Ecological Society of America

Call for Workshop Proposals

93^rd ESA Annual Meeting
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
August 3 - 8, 2008
Call Open: September 20 – November 30, 2007

You are cordially invited to submit a proposal for a Workshop at the 93^rd ESA Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held August 3-8, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at The Midwest Airline Center.

Workshops are sessions intended to convey specific knowledge or skills; they are not intended for the presentation of research papers. Workshops are frequently more interactive and informal than sessions within the formal scientific program, and often involve extended discussion. They are not scheduled concurrently with symposia, organized oral, contributed oral, or poster sessions. Workshops may involve one or several leaders/presenters, and may include computer-based or other ‘hands-on' training. Workshop proposals should make clear what skills, tools, or insights participants might expect to gain from the session.

Workshops are typically scheduled for full or half days and are usually held prior to the beginning of the formal scientific program, running concurrently with field trips – on Saturday or Sunday or, in some cases, on both days. Weekend workshops may be linked with a scientific field trip. Proposals for 1.5 hour lunch break workshops during the week and 2 hour evening sessions may also be submitted. Workshops will be offered both Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3, during the lunch break (11:30 am-1:15 pm) Monday, August 4 through Thursday, August 7, and during the evenings (8-10 pm) Monday, August 4 through Wednesday, August 6.

Workshop structure is determined by the organizers, but sessions typically have maximum enrollments, and may specify prerequisites for participation (however, they should be open to all meeting attendees, first-come first-serve, who meet these prerequisites). Workshops may have a registration fee to cover A/V or other equipment and preparation costs. Note: ESA will not reimburse workshop organizers for any expenses. Costs may be covered by a sponsoring group or organization – if so, this should be made clear in the proposal.

For examples of workshops, please consult the program schedule from the ESA San Jose meeting, held in August 2007: (http://eco.confex.com/eco/2007/techprogram/D1003.HTM)

Evaluation Process and Criteria for Workshop Proposals

Proposals for workshops are reviewed and selected by the Program Chair in consultation with peers he may invite to assess proposals. Proposals may concern any area of ecology or related topics, but those that pertain to the overall theme — “ Enhancing Ecological Thought by Linking Research and Education ” — are especially encouraged. We also welcome proposals that explore connections with the social or natural sciences, or that are directed to ecological education at any level. The primary criteria for acceptance include scientific merit, probable interest by meeting attendees, and a clearly written and compelling description and justification. Limits of space and time may make it impossible to accommodate all worthy submissions.

Submission Procedure

All proposals MUST follow the format of the online proposal submission forms on the ESA Milwaukee meeting website (http://esa.org/milwaukee). Incomplete and inaccurate information provided on these forms may result in the proposal being rejected. Information requested includes complete contact information for all co-organizers, a description of the workshop, explaining its purpose and general structure (250 word maximum), a <50 word summary sentence, and a list of speakers/panelists, if appropriate.

All sessions must have a lead organizer who serves as the primary contact, who will be readily available by email and phone in the months leading up to the meeting and who is expected to be present at the meeting. A secondary contact is also required.

If Your Proposal is Accepted

All organizers will be notified of the acceptance of their proposal by January 15, 2008. If accepted, your workshop description will be posted on the annual meeting website and a summary sentence will appear in the printed program. The description and summary sentence should be written with particular attention to attracting attendees, and should be submitted in the correct format on the website proposal submission form available through the ESA meeting website. Other contributors and their topics can be mentioned in the description, but there is not space for a detailed agenda.

We encourage workshop organizers to provide additional appropriate information to registered participants prior to the meeting; however it will be your responsibility to distribute it to them. To facilitate this distribution, ESA will provide you with a list of registrant email addresses approximately 2 to 3 weeks before the meeting.

One Presentation Rule

Note that the organizers, leaders and participants in a workshop are not precluded from also being first author or presenter on a poster, contributed oral, organized oral, or symposium talk.

Session Fees, Equipment, and Registration Limits

Workshops often involve a per-person participation fee to cover refreshments, materials, special equipment, or field trip costs. Any other needs, such as equipment or hand outs, that may result in expenditures should be specifically listed in your proposal submission. NOTE: In order to lower costs to attendees in your session you may choose to offer no refreshments during your session. All workshop proposals must indicate minimum and maximum participation. Your specification of the minimum number of participants is important. ESA will cancel your workshop if the minimum is not met. We will make this decision in early July based on the registration in your workshop as of June 27, 2008. All cancellation decisions will be made in consultation with the organizers, so it is critical that we have appropriate contact information for the organizers for the late-June/early-July time period. If your workshop meets its minimum registration, you are expected to proceed with the workshop.

