DATES: 24–28 June 2009
PLACE: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
HOST: Institute of Arctic Biology and University of Alaska Museum of the North
Final Call for Papers: This is the final call for oral and poster presentations. Conference and registration information are available at http://mercury.bio.uaf.edu/asm2009/. Abstract submission must be done online at the conference website between 15 February and 15 March. Authors must be registered for the conference before they submit an abstract. Submit no more than 1 paper as 1st author. Space is available for approximately 200 oral presentations and 120 posters, allotted on a first-come, first-scheduled basis. Additional oral presentations may be designated as alternate or poster presentations. Oral presentations must be created in PowerPoint format; each PowerPoint presentation file must adhere to the guidelines provided on the conference website. Oral presentations will be allotted 12 min for the talk and 3 min for questions. Poster presentations must fit within a 1.2-m (H) by 1.2-m (W) space. Participants should visit the conference website for detailed information on registration, housing, abstract submission, and how to prepare and submit a PowerPoint presentation. Presubmission of PowerPoint presentations will not be required. A schedule of events is available on the conference website.
Registration: Online registration opens 2 February through 30 April, 1200 h AST and Late Registration 1 May through 21 June. On-site registration will be available 24 June in the Regents Great Hall foyer of the Fine Arts Complex. All active meeting participants (i.e., those contributing papers or posters and attending technical sessions) and vendors must register. Please see conference website for more information. Final registration costs are posted on the conference website.
Payment: Registration forms are available on the conference website at http://mercury.bio.uaf.edu/asm2009/. Online payment by credit card via a secured server is preferred (see website). If you pay by check, money order, or purchase requisition (in US dollars), please send payment with other registration materials to Maria Russell (907-474-7172; fnmtr@uaf.edu), Institute of Arctic Biology, 311 Irving I, 902 N. Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99775-7000.
Boards of Directors' Meeting: Wednesday, 24 June (0800 to 1700 h), and Saturday, 27 June (1200 to 1400 h), William R. Wood Campus Center Ballroom.
Committee Meetings: To be arranged by committee chairs, reservations should be made by 1 April 2008 by contacting Kris Hundertmark (907-474-7159 or ffkh@uaf.edu). A schedule of rooms and their seating capacities are available on the conference website.
Members' Meetings: There are 2 members' meetings scheduled: 1) Friday, 26 June, 1015–1200 h , and 2) Saturday, 27 June, 1030–1200 h Both meetings are in the Charles W. Davis Concert Hall and will be open to all registrants. Only active members of the Society will be permitted to vote; attendance by the membership is strongly encouraged.
Technical Sessions: The Annual Meeting begins formally with the Welcome and Plenary Session on Thursday, 25 June at 0800 h, and ends with the Capstone Session on Sunday, 28 June from 1600 to 1700 h. There will be an additional Capstone event commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin on the evening of 28 June, 1900–2030 h; this will be open to the public. The Plenary Session and Capstone addresses will be held in the Charles W. Davis Concert Hall (same as the members' meeting). Contributed oral papers will run concurrently in the Davis Concert Hall, Salisbury Theatre (also in the Fine Arts Complex), and Schaible Auditorium (in the nearby Bunnell Building). Poster sessions will be held in the Regents Great Hall. Vendor and conference information booths will be located in either the Regents Great Hall or the Wood Center. All venues are within a 5 min walk of one another.
Plenary Session: Thursday, 25 June (approximately 0815 to 1000 h) in Davis Concert Hall. This main session will open the conference and will include a welcoming address and presentations by several student award winners.
Grinnell, Leopold, and Merriam Awards Addresses: Sunday, 28 June, 0800 to 1000 h, in Davis Concert Hall. Presentations will be by the 2008 recipient of the Joseph Grinnell Award, the 2008 recipient of the Aldo Leopold Award, and the 2008 recipient of the C. Hart Merriam Award.
Capstone Session: Sunday, 28 June 2008, 1600 to 1700 h, Davis Concert Hall. There will be an additional Capstone event commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin on the evening of 28 June, 1900–2030 h; this will be open to the public.
Symposia and Workshops: This year's program features a symposium on Diverse perspectives on home ranges of mammals. Organizers are Roger Powell and Michael Mitchell. Scheduled speakers include Wayne Spencer, John Fieberg, Paul Moorcroft, Joel Brown, and Roger Powell. The time and venue will be announced at a later date on the conference website.
Social Programs:
Board of Directors Dinner–Tuesday, 23 June. Board members are encouraged to contact Kris Hundertmark (ffkh@uaf.edu) or Link Olson (link.olson@uaf.edu) for additional details.
Opening Social with registration check-in–Wednesday, 24 June in the Wood Center.
Welcoming Social–Thursday, 25 June, 2100–2300 h at the University of Alaska Museum of the North.
Student Mixer–Thursday, 25 June, 1730–1900 h, The Pub.
Picnic–Friday, 26 June, at Pioneer Park, along the Chena River near downtown Fairbanks. Transportation will be provided.
