Our Members

The Penguin Specialist Group consists of two Co-Chairs, a Steering Committee, and invited general members.

Meet the Steering Committee

Lauren Waller
Co-Chair

Pablo (Popi) Borboroglu
Co-Chair

P. Dee Boersma

Affiliation – SANCCOB and University of the Western Cape, South Africa

Area of Expertise – Conservation management, Species conservation planning ; seabird monitoring, African penguin and other South African seabird ecology and conservation

Species and/or region work – African penguin, South Africa

Affiliation – President of Global Penguin Society-Researcher at National Research Council Argentina-Affiliate Associate Professor at University of Washington

Area of Expertise – Penguin and ocean science-based conservation. Protected areas creation, planning and implementation. Since the late 1980s, his research focuses on seabird ecology, management and conservation, with special emphasis on penguins

Species and/or region work – Global. Currently based in Patagonia-Argentina

Affiliation – Wadsworth Endowed Chair in Conservation Science, Director Ecosystem Sentinels, Dept. of Biology, University of Washington

Area of Expertise – Natural history and conservation of penguins. My broad interests in ecology and behavior has results in 30 to 50 year long-term studies of Galapagos and Magellanic penguins

Species and/or region work – South America, Falkland Is., New Zealand, Antartica, and North American AZA accredited zoos

Andre Chiaradia

Affiliation – Penguin scientist at the Phillip Island Nature Parks and Professor at Monash University, Australia

Area of Expertise – marine ecosystem ecology, food web, tracking, diving, automated monitoring system, penguin biology, marine spatial planning

Species and/or region work – Little penguin (Eudyptula minor), Oceania

Phil Seddon

Affiliation – Professor of Zoology, University of Otago

Area of Expertise – Wildlife management, conservation biology, threatened species restoration, ecotourism and research impacts

Species and/or region work – Yellow-eyed penguin, Fiordland penguin, Little penguin; Oceania region

Phil Trathan

Affiliation – British Antarctic Survey, U.K.

Area of Expertise – Fisheries competition and climate change

Species and/or region work – Macaroni, gentoo, chinstrap, Adelie, king and emperor with a focus in Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic areas

Charly Bost

Affiliation – CEBC-CNRS (Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé-Centre National de la recherche Scientifique

Area of Expertise – Foraging ecology-Habitat modelling- Impact of climatic changes-Conservation

Species and/or region work – King penguin, Emperor penguin, Gentoo penguin, macaroni penguin (, Eastern Rockhopper penguin, Northern Rockhopper penguin; South Indian subantarctic islands, Antarctic (Pacific sector)

Alejandro Simeone

Affiliation – Associate Professor at Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile

Area of Expertise – Breeding ecology, at-sea distribution, interactions with fisheries, conservation biology

Species and/or region work – Humboldt and Magellanic penguins n Chile

Susie Ellis

Affiliation – Global Penguin Society, IUCN Penguin Specialist Group Steering Committee

Area of Expertise – Global conservation and strategic planning

Barbara Wienecke

Tom Schneider

Affiliation – Australian Antarctic Division, Australia

Area of Expertise – Natural history, population dynamics, long term monitoring, conservation biology

Species and/or region work – Emperor penguins, East Antarctica

Affiliation – Chair of Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Penguin Taxon Advisory Group

Area of Expertise – Management on AZA penguin programs including sustainable management of zoo populations, husbandry and welfare, education programs, and conservation programs

Species and/or region work – North American AZA accredited zoos

Meet our

General

Members

View Members

Membership is by invitation only

The membership list for each quadrennium will be circulated among the Steering Committee Members and regional penguin working group leaders. Recommendations for renewal will be followed from any of these individuals. These same people may also nominate new members for the next period. Names of individuals proposed as new members during the quadrennium will be circulated to relevant Steering Committee members, regional working group leaders or GPS Steering Committee members for recommended action. While the intent is to maintain a membership of those actively involved with penguins and able to further objectives of the specialist group, we also wish to be inclusive and ready to welcome all those who meet the membership criteria.

The four criteria for a PSG member are:

Active involvement in penguin research or conservation, now or in recent years, or considerable knowledge of penguins.
Active involvement in coastal or marine management or other conservation programs, with special interest or specific benefits to penguins and the ecosystems in which they live.
Willingness and ability to provide specific disciplinary or regional expertise needed for the PSG such as ecology, veterinary science, threat mitigation or environmental education, and with demonstrated interest in penguins.
Possessing special expertise that will benefit the PSG and help to further its mission.

The PSG also seeks to recruit individuals with significant roles relevant to penguin conservation, protection of their habitats, or penguin research to contribute to and influence decisions or otherwise assist the PSG in achieving its objectives. In addition, as appropriate, students generally at the graduate level embarking on penguin related research or conservation action, may be invited to be members so that the PSG encourages and mentors the next generation of penguin specialists.