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The Conference Steering Committee Conferences aren't just about academic sessions! To keep you from heading back to your hotel room at 6pm, the Conference Steering Committee has put together a long list of special events, many occurring during the evening and off hours. If you are interested in hosting an event at the conference, please fill out the Function Request Form. Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday Sunday, November 4, 2007 ERF Sustaining Members Reception with the Scientific Awardees and Keynote Speaker Sunday, November 4, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm ERF invites our sustaining members to attend a special reception to thank you for your support of the Federation, congratulate our 2007 scientific awardees and speak with the keynote speaker, Rosina Bierbaum prior to the opening plenary. Opening Plenary - Keynote Address and ERF Awards Sunday, November 4, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Plan to attend to congratulate the winners of the 2007 ERF awards and to hear keynote speaker Rosina Bierbaum speak about The Impact of Climate Change on Estuarine and Coastal Environments. President's Welcome Reception Sunday, November 4, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm On behalf of the Federation Presidents, we invite you to the Biltmore Hotel's Grand Ballroom to greet old friends and new. Celebrate the opening of the 19th biennial conference of the Estuarine Research Federation. (Drink ticket and hors d'oeuvres provided.) Monday, November 5, 2007 IOOS Regional Associations Poster Room Monday and Tuesday, November 5 & 6, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Observing systems represent a new and extremely significant contribution to our abilities to understand and manage natural resources and the interrelationships between humans and their environment. Coastal ecosystems are receiving particular attention as these systems are designed and implemented. The design and implementation are occurring rapidly and at local, national, regional and global scales. We have invited observing systems within the United States and internationally and related organizations to display posters, provide informational materials and make available representatives to discuss their efforts. You are welcome to stop by and learn more about what is happening in this exciting arena. ERF Happy Hour Monday, November 5, 5:30 pm Cash bar and munchies. Check out the posters; visit the exhibitors; rendezvous with friends and colleagues for this evening's activities. Affiliate Society Meetings Monday, November 5, 5:45 pm – 6:30 pm This year we have set aside a specific time for all of the affiliate society meetings. Plan to grab some munchies at the Happy Hour, then attend your region's meeting to learn what is happening! ERF Student Pizza Social and Career "Speed Dating" Monday, November 5, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm ALL undergraduate and graduate students are invited to attend the ERF Student Career Event & Pizza Social. This event provides students a fantastic and unique opportunity to network with established scientists and recently employed graduates in a fun and casual atmosphere. Students will have a chance to pick panelists' brains about topics such as career options, student internship and employment opportunities, and job search tools and skills that worked successfully for them. And did we mention FREE pizza and drinks?! Note: This event has a new format for ERF 2007: CAREER "SPEED-DATING". Panelists representing different careers (academia, federal agencies, state agencies, NGOs, consulting, sensor development, and more!) will be situated around the room. Students will receive "date" cards that indicate what tables they are to start with and what tables to go to next. MCs Randy Chambers and Amanda Kahn will announce when students will need to move on to their next "date”. This event is a great way to start the week of networking at ERF 2007, so come on down! The networking continues afterward at: ERF Unplugged Monday, November 5, 8:30 pm – until?? Join fellow ERFlings at McFadden's Saloon for an evening of music and fun with talented ERF musicians and singers. The ERFtones band, assembled from various coastal and environmental programs, will kick off the evening, performing a wide variety of songs (blues, folk, rock, etc.). Then, ERFlings can participate by playing an instrument and/or sing your favorite song with the band as your backup! This is too good to miss!! Tuesday, November 6, 2007 Women's Aquatic Network Breakfast Tuesday, November 6, 7:00 am - 8:00 am Seven in the morning may sound early to some ERF attendees, but Tuesday’s Women’s Aquatic Network (WAN) breakfast will reward early risers with a compelling and fun program, and an excellent opportunity to network with current and soon-to-be colleagues and friends. This year’s event will present a speaker who straddles the worlds of science and communications, perhaps uniquely. University of Rhode Island Communications Studies and Theater Professor Dr. Judith Swift will speak on “Communicating Science Through the Filter of Gender.” Dr. Swift specializes in the direction and development of new scripts, has written and developed scripts for film and video which have aired on several PBS affiliates, and has constructed, authored or co-authored over 40 productions based on historical events or science. She also regularly coaches political candidates, corporate officers, and civic officials regarding communication and presentation skills. Professor Swift joined URI in 1972. Her teaching interests include humor in communication, nonverbal and subtextual communication, as well as presentation skills. She has taught extensively in acting styles, improvisation, nonverbal acting, and directing for the theatre. She is the Associate Director of the Coastal Institute at URI, whose mission is to advance knowledge and develop solutions to environmental problems in coastal ecosystems. Swift has also written and directed a series of “science cabarets,” musical shows with science themes, including Science and Glitz: A Differential Equation, a musical performance about coastal issues. The production included such musical numbers as "Estuarine Benefits," "Song of the Nile," "The Water Cycle Boogie," and "Advance," a song about the frustrations women face in advancing their careers in the science and mathematics disciplines. In addition to Dr. Swift’s presentation, ample time will be left for networking and informal discussions. Three Thematic Plenaries Tuesday, November 6, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Rhode Island Convention Center, fifth floor, Ballroom B and Ballroom D, and in the