To submit photos, go to https://forms.gle/p2FLvFCdsz59o5d68 and answer "yes" to the photo contest question. An entry box will pop up to upload photos, Lee says. The photo contest entry deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Additionally, the symposium will host a silent auction. Attendees or supporters can donate herpetological-themed items or other outdoor items. All funds raised through the silent auction will directly support future initiatives of the Wyoming Herpetological Society.

The society's purpose is to teach and practice safe, ethical field herping techniques; advance scientific understanding through rigorous data collection; support reptile and amphibian research in Wyoming; and disseminate information about native reptiles and amphibians.

For more information about the Wyoming Herpetological Society, go to www.wyomingherps.org or email [email protected].

About the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute

The UW Biodiversity Institute fosters conservation of biodiversity through scientific discovery, creative dissemination, education and public engagement. In this setting, scientists, citizens, students and educators come together to share a wealth of perspectives on the study and appreciation of biodiversity -- from microbes to poetry and ecosystems to economics. Learn more at www.wyomingbiodiversity.org.