70th Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference Springfield, Illinois
December 6-9, 2009 FIRST Call for Proposals: Workshops, Symposia & Panel Discussions Deadline: April 15, 2009 Send To: [email protected] Proposals should focus on topics of fisheries and wildlife science, management, conservation, education, or policy of interest to fisheries and wildlife professionals in the Midwestern U.S. Include: Workshops provide training and experience with a specific skill, technique, or process and may involve one or more instructors. Workshops generally emphasize learning through participation, discussion, and "hands-on" activities. Therefore, workshop organizers must specify an upper limit on attendance. A lower limit is also required to reflect the need to make the session worthwhile for instructors. Attendance at workshops is by advance registration only. Workshops may be a half or full day in length and are scheduled the day before the other sessions begin (Sunday December 6, 2009). Workshops are not intended to promote a commercial product, product line, or company. Trade show display space is available for such promotions. If the nature of the workshop requires demonstration of specific products, the instructor should be a practitioner rather than a company representative. Workshops have a baseline registration fee of $20/person ($10/student) to cover setup and operational costs incurred by conference organizers. Workshop organizers may request registration fees greater than this baseline, to cover their additional expenses. Appropriate expenses include workbooks, supplies, special audio/visual or computer equipment, and instructor fees. Workshops organizers are encouraged to seek outside support to reduce registration costs, promoting greater interest and participation. Workshop organizers who request a higher registration fee should submit a budget with a detailed estimate of additional expenses (on a per registrant basis). The program Committee will work with workshop organizers to finalize registration fees for approved workshops. A symposium consists of a series of presentations that address aspects of a single topic. Symposia usually last a half day, although requests for a full day will be considered depending on available space. Speakers are scheduled for 20- or 40-minute time slots, and organizers may include a 20-40 minute discussion period in the agenda. Symposia are scheduled to run concurrently with other conference sessions (Monday-Wednesday). Attendance is open to all conference registrants on a walk-in basis. Panel Discussions provide a forum for interactive discussion of a topic among a panel of experts and an interested audience. A panel typically comprises 4-8 speakers and makes introductory remarks. The audience is then invited to make comments and question the panel. Panel discussions are expected to last about 2 hours and are scheduled to run concurrently with other conference sessions. Attendance is open to all conference registrants on a walk-in basis. Responsibilities of Session Organizers: Session Organizers are responsible for coordinating with the Program Committee, planning their sessions, selecting instructors/presenters, moderating their sessions, and meeting all deadlines. A final session agenda and a complete presenter list will be due by June 15, 2009. Presenters in symposia must submit abstracts during the Call for Papers (summer 2009). Session Organizers are responsible for collecting PowerPoint files associated with their sessions and working with Conference audio-visual staff on-site to load file prior to starting their sessions. Please Note: Conference Organizers do not pay registration fees, travel expenses, or honoraria for anyone: organizers, presenters, instructors, etc. Session Organizers may seek outside sponsors for these expenses, if necessary. Proposal Submission: Send a file in MS Word (doc) or pdf format via email to the Program Committee ([email protected]) by April 15, 2009. Proposals received after the deadline date will only be considered if space is available. A notice of receipt will be sent by e-mail. Proposals Should Include: - Name and affiliation(s) of proposer(s) - Contact information (name, address, e-mail, telephone) for corresponding proposer - Event type (workshop, panel discussion, or symposium) - Sponsoring organization(s) (if appropriate) - Short abstract (250 words maximum) indicating purpose and professional/scientific contribution - List of proposed topics or speakers - Preferred Length (half or full day, for workshops and symposia) - For workshops: 1. Number of participants (minimum and maximum) 2. Proposed registration fee and budget Proposal Evaluation and Notice of Decision: Proposals will be judged on timeliness of the subject, importance to the profession, and the overall quality of the written proposal. Applicants will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance by May 15, 2009. Eric Eric M. Schauber, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Zoology Wildlife Ecologist -- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory Center for Ecology Southern Illinois University Carbondale 618-453-6940 618-453-6944 (fax)
