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2009 ANNUAL MEETING: 11-16 JULY, BEIJING, CHINA

• CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR SYMPOSIA, WORKSHOPS, DISCUSSION GROUPS, AND SHORT COURSES
• CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
• CHOOSING THE CATEGORY OF YOUR PROPOSAL
• MEETING THEME
• SYMPOSIUM PROPOSALS
• WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSION GROUPS
• SHORT COURSES

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR SYMPOSIA, WORKSHOPS, DISCUSSION GROUPS, AND SHORT COURSES

The 23rd annual meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, Conservation: Harmony for Nature and Society, will be held from 11-16 July in Beijing, China. Proposals for symposia, workshops, discussion groups, and short courses will be welcomed beginning 20 August 2008.

All proposals must be submitted by 15 October 2008. Decisions will be made by 26 November. Complete instructions for submitting proposals are available at the meeting Web site, www.conbio.org/2009, or from 2009@conbio.org. The selection process is highly competitive because time available for presentations at the meeting is limited. Please read and follow the information below carefully.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

We encourage proposals from individuals or groups involved in cutting edge conservation science or practice who can demonstrate an alignment with the goals of SCB, which are

Conservation Science: The scientific research and knowledge needed to understand and conserve biological diversity is identified, funded, completed, disseminated and applied to research, management and policy.

Conservation Management: Conservation practitioners and managers are provided the scientific information and recommendations needed to conserve biological diversity at
all scales.

Policy: Policy decisions of major international conventions, governments, organizations, and foundations, are effectively informed and improved by the highest quality scientific counsel, analysis, and recommendations so
as to advance the conservation of biological diversity.

Education: Education, training, and capacity building programs are identified, strengthened, and developed to inform the public, education leaders, and support current and future generations of conservation scientists and practitioners.

Individuals may not submit more than one proposal, and, as a general rule, no individual may give more than one presentation in the following categories: symposium, contributed paper (regular or speed), contributed poster.

Reviewers have access to all information contained in the proposal. Proposals are reviewed by at least two individuals. To increase the probability that your proposal will be selected for presentation, please consider the following criteria carefully:

-- scientific merit of the proposal
-- application to conservation management
-- financial support for speaker attendance at the meeting (external support or self-funded participants)
-- relevance to the meeting theme
-- relevance to the host region
-- novelty of the topic (not covered at the past three SCB annual meetings)

Author registration deadline. All organizers of accepted proposals and their invited speakers and attendees must register by the early deadline of 3 April.

Financial support. It is the responsibility of organizers of symposia, workshops, and discussion groups to obtain funding for their own expenses and those of their invited speakers or invited participants. SCB and the Local Organizing Committee are not responsible for obtaining funds to support speaker travel to the meeting and cannot guarantee that any support will be available. Preference may be given to proposals for which organizers can demonstrate that funds are likely to be available.

CHOOSING THE CATEGORY OF YOUR PROPOSAL

Please think carefully about the category that best meets your goals. Your proposal will only be considered for the category you choose.

Symposia tend to present information to an audience, with limited opportunity for interaction. Symposia are generally included in the four primary days of the meeting (main scientific program) and are scheduled concurrent with contributed papers.

Workshops, whether geared toward students or professionals, are more interactive than symposia and often have an educational component. To minimize conflict with symposia and contributed paper sessions, workshops will be scheduled for the day before the main scientific program begins (11 July) or during lunch breaks.

Discussion groups are participatory and may be relatively informal. To minimize conflict with symposia and contributed paper sessions, discussion groups will be scheduled for the day before the main scientific program begins (11 July) or during lunch breaks.

Short courses offer training in topics of key relevance to the practice of conservation for students or any other professionals. Preference will be given to proposals that address tools or concepts that course participants easily can share with others.

MEETING THEME

Since ancient times, Chinese philosophy has held that the harmony of development rests on its relationship with conservation of the environment. Humankind cannot progress without a healthy and diverse natural environment. Connections between nature and society and between biological diversity and mankind are critical for achieving the goals of conservation.

SYMPOSIUM PROPOSALS

SCB will accept proposals for two-hour (up to eight presentations) or four-hour (up to 16 presentations) symposia.

Presentation length must be in multiples of 15 minutes (e.g., 15 minutes or 30 minutes) so that the timing of symposium presentations can be coordinated with contributed paper sessions. The last 15 minutes of the symposium may be left open for discussion, thereby reducing the number of presentations by one. The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1200 words. The description of the theme and justification may not exceed 230 words. Proposals must contain the following information:

1. Symposium title
2. Length (two or four hours)
3. Proposed theme and justification (why the topic is appropriate and significant for presentation at Conservation: Harmony for Nature and Society)
4. Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communication of results
5. Whether any necessary funding for organizer and speaker expenses has been secured (for example, are funds available for speaker travel?)
6. A tentative list of speakers, presentation titles, and whether each speaker has agreed to participate
7. Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address

WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSION GROUPS

Workshops will be scheduled for the day before the main scientific program begins (11 July) or during lunch breaks.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1200 words. The description of the theme and justification may not exceed 230 words. Proposals must contain the following information:

1. Workshop or discussion-group title (specify whether workshop or discussion group)
2. Maximum number of participants that can be accommodated
3. Length and preferred position in program (pre-meeting or lunch). Pre-meeting workshops and discussions may be proposed for a maximum of eight hours. Lunch sessions may be a proposed for a maximum of 1.5 hours.
4. Format of workshop or discussion and any special logistic requirements (e.g., a room with internet access)
5. Proposed theme and justification (why the topic is appropriate and significant for Conservation: Harmony for Nature and Society)
6. Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communication of results
7. Method of selecting attendees (invited, open registration, or a combination). If any attendees will be invited, include a tentative list of individuals and indicate whether each has agreed to participate.
8. A tentative list of speakers, presentation titles, and whether each speaker has agreed to participate
9. Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address

SHORT COURSES

One-day short courses will take place on 11 July. Longer courses will take place from 10-11 July (scheduling as per logistics and travel constraints, but dates finalized on course acceptance). Short courses should be aimed at development of professional skills in topics of key relevance to the practice of conservation.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1200 words. The description of the course's content and relationship to the meeting theme and SCB goals may not exceed 230 words. Proposals must contain the following information:

1. Short course title
2. Whether any special instructional or audiovisual equipment beyond that which the instructor(s) will provide is needed
3. Description of the course content and explanation of how it relates to the meeting theme and the goals of SCB
4. Expected outcomes
5. Itemized budget for the short course (in $US) and a description of any funds available to cover costs. Internet access may not be free. Please describe space requirements. SCB is unable to provide a stipend for the instructor(s). However, free meeting registration will be provided for a maximum of two instructors per course.
6. Length of the course: one or more days, with dates proposed
7. Minimum and maximum number of students that can be accommodated
8. Instructor(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address

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