Keynote Speakers
Dr Maren Wellenreuther
Bioeconomy Science Institute
Science Group Leader, Seafood Production
University of Auckland
Professor
Maren Wellenreuther is a full Professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland and Science Group Leader at the Bioeconomy Science Institute in New Zealand. She is internationally recognised for her leadership in evolutionary biology, fisheries genomics, and aquaculture research, with a strong focus on linking ecological and genomic processes to sustainable resource use. She has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications and led numerous large-scale national and international research programmes at the interface of ecology, genomics, and applied marine science. Her research career spans Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden, where she has built and led interdisciplinary teams, secured major competitive funding, and developed innovative approaches to studying adaptation in natural populations. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Evolutionary Applications, shaping the direction and visibility of one of the field’s leading journals. Her contributions have been recognised through several international honours, including the Petersen Professorship of Excellence (Germany, 2026), the Royal Society Te Apārangi Early Career Research Excellence Award (New Zealand, 2018), and the KVA King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50-year Scholarship for the Promotion and Contribution to the Knowledge and Preservation of Biological Diversity (Sweden, 2013). As a Humboldt Fellow (Germany, 2024), she is committed to advancing next-generation genomic and experimental tools to improve the sustainability, resilience, and productivity of aquatic ecosystems and seafood production systems. She leads a dynamic research group of over 30 scientists plus students working across a diverse range of projects in fundamental research investigating epigenomic adaptation, structural variation, and climate resilience, alongside more applied work in aquaculture and fisheries science.