The 2025 Young Systematists’ Forum (YSF) will be held online on 14 November. As in previous years, this annual event offers an exciting opportunity for postgraduate students and early postdoctoral researchers to present their work to a scientific audience with an interest in taxonomy and systematic biology. In particular, participants can register until 1 November, and they must submit abstracts by 25 October.
Moreover, this well-established event offers budding systematists the chance to present and discuss their research—often for the first time—in a supportive setting among peers. At the same time, supervisors and established systematists are also encouraged to attend.
This year, the Young Systematists’ Forum celebrates its 25th anniversary. Consequently, participants can expect a dynamic, internationally attended event where the organizers award prizes for outstanding talks and flash presentations.
How to participate in Young Systematists’ Forum?
The YSF is a free online event open to all, welcoming non-presenting attendees, supervisors, and anyone with an interest in systematics. Researchers can apply to give a full talk or a flash presentation by providing their details and academic stage. The organizers limit spaces and allocate them to ensure a balanced programme across animals, plants, algae, microbes, molecular, and more.
To give more researchers a chance, previous talk presenters should apply only for flash presentations, and the organizers prioritize junior researchers over postdocs. All registered participants will receive further information about the meeting, including abstracts, by email before the event. The Systematics Association website will also share this information.
Important dates and information about Young Systematists’ Forum
- When? Friday, 14 November 2025
- Where? Online
- Registration here: open until Saturday, 1 November
- Abstract submission deadline: Saturday, 25 October
Find presentations from previous editions here.
Any questions or comments? Interested in sponsoring future editions? Please contact the organising committee at ysf@systass.org or via their social media channels.
What is Systematics?
Systematics is the scientific study of biodiversity, it origins, relationships, and classifications. It is an interdisciplinary field that combines methods and techniques from different disciplines such as biology, genetics, palaeontology, ecology, and mathematics to identify and describe the relationships between different organisms.