Conference Reception and Silent Auction — Welcome to Miami!
Be sure to join us on Saturday evening from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Miami for a delightful start to our 2008 Annual Conference! Enjoy a taste of Florida as you sample traditional local cuisine such as delectable conch fritters, fried gator tail, and succulent seafood cocktail. A ticket (included with full registration) is required to attend the reception, so be sure to pick up your registration packet before the registration desk closes at 5:30 p.m.This year’s arrangements committee has assembled a vast array of goods and services for you to bit on at the silent auction – you won’t want to miss this! This is an important fundraiser for the conference so be prepared to bid high and bid often!
Awards Ceremony
The annual awards ceremony immediately follows the plenary session on Sunday morning. The Wildlife Society will present a variety of awards celebrating excellence in wildlife science and conservation, culminating with the presentation of its most prestigious recognition, the Aldo Leopold Memorial Award. Please plan to join us in honoring all of this year’s distinguished recipients, and be sure to congratulate the winners during the break that follows the presentations.
TWS Members Meeting
Join TWS Council and other Wildlife Society members for an hour Sunday morning following the awards ceremony for the members’ meeting. This is an opportunity to gain up-to-date information on TWS activities and welcome the Society’s new leaders. All conference registrants (both members and nonmembers) are cordially invited to attend. The winner of the early registration drawing (among those full registrants who registered by October 10) will be announced at the end of the members’ meeting along with a drawing for a door prize.
Retired Members Gathering
An informal gathering for retired wildlife professionals and their spouses is scheduled for Sunday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to reconnect with old friends, learn about new projects underway at TWS for retired members, and maybe line up some outings for later in the week.
TWS Working Groups
TWS working groups provide a valuable opportunity for TWS members to get to know and work cooperatively with colleagues having similar professional interests. Activities of working groups vary but include organizing symposia and workshops, such as many of the ones held at this conference, publishing newsletters, hosting electronic discussion groups and websites, and developing technical analysis for TWS Council. Annual meetings of working groups are scheduled on Sunday and Monday, generally during the afternoon; see schedule for detailed listings. Take a break from sessions and stop in at the working group of your choice to find out about its activities and become involved. We urge all TWS members to give a working group a try!
Certification Application Counseling
Have questions about how to complete your application for Certified Wildlife Biologist or Associate Wildlife Biologist? Wondering where to put certain courses on the application form? Unsure whether all of your work experience qualifies as professional experience? Members of the Certification Review Board will be available on Sunday from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. to answer your certification questions. Please bring your draft application form and any relevant reference materials (course descriptions and position descriptions) with you. This is an excellent opportunity to meet one-on-one with a member of the Certification Review Board to get your questions answered before you submit the application.
TWS Council Office Hours
TWS Council will hold office hours on Monday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 am.
Meet JWM & WM Editors
The JWM and WM Editors will be available from 3:00p.m. to 4:30pm on Monday afternoon.
Coffee with TWS Council (SSB)
Join TWS Council on Tuesday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. for coffee and pastries. This is a relaxed and open forum for TWS members and others to meet members of Council and discuss areas of concern. Come put faces to names, express your views, and maybe even volunteer your services for future committee work.
Members’ Forum/TWS Council Meeting
The new TWS Council will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. The first thirty minutes of this meeting will be an open members’ forum. TWS members are invited to make brief remarks (3 minutes) on any topic. A sign-up sheet will be provided at the door.
Leaders’ Lunch
TWS leaders–including officers of sections, chapters, student chapters, and working groups; chairs of TWS committees and boards; editors of TWS publications; and members of Council–are invited to a lunch in recognition of your many contributions to The Wildlife Society. The lunch is on Tuesday. A brief program is planned and recipients of the Chapter of the Year and Student Chapter of the Year awards will be invited to speak to us. Invitations for the lunch will be mailed in June, and tickets must be purchased in advance.
Working Group Leaders’ Forum
A special meeting of working group leaders will be held on Tuesday from 2:00a.m. to 3:30 p.m. All working group leaders are encouraged to attend and share ideas for strengthening working groups with each other and TWS Council.
TWS Section, Chapter & Working Group Webmasters Forum
This session, being held from 4:00p.m. to 5:00pm on Tuesday afternoon, is open to all TWS Section, Chapter and Working Group Webmasters.