Westin Hotel, street level, Narragansett Ballroom A. (Plenary Details) ERF Happy Hour Tuesday, November 6, 5:30 pm Cash bar and munchies. Check out the posters; visit the exhibitors; rendezvous with friends and colleagues for this evening's activities. Team formation area for Club ERF pool and dance competitions. Club ERF Tuesday, November 6, 6:00 pm until… Bus service will run between the Convention Center and Snookers from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Dinner, drink ticket, pool tables, dancing, special ERF activities, Affiliate Society challenges including pool and dance competitions. Yes, it’s 6 pm and time to get out into Providence and head over to 145 Clifford St. – ERF is taking it over for the night! There you will find abuffet of sandwiches, pizza, veggies and other delicious foods. Use your drink coupon for a beer or glass of wine. Check out what ERF surprises you might find showing on the big projection screens over the main bar. Mingle with fellow ERF attendees in the spacious nightclub, which even has an outside deck (sometimes it IS warm in early November in Providence!). Find a quiet spot to catch up with friends by one of the windows or at the second bar. But don’t just talk – play pool. Yes, we will have 14 pool tables where you can challenge your friends and impress your colleagues. Whether you have never played pool or if you hone your skills at every opportunity, there will be plenty of tables for everyone. Gather past and present members of your lab to play together. Get federal employees and academics together and see what happens. There will be at least one challenge – the home team, the New England Estuarine Research Society, will take on any or all ERF affiliates for bragging rights until ERF 2009. At 8 pm, you can keep playing pool, or move to the other end of the Club for dancing or just to listen to the music. And not just any dancing, but dancing to the Outlyers. A New England-based band, the Outlyers, took their name from the scientific term related to something apart from the norm – that is a good way to describe the diverse songlist the band has built and the way it interacts with audiences. This five-piece band with three vocalists easily switches from swinging blues to rock to alt country and everything in between. The Outlyers play many songs by familiar artists but keep it interesting by selecting songs that you may have rarely heard played live but are perfect for a dancing and fun-seeking crowd. The Outlyers have a natural connection to ERF - band member Richard Ribb manages the National Estuary Program for Narragansett Bay when he is not playing. You may have danced to the music of Richard and others at the 2004 Coastal Society meeting or the recent Association of National Estuary Programs meeting, both in Newport, RI The Outlyers like to get the audience involved and to create an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment even if you don’t want to dance – so watch for special ERF activities along with the music – right up until midnight. Wednesday, November 7, 2007 (C)ERF International Forum: Reaching Out Wednesday, November 7, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Plan to attend this forum to brainstorm with other ERF members on ways to reach out to the international community. ERF Happy Hour Wednesday, November 7, 5:30 pm Cash bar and munchies. Check out the posters; visit the exhibitors; rendezvous with friends and colleagues for this evening's activities. ERF International Reception plus ERF Business Meeting and Administration Change Wednesday, November 7, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Please stop by to welcome our international members and visitors. Munchies provided. This reception is followed by:
NERRS Graduate Research Fellows 10-year Celebration Wednesday, November 7, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm We are celebrating 10 years of the NERRS Graduate Research Fellows (GRF) program. Current and past GRF's are invited to chat together and network with NERRS researchers while enjoying food and beverages. An inspirational presentation will cap off the evening. For more information on the Graduate Research Fellowship program please visit their website at http://nerrs.noaa.gov/Fellowship/welcome.html URI-GSO Reunion Wednesday, November 7, 7:30 pm – until… This is a reunion of the Alumni of the Graduate School of Oceanography and the University of Rhode Island. Contact Veronica Berounsky for details at vberounsky@gso.uri.edu. Wednesday, November 7, 9:00 pm – until… Students, undergrad and graduate alike: a grand gathering at Ri Ra Irish Pub has been reserved for those of you anxious to steal away for an evening of food, drinks, live music, good company, and late night conversation with your peers. In honor of your efforts as a diligent and enthusiastic ERF 2007 attendee, all students (and any others who wish to join) can enjoy unlimited $3 pints (in any flavor of delicious beer served by Ri Ra) and 1/2-priced burgers (veggie burgers included)! Student pub night is your chance to give your brain a break, enjoy some Providence nightlife, and best of all, network and socialize with your peers. And for those of us too tired to make a long trek out into the city, Ri Ra is conveniently located less than a block away from the Westin Hotel at 50 Exchange Terrace. Thursday, November 8, 2007 Three Thematic Plenaries Thursday, November 8, 8:00 am - 9:45 am Rhode Island Convention Center, fifth floor, Ballroom B and Ballroom D, and in the Westin Hotel, street level, Narragansett Ballroom A. (Plenary Details) Student Awards and ERF 2007 Farewell Party Thursday, November 8, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Light hors d'oeuvres and bar (drink ticket provided). Student Presentation Awards. Affiliate Challenge Prizes. Caron Neutral check presentations. Throughout this week our volunteer judges (three per presentation) evaluated most of the student oral and poster presentations. Tonight, the highest-ranking students receive monetary awards and recognition for their exceptional work. Come support the students, watch the cabaret, say farewell until ERF 2009 in Portland, Oregon and of course, eat, drink and be merry! AND – Come to the Cabaret!! It's a Shore Thing: Coastal Cabaret Lyrics by Judith Swift and Charles Cofone, Music and Arrangements by Charles Cofone, Directed by Judith Swift, Keyboard and Vocals - Charles Cofone, Vocals - Casey Seymour-Kim Swift has written and directed a series of “science cabarets,” musical shows with science themes, including Science and Glitz: A Differential Equation, a musical performance about coastal issues. That production included such musical numbers as "Estuarine Benefits," "Song of the Nile," "The Water Cycle Boogie." |
