During SIBS 2020, a surprise hailstorm hit Canberra with golf ball–sized hail. Instead of running for cover, we grabbed our vials! Soon we were sampling hailstones to analyse how isotope ratios vary from surface to core — pure scientific curiosity in action!
Delta Team
In this photo from the 2020 SIBS workshop in Canberra, students and mentors teamed up to form the iconic delta symbol – the classic mark of isotopic ratios. A perfect snapshot of the creativity and camaraderie that define SIBS!
SIBS was such an important learning experience! Building a background in isotopes science is something I have wanted and needed for my career, but it's not something that's widely taught in Ecology; there just aren't any courses in most undergraduate or Master's degrees. What makes SIBS so unique is having over a week where everyone - attendees, instructors, organizers - are entirely focused on isotopes, so you can make those big knowledge gains and come up with new ideas in such a short time. As an added bonus, the people are all amazing and are building such a robust professional community!
by Lauren Hitt, Attendee — SIBS 2026 Camden
We have run this course since 2013 and every time it is a lot of fun delving deep into the world of stable isotopes. The presentations on the last day are always very impressive and a testimony of how much can be achieved in a week!
by Claudia Keitel, Organiser
Our Original SIBS Logo
Our very first SIBS logo, designed for the 2013 workshop in Camden – a symbol of more than a decade of passion and dedication to sharing the science and techniques of stable isotopes with students and professionals worldwide.
I’m really glad I attended the SIBS 2026 workshop during my first year of PhD. The knowledge and skills I gained will be extremely useful for my research. The workshop felt like an intensive module on isotopes, offering a wealth of information. It was also a fantastic networking opportunity, allowing me to connect with others working on similar research topics. The food and accommodation were well managed, making the experience even more enjoyable. Overall, I think it was an excellent event—I truly loved it.
During SIBS 2020, a surprise hailstorm hit Canberra with golf ball–sized hail. Instead of running for cover, we grabbed our vials! Soon we were sampling hailstones to analyse how isotope ratios vary from surface to core — pure scientific curiosity in action!