Pre-Banquet Social–Saturday, 27 June, Westmark Hotel & Conference Center, 1700 to 1830 h.
Annual Banquet/Auction/Social–Saturday, 27 June, 1830 to 2400 h. Students are encouraged to attend. Please contribute auction items to the ASM Local Committee desk. Proceeds go to the Future Mammalogists Fund.
Group Photograph: Saturday, 27 June, 1000 to 1015 h, Wood Center.
Gordon Kirkland Memorial Run/Walk for Research: Saturday, 27 June, 0630 to 0730 h. Five km run and 1 mile walk through the boreal forest adjacent to UAF's West Ridge. Proceeds will go to the Future Mammalogists Fund, and prizes will be awarded to the winners. More information will be available on the conference website.
Accommodations:
On Campus–Rooms will be available in the Moore-Barlett-Skarland dormitory complex a short walk from the meeting venues. Rooms are available as singles or doubles with common bath facilities. Room rates (per person per night) are $51 for a single and $33 for a double. There is no minimum number of consecutive nights required for this rate, and additional single-night lodging will be available. A limited number of 2-bedroom apartments will be available in the nearby Cutler Apartment Complex. These units sleep up to 4 people and include a kitchen, living room, and full bathroom. Apartments at full capacity cost $138 per night. Information on reserving rooms, requesting roommates, and checking in will be available on the conference website.
Off Campus–There are a variety of options available in Fairbanks for those wishing to stay off campus. However, the closest hotels are at least two miles (by road) away, and shuttle options vary. Detailed information is available on the conference website.
Dining: Meals will be available for individual purchase at the Lola Tilly Commons student dining hall on campus, an all-you-care-to-eat facility with diverse offerings including a full deli, salad bar, classic buffet, and vegetarian entrees. Costs are $8.15 for breakfast, $9.35 for lunch, and $10.45 for dinner and must be purchased at the time of the meal.
Additional dining options on campus include the West Ridge Cafe and a food court in the Wood Center. There are several restaurants within walking distance of UAF, although they are far enough away that there may be insufficient time to eat between morning and afternoon sessions.
Climate and Daylight: There are over 21 hours of possible sunlight in late June. Temperatures in Fairbanks average 60°F in June, but visitors should expect a range of about 45–75°F. Rain is common throughout the summer. Alaska's reputation for voracious mosquitoes is well-deserved, although they tend to be less noticeable on campus. Up-to-date local weather conditions will be provided via the conference website.
Getting to Fairbanks: The University of Alaska Fairbanks is located 4 miles from Fairbanks International Airport (FAI). Alaska Airlines is the predominant commercial airline serving Fairbanks, although Northwest and Delta serve FAI during the summer months. Most flights from outside Alaska (“Outside” in local parlance) route through Anchorage, although there are non-stop flights between Fairbanks and both Seattle and Minneapolis on Alaska Airlines. Shuttle service between FAI and UAF will be provided on Wednesday, 24 June and Sunday, 28 June. Driving to Fairbanks from Outside is a memorable but significant undertaking. Those interested in driving are commendably and strongly encouraged to consult the conference website or contact the Local Committee (see below). The Alaska Marine Highway System provides ferry service between Bellingham, Washington and Whittier, Alaska (an 8-hour drive from Fairbanks). There is no rail service between Alaska and Outside. Please visit the conference website for additional information.
Parking: Parking passes will be available for purchase at the registration desk at a cost of $3 per day.
Field Trips and Family Programs: The Local Committee is considering several post-conference field trips. Fairbanks and the surrounding area provide a diverse array of outdoor and cultural activities for friends and family members of all ages accompanying conference participants. Visit the conference website for additional details.
Childcare: At this time, UAF is unable to provide or recommend child-care providers.
Collecting Permits: Scientific collecting permits can be obtained from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Permits Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811 (907-465-4148; dfg.dwc.permits@alaska.gov; http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov). The application review process can take several months, and those interested in collecting are reminded that driving to and from Alaska involves crossing an international border.
Vendors: The pre-registration fee (see the conference website) includes the use of 1 display table in the vendor display area (see above). Vendor areas will be locked when not occupied. Additional tables are available at $50 each. Limited short-term pre-conference storage is available for materials that are pre-shipped to the meeting site prior to the conference. Please contact the Local Committee (see below) for additional details.
Registration Refunds: Refunds (minus a $50 handling fee) will be made if written or e-mailed notification is received on or before 15 May 2008. No refunds will be granted after 15 May 2008.
Disabilities: Persons with disabilities or special needs should contact the Local Committee (see below) with specific needs as soon as possible, or no later than 15 April.
Questions: For questions not addressed above or on the conference website, contact one of the Local Committee Co-chairs: Link Olson (link.olson@uaf.edu; 907-474-5998), University of Alaska Museum, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775; Kris Hundertmark (ffkh@uaf.edu; 907-474-7159), Institute of Arctic Biology, PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775.
