Pathways Conference

When we bring our community together, networking is always on the agenda. But traditional mixer-style networking can sometimes feel awkward or transactional—especially for students and early-career professionals trying to break into the field.

We want to design future conference experiences that offer real, high-impact mentorship, and we want to hear from you:

What is the best mentorship event, format, or structure you’ve ever experienced at a conference, and why did it work so well? For example,
> was it speed-mentoring with structured prompts?
> a thematic roundtable over breakfast?
> a field-based activity that naturally broke the ice?

Drop your best ideas, past successes, or even what not to do in the comments below. Let’s build something better for the next gathering!

“Thank you so much for organizing such a fantastic event. I had a great time connecting with other attendees and will have pleasant memories.” – Anonymous attendee

At the heart of every gathering we host are the people, the conversations, and the lasting connections formed in between the sessions. Reading notes like this reminds us why we do what we do.

If you could attend our next conference anywhere in the world, where would it be?

We are deep in the planning and brainstorming phase for our future conferences, and location is everything. We want a destination that inspires big ideas, brings our community together, and accommodates the incredible researchers and practitioners in our field.

Whether it's an urban hub dealing with unique human-wildlife dynamics, a gateway to wild landscapes, or a completely new region we haven’t explored yet—we want to know what's on your travel wishlist. Let us know by commenting on this post!

Some more photos and videos from this year’s Pathways conference – we had a great time with all of you this summer!

We don’t have all the answers—and we want to do better!

When we host our conferences, creating spaces for meaningful connection and mentorship is always a top priority. But if we're being completely honest, traditional networking formats don’t always hit the mark. Especially for first-timers at the Pathways conference, we know there is plenty of room for us to improve how we facilitate connections.

We want to design future events that truly serve our community, especially our students and early-career professionals. To do that, we need to learn from what's working elsewhere.

What is the best mentorship event, format, or structure you’ve ever experienced at a conference, and why did it work so well?

Whether it was a brilliant ex*****on or a clever twist on a standard networking style, we want to steal the best ideas. Drop your thoughts in the comments below—help us build something better for the next gathering!

Wildlife management isn't just about wildlife or people – it’s about all of us.

For a long time, contemporary wildlife management was viewed strictly through the lens of the biological sciences. But as the field has evolved since its early 20th-century roots, a vital truth has become clear: protecting wildlife requires addressing the complex interactions, questions, and relationships between animals and humans.

This realization gave rise to the Human Dimensions of Wildlife (HDW) field. Since its origins, HDW has grown significantly across both academia and professional practice. Recognizing the ever-growing need to bridge science and society, we are building our new community to engage and grow the field of HDW.

"It was a pleasure to participate, and I greatly appreciated the opportunity to attend and learn from the sessions!" — Anonymous Attendee

Feedback like this is what makes all the behind-the-scenes coordination worthwhile. As we continue reflecting on our recent conference and building the path forward for our community, hearing that the sessions sparked learning and connection reminds us why our work is necessary.

What are the defining challenges in Human Dimensions of Wildlife today?

As our field continues to evolve, the conversations we need to be having are expanding as fast as the human-wildlife conflicts we navigate. From policy and coexistence to communication and climate adaptation, our community covers a massive amount of ground.

We want to ensure the conversations, resources, and future gatherings we build focus on what matters most to you. What would you like to see at Pathways and/or integrated into the Society for Human Dimensions of Wildlife?