University of Birmingham role in landmark international palaeontology conference

Earlier this month, the University of Birmingham welcomed more than a thousand researchers from around the world as the Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) came to Birmingham from 12 – 15 November 2025. The University acted as the local Host Committee for the meeting, helping to deliver one of the most significant academic gatherings ever held in the city.

The meeting – attended by 1200 delegates - marked only the second time in 85 years that the SVP Annual Meeting had taken place in the United Kingdom, and only the fourth time outside North America. For the University of Birmingham, the event offered an opportunity to reflect on and showcase its long tradition of palaeontology: a significant research strength for the institution since its earliest days.

The Lapworth Museum of Geology, with its internationally significant collections, stood at the heart of many of these reflections. During the conference, the Museum launched a new exhibition, Feeding Without Jaws, showcasing recent and ongoing research work on ancient fossil fish led by Birmingham palaeontologists.

Recent Birmingham-led discoveries, including the celebrated ‘Dinosaur Highway’ and the ‘punk rock dinosaur’, had already brought global attention to the University’s work - underscoring why the SVP meeting taking place in Birmingham felt both timely and fitting.

Delegates arrived from more than 40 countries, including large contingents from North America, China and across Europe, as well as India, South Africa and South America.

The University’s Palaeobiology group contributed significantly to the scientific programme, engaging in over 40 talk and poster presentations, with 24 led by Birmingham researchers. The 18-member Host Committee of staff, postdoctoral researchers and PhD students coordinated local logistics, while 18 undergraduate volunteers supported activities across the week. Seven of these students presented posters based on their own research - an invaluable opportunity to engage directly with the international community.

Scientific sessions took place at the ICC Birmingham, while the University’s historic spaces provided memorable settings for key social events. The Welcome Reception in the Aston Webb Building and the Lapworth Museum brought together over 800 attendees in one of the most atmospheric moments of the conference.

Additional events included a behind-the-scenes discussion with the producers of BBC Walking With Dinosaurs at The Exchange and a science writers’ panel chaired by popular historian Tom Holland of “The Rest is History” podcast fame, and featuring Dr Henry Gee and honorary Birmingham researchers Dr Elsa Panciroli and Dr Thomas Halliday. These sessions explored the ways in which stories about ancient life capture public imagination.

The Palaeobiology team also led four field trips - to Warwickshire, South Wales, the Jurassic Coast and the Isle of Wight - along with specialist tours of the Lapworth Museum collections. Around 150 international attendees joined these excursions, experiencing the geological landscapes, people and fossils that have shaped Britain’s deep-time history.

More than 100 A-level students visited campus for a dedicated schools’ event on 12th November. Talks delivered by Professor Richard Butler, Professor Susie Maidment and Professor Steve Brusatte offered these young people a rare chance to learn about the latest discoveries directly from leaders in the field.

The Annual Meeting was more than a scientific conference - it was a celebration of collaboration and discovery. For Birmingham, it offered a chance to share its deep-rooted connection to palaeontology with an international audience. From inspiring school students to showcasing world-class research, the event highlighted how the University continues to shape our understanding of life on Earth.