Deadline Extension: All registration forms are now due by January 10, 2011. We are pleased to announce the first annual Florida student chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy’s research symposium on January 30, 2011 with an ice breaker January 29th. This year’s symposium will be hosted by the University of Florida’s Aquatic Animal Health Program in Gainesville, FL. We encourage all students (graduate, undergraduate, professional, etc.) actively involved or interested in marine mammal research to attend. This is an informal symposium which will give students the opportunity to present their research in a relaxed environment and to meet and exchange ideas with other students from the state of Florida and surrounding areas. We also have scheduled round table discussions with prominent marine mammal researchers from both the academic and government arena. Presentation slots will be 12 minutes with 3 minutes for questions. If you wish to present on your current or proposed research project please submit your abstract (300 word maximum) and registration form available at our website<http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/extension/aquatic/events/#conferences> no later than January 10, 2011 to floridasmm@gmail.com<mailto:floridasmm@gmail.com>. All registration forms for attendees are due by the January 10th date. Registration is FREE! In addition to the symposium, a marine mammal anatomy tutorial and dissection is planned for January 31st. Space is limited and filling fast! Also, you will have the unique opportunity to attend free-ranging manatee health assessment captures in Crystal River, Florida with Dr. Bob Bonde (USGS Sirenia Project) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on February 1 or 2, 2011. There are currently only 4 remaining spots available for Feb. 1st and 7 spots for Feb. 2nd, so register soon! To alleviate the cost of room and board, there will be limited free accommodations so again, please register early. Please check our website<http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/extension/aquatic/events/#conferences> and Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=102486243157815> event page for updates. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at floridasmm@gmail.com<mailto:floridasmm@gmail.com>. Thank you and we look forward to meeting all of you! The committee of the Florida Student Chapter for the Society for Marine Mammalogy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jennifer L. McGee, M.Sc. Ph.D. Candidate University of Florida-College of Veterinary Medicine Aquatic Animal Health 2015 SW 16th Ave. PO Box 100126 Gainesville, Fl. 32610-0126 (716) 481-4750 "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." John Muir "What is man without the beast ? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beast, soon happens to man. All things are connected. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself" Attributed to - Chief Seattle of the Suguamish American Indians