An important note regarding funds: Acceptance of your proposal does not obligate ESA beyond assuring you of a meeting space and inclusion in the printed program. We stress especially that no ESA funds are available for honoraria, refreshments, or travel expenses for workshop participants or organizers. Further, meeting registration is not waived. ESA will not reimburse workshop organizers for expenses related to the workshop. Anyone participating in any capacity in a workshop must be registered for at least one day. Organizers are responsible for making these facts clear to persons they invite to participate.

Cancellation policy

Once a workshop has been accepted and listed online, it imposes a serious burden to cancel it. Do not submit a proposal if you are uncertain that you will be able to fulfill your obligation to organize and conduct the workshop. Once a scheduled workshop reaches the minimum registration, cancellation by the workshop organizers will preclude the organizers from being allowed to submit any proposals for workshops for the 2009 ESA annual meeting.

Application Format

Please note this information must be entered on the website proposal submission form. It is provided here only to assist you in planning your submission. Also, note that the website format may differ slightly from the format listed here. All information requested must be submitted.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION RECEIPT: NOVEMBER 30, 2007

Components of a Workshop Proposal:

• Title of the session
• Description of the session (250 word maximum)
• Summary sentence (50 word maximum)
• Names and contact information of the lead organizer, a secondary contact and any co-organizer(s)
• Minimum number of participants
• Maximum number of participants
• Proposed starting and ending times
1. Full day – Usually 8-8:30 am to 4:30-5 pm
2. Half day – Usually 8 am -12 pm or 8:30 am -12:30 pm OR 12:30-4:30 pm or 1-5 pm
3. Lunch-break – 11:30 am -1:15 pm
4. Evening – 8-10 pm
• Preference of day/date for this session –
1. Saturday, August 2 or Sunday, August 3 (full day, half day, 2 hours)
2. Lunch-break (1.5 hours)
3. Evening (2 hours)
• Anticipated equipment needs – screen, LCD projector, dedicated laptop computer, slide projector, overhead projector, flip charts, VCR and monitor, Internet connection (note that provision of an internet connection cannot be guaranteed)
• Room set-up desired – theater, conference, hollow square, rounds, other
• Food and beverage requested for your workshop – NOTE: charges to session attendees are increased if the organizers wish to serve food.
• Outside underwriting of workshop fees and/or group or agency sponsors for the session (if any).
• Is the session intended to follow a symposium or organized oral session? If so, which one?
• Is the workshop linked to the business meeting or mixer of any ESA Section, Chapter, or other group? If so, which one?

You MUST submit your proposal using the website proposal submission form. You will be notified electronically concerning receipt, review, and acceptance of your proposal, using the return e-mail address that you provide. The notice of receipt will include a reference number that you will need to retain. If the return email address is incorrect, you will not be notified. If you do not hear from the Program Chair or the Program Assistant regarding receipt of your proposal by December 15, 2007, please contact Aleta Wiley (aleta@esa.org) to confirm that your proposal was received. You may view your proposal by accessing the website and entering your proposal number. The website and proposal number will be provided to you when we acknowledge receipt of your proposal. The complete scientific program should be on the ESA website by May 15, 2008, and each accepted proposal organizer or submitter should check for the exact time and location of her/his workshop. As a courtesy to workshop participants, upon receipt of the registration email list, organizers should plan to notify all workshop leaders and participants in her/his workshop concerning the date, time, and place of the workshop.

For further information consult the ESA 2008 Meeting web site (http://www.esa.org/milwaukee) or contact the Program Chair, Louis Gross, or the Program Assistant, Aleta Wiley.

SUBMIT WORKSHOP PROPOSALS HERE

CRITICAL DATES FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS

November 30, 2007 : Deadline to submit workshop proposals

December 15, 2007 : Contact Aleta Wiley if you have not received confirmation of your submission

January 15, 2008 : Notification of proposal acceptance sent to organizers

February 15, 2008 : Notification of date, time, and location of workshops sent to organizers

May 15, 2008 : Final scientific program published. Organizers should check time and location of their session and notify their presenters.

Mid-July, 2008: Registrant lists emailed to lead organizer.