We hope you’ll join us in Monterey!

Discover, connect, and inspire at our 73rd annual conference in beautiful Monterey, California. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or an emerging professional, this is your chance to engage with leading minds in conservation, ecology, and field research. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Pacific coast, the conference offers cutting-edge workshops, dynamic speakers, and invaluable networking opportunities. Expand your knowledge, share your work, and be part of shaping the future of wildlife biology. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn, collaborate, and recharge in one of the most biodiverse regions in the country! 

Whether you’re looking to advance your research, explore new ideas, or simply recharge among colleagues who share your passion, this is the conference designed for you. We hope you’ll join us! 

Welcome Message from the Meeting Chair

While researching potential plenary speakers for the 2026 conference, I reached out to friends and colleagues for their recommendations. That led me to explore several books by the suggested candidates — well, listen to them, since reading time is scarce these days!

One book in particular stood out to me: Wild Life: Finding My Purpose in an Untamed World by Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. Her self-narrated memoir is powerful, honest, and deeply inspiring. In Chapter 12, one line resonated so strongly that it became the inspiration for our 2026 theme: “Success is not an arrival — it unfolds over time.”

This simple yet profound statement captures the essence of her journey and serves as a reminder for all of us to extend ourselves a little grace. Dr. Wynn-Grant doesn’t shy away from sharing the full spectrum of her experiences—academic, personal, scientific, and professional. Her story is one of perseverance, growth, and authenticity.

Whether you’re navigating the challenges of work-life balance, pushing through organic chemistry, designing a study, working to save a species, driving change, or simply finding your path in today’s complex world, this theme is meant to resonate. It certainly does for me.

We don’t always get it right the first time. But it’s in the setbacks that we learn, in the small steps that we build momentum, and in the continued striving that we find both success and inspiration. I hope this theme shapes the tone of our conversations and presentations in 2026.

Come learn with us in Monterey, come reconnect with your colleagues and make new friends. We hope to inspire you, and I look forward to seeing you at the 2026 Western Section TWS Conference in Monterey!

— Brock Ortega, Dudek, President-Elect TWS-WS, and 2026 Annual Meeting Chair