The first call for proposals for "oral presentations, speed presentations, and posters" for the International Marine Conservation Congress (incorporating IMPAC2) opens September 1, 2008. This call will be opened from 1 September - 15 October 2008. Details for submittal can be found at the conference website, http://www.conbio.org/IMCC SCOPE: The Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology will be hosting its first stand-alone meeting, the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC), from 20-24 May 2009 at George Mason University near Washington D.C. This will be an interdisciplinary meeting that will engage natural and social scientists, managers, policy-makers, and the public. The goal of the IMCC is to put conservation science into practice through public and media outreach and the development concrete products (e.g., policy briefs, blue ribbon position papers) that will be used to drive policy change and implementation. This meeting will encompass the 2nd International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC1 was held in Geelong, Australia in October 2005). The IMPAC2 component will consist of an organized cross cutting issue within the IMCC addressing MPAs though the full range of posters, papers, workshops and symposia. IMCC encourages authors to submit papers that apply to the major themes and tracks below, describing original work, including methods, techniques, applications, tools, issues, reporting research results and/or indicating future directions. Major themes that will be addressed include: · Global Climate Change, · the Land-Sea Interface, · Ecosystem-based Management, and · Poverty and Globalization Cross-cutting issues encompass topics of global relevance and importance to marine conservation that relate to the major themes. Cross cutting issues include: * Marine Protected Areas * Education, Outreach and Capacity Building * Governance Arrangements * Fisheries and Aquaculture * Economics We anticipate that cross-cut issues will result in proposals on a variety of sub-topics. Potential topics include but are not limited to: networks and system development, MPA and MPA network monitoring and evaluation, high seas impacts, ocean resource use and planning, international instruments and trans-boundary relations, human/animal impacts, ecological impacts of ocean acidification, technology, stakeholder involvement, indigenous issues, improving public ocean knowledge, incorporating traditional and local knowledge into decision making, and valuing marine ecosystem services. In an attempt to tackle the most pressing issues currently facing marine conservation, IMCC will host exciting plenary talks and solicit creative submissions for interactive symposia and workshops. The conservation community will be challenged to go beyond the typical communication of data and propose symposia and/or workshops where talks will be followed by lively, participatory discussions to address a controversial topic or develop innovative solutions to a current conservation challenge. Individuals are limited to presenting only one symposium, workshop, oral, speed, or poster presentation. If your name appears on more than one abstract, make sure you are listed as the presenter for only one of them. ORAL PRESENTATIONS will be limited to 15 minutes: 12 minutes for presentation and 3 minutes for questions. Contributed oral presentations will be grouped by theme and topic. Please choose from the list of themes and general topic areas below. This will assist us in selecting an appropriate session for your presentation. If your abstract is accepted but cannot be accommodated as an oral presentation, we may offer you the opportunity to present a poster. POSTER PRESENTATIONS Poster presenters will receive general instructions on poster format in the email notification of acceptance. Posters will be displayed prominently and for the entire meeting; special sessions dedicated to posters will allow in-depth discussion between authors and attendees. SPEED PRESENTATIONS If your paper topic would be of interest to a wide range of people and you would like your presentation to lead to an extended conversation with colleagues who are specifically interested in your work, you may wish to submit an abstract for a speed presentation. In the first hour of a speed presentation session, 15 speakers will be given four (4) minutes each to present their key ideas and results. In the second hour, presenters will station themselves at separate tables where they can interact with people who are interested in learning more about their work. PLENARY SPEAKERS Dr. Daniel Pauly, Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee, Dr. Rod Fujita, Dorothy Childers and Alexandra Cousteau. Dr. Callum Roberts will be giving the Dr. Ransom A. Myers Memorial Lecture at the evening banquet on May 24th. PAPER SUBMISSION PROCEDURES Please go to www.conbio.org/IMCC IMPORTANT DATES 1st Call for oral presentations, speed presentations, and posters: 1 September - 15 October 2008, decisions by 30 November 2008 2nd Call for 1500 word submissions (for submissions accepted at the first call only): 1 December 2008 - 15 January 2009, decisions by 1 February 2009 Early bird registration: 15 November 2008 – 15 February 2009 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 the Society for Conservation Biology and the SCB Marine Section, 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 submit more than one proposal; however, no individual may give more than one presentation in the following categories: symposium, workshop, oral presentation, speed presentation, or poster. Reviewers have access to the entire abstract except the names of the presenters. To increase the probability that your abstract will be accepted, and in your preferred format, please consider the following criteria carefully: 1. scientific merit 2. application to marine conservation/management 3. relevance to chosen theme/cross-cutting issue(s) 4. relevance to IMCC theme (“From science to management and policy”) 5. clarity of presentation (e.g. abstract begins with a clear statement of an issue and ends with a substantive conclusion) Please note: We do require that all presenters register for the IMCC by the end of early bird registration: 15 February 2009. TRAVEL GRANTS To encourage international and student participation, we will offer the opportunity to apply for grants to offset travel and other expenses. Please go to the following website: http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/imcc/travel_award.html MENTORING PROGRAM To encourage participation of members whose first language is not English, we will offer a mentoring service for participants who wish to submit abstracts for oral, speed or poster presentations. If you want to take advantage of this mentoring program, simply submit an abstract according to the standard guidelines; indicate that English is not your first language, and that you would like your abstract to be mentored. Instructions will be sent to your email address after you submit your abstract online. A mentor will contact you and provide guidance on grammar and clarity of writing. The mentor also will ensure that the abstract meets the technical criteria for submission. Note that it is NOT the role of the mentor to provide scientific guidance, or to write the abstract. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Please email IMCCprogram@conbio.org -- Ellen Hines, PhD Chair, Scientific Program, IMCC Associate Professor Department of Geography and Human Environmental Studies San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Ave San Francisco, CA 94132 ehines@sfsu.edu bss.sfsu.edu/ehines