Call for Symposia, Workshops, Round Table Discussions, Training Sessions and Thematic Poster Exhibition
Submission Deadline: 30th September 2011
The central theme of the congress will be "Conservation on the Edge" and we hope to attract participants from conservation policy, practice and education as well as academics and researchers. To hold the ECCB2012, we have moved to the "edge" of Europe and we seek to use this to focus on other "edges". In addition to the terrestrial themes which have been well represented at previous ECCBs we hope to place more emphasis on marine and coastal conservation. We also intend to attract cutting edge researchers, those who, at the edge of their disciplines, make links to others, such as between biology and social sciences. The present Call is intended to be flexible enough to allow you to find the best fit for presenting your important topic.
The Scientific Committee invites proposals for Symposia, Workshops, Roundtable Discussions (RTDs), Training Courses and Thematic Poster Exhibitions (TPE) as follows. Please note that the general submission process for posters and oral contributions will open at a later date.
Symposia
Symposia present information to an audience, with limited opportunity for interaction. There will be opportunities for 2-hour and 4-hour symposia. Presentations should be in multiples of 15 minutes - usually 15 minutes but can be 30 - so that the timing of symposia follows that of the contributed paper sessions. Symposia will either be related to the meeting theme or address newly emerging topics or significant syntheses of relevance to Europe. All symposium organisers and speakers must be registered participants (as early bird registrants).
Proposals should be as brief as possible and include (1) a one-page outline, including the title, the suggested length (2 or 4 hours), goal or purpose, and explanation of why the topic is appropriate and significant for the Congress, (2) a provisional list of speakers, presentation titles, and whether they have agreed to participate, (3) whether funding for the symposium has been secured, and (4) complete contact information for the organisers.
Please click here to download the Symposia submission form.
Workshops and Round table discussions (RTD)
Workshops facilitate the presentation and application of new concepts, usually with a few opening talks, then allowing audience participation and discussion to explore new or controversial issues. Workshops may also have an educational component. RTDs frequently aim to present participants' ideas and experiences in an informal, participatory setting. Proposals for workshops and RTDs should be as brief as possible and include the following: (1) a one-page synopsis composed of a title, goal or purpose and justification, (2) organisational structure including format, duration, expected number of participants, preferred date and time (lunch, or evening), and technical requirements (e.g. Internet), and (3) complete contact information for the organisers. Dates and times will be structured so that they have minimal conflict with paper sessions (evenings and lunchtimes are preferred). All workshops organisers and speakers must be registered for the meeting (as early bird registrants).
Please click here to download the Workshop/Round Table submission form.
Training Sessions
Training sessions will provide opportunities for registered delegates to receive expert tuition on a topic relevant for conservation. Proposals for training sessions should be as brief as possible and include the following: (1) a one-page synopsis composed of a title, suggested tutors, goal or purpose and justification of the suggested course, (2) organisational structure including format, duration, expected (or maximum) number of participants, and equipment necessary, and (3) complete contact information for the organisers. Training sessions will be pre-congress events and may last up to two full days. All training session organisers, tutors and participants must be registered for the meeting (as early bird registrants).
Please click here to download the Training Session submission form.
Thematic Poster Exhibitions (TPE) – a new presentation format at ECCB 2012
It is a major challenge for any large international congress to safeguard an adequate visibility for the thousands of valuable contributions produced by the ever- growing scientific community. Indeed, sometimes posters tend to get lost in vast halls full of diverse topics, and you are probably familiar with the disoriented participants floating among thousands of posters, because there is no recognisable logic in the poster arrangement. Facing these challenges and making use of the excellent exhibition space available at the SECC in Glasgow, the organisers of the ECCB2012 have decided to create a big "conservation market" with professional exhibitors, posters and meeting places as the core area.
In order to help participants to better orientate themselves among the expected large number of posters, and offer to the authors a maximum impact of their posters, we announce a new congress contribution format: the Thematic Poster Exhibitions (TPE).
TPE is organized along similar lines as a symposium: it has a pre-announced topic, and one or a few organisers who may invite certain posters related to the pre-defined topic. The Scientific Committee could also allocate contributed posters to the invited ones if accepted by the TPE chairs. At ECCB 2012, a special space will be offered for the TPEs. They will be organized as poster corners or science booths based around our conservation market.
A TPE shall comprise at least 10 and up to 20 posters that thematically belong together. Individual posters must conform to the general poster guidelines. They will be exhibited so that they form an optically coherent unit and could serve as a meeting space for the interactive discussion of the TPE’s topics. During poster sessions - at the discretion of the TPE organisers - spontaneous talks might be presented in front of the posters.
The TPE format is restricted to scientific, non-commercial presenters, like symposia. The posters shall not promote institutes, events or products but present new and original scientific results (a university or research program, might, however, decide to present all their posters together – with the emphasis on the science). One poster space might be used for displaying a large-font title to attract visitors and introduce the whole TPE. Larger TPEs might request some chairs and tables if they strive for a more permanent booth-like presence for the presenters. Organisers must be registered for the meeting (as early bird registration).
Please click here to download the Thematic Poster Exhibition submission form.
General Information
If you would like to view the programme of the 2nd European Congress of Conservation Biology, Prague, 2009, please click here.
It is the responsibility of session organisers to obtain funding for their symposium, workshop, training course or TPE. The ECCB Organising Committee is not responsible for obtaining funds to support speaker travel 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.
Please note that organisers of any of the sessions listed above, or invited speakers cannot be offered any financial incentives, expense reimbursement, or reduction in participation costs (except, in special cases, for training course teachers). There will be a supplementary charge for participation in training courses.
Proposal submission
All proposals should be submitted by 30 September 2011 to the Congress Secretariat using the appropriate forms. Please put either ‘ECCB 2012 symposium/workshop/round table/training course/thematic poster exhibition proposal’ in the subject line of the email as appropriate.
Proposers will be notified of the Scientific Committee's decision as soon as possible so that they can acquire any necessary funding. Selection of symposia, workshops and other programs for inclusion at this congress will be announced by 1st December 2011.