-Check in at the 2008 PSA Meeting
Pre-meeting Field Trips and Activities
Accommodations and Meal Information
REGISTRATION for the 2008 meeting.
Post-meeting Activity: Habitat for Humanity
The 2008 Annual Meeting will be held 27-30 July in New Orleans, Louisiana (at Loyola University), and is being hosted by Prof. Jim Wee (Loyola University). The meeting will kickoff with an opening mixer on the evening of Sunday, 27 July, and the scientific program will be Monday through Wednesday, 28–30 July. The always-popular PSA Auction and Mixer will be on Monday evening, and the Poster Session and Mixer will be on Tuesday evening. The PSA banquet will be held on Wednesday evening at the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit at the Audubon Zoo.
Abstracts can be submitted at: http://psa.abstractcentral.com The abstracts deadline is 5:00 PM *CENTRAL TIME* on June 13, 2008.
Several field trips, including a Honey Island Swamp Tour (www.honeyislandswamp.com), a session at the New Orleans School of Cooking (www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com), and a tour of the Pass Manchac area of Lakes Pontchartrain/Maurepas, will be available.
There will also be a special Habitat for Humanity Work Day organized for Thursday, 31 July for any attendees who would like to stay an extra day and help with the rebuilding of New Orleans.
PLENARY—MINISYMPOSIUM SESSIONS
Continuing with the meeting format begun in 2006, PSA will again sponsor plenary talks and associated minisymposia with participants identified by the Plenary speakers. Contributed papers related to the minisymposia topics will be solicited and scheduled in "featured contributed talk" sessions immediately following each minisymposium. The sessions and invited speakers for 2008 are as follows:
Harmful Algal Blooms
Plenary: Dr. Karen Steidinger (Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute) “Harmful algal blooms in North America: Common risks.”
Minisymposium speakers:
Dr. Leanne Flewelling (Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute) “Unexpected vectors of brevetoxins to marine mammals”
Dr. Jonathan Deeds (US FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) “The evolving story of Gyrodinium galatheanum = Karlodinium micrum = Karlodinium veneficum. A ten year perspective.”
The Ecology and Management of Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems
Plenary: Dr. John W. Day (Louisiana State University) “Climate change, energy scarcity, and sustainable management of the Mississippi delta.”
Minisymposium speakers:
Dr. Sibel Bargu (Louisiana State University) “Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and their impact on Marine Environments in the Northern Gulf of Mexico,”
Dr. Paul Kemp (Vice-President, Gulf Coast Initiative, National Audubon Society) title TBA.
Algal Biotechnology
Plenary: Dr. Bill Barclay (Martek Biosciences Corporation) “Commercial production of highly unsaturated fatty acids by microalgae: Lessons for biofuels production.”
Minisymposium speakers:
Dr. Craig Weaver (Martek Biosciences) “Manipulation of Schizochytrium genes for improved fatty acid production”
Dr. Casey Lippmeier (Martek Biosciences) “Schizochytrium as a viable production platform for biotechnology.”
FOR STUDENTS
BOLD AWARD: Since 1974, students have been invited to participate in the Bold Award competition for the outstanding student research presentation at the annual meeting. The award, named in honor of the late Professor Harold Bold, consists of a certificate and monetary prize. The information presented must be that of the student's, must be presented orally by the student in English, and should be a complete or nearly complete study. Bold Award papers will be oral presentations within an organized symposium at the annual meeting. Monday, June 23, 2008 is the deadline for students wishing to be considered for the Bold Award must submit a letter from the student's research director (mentor/major advisor) or department chair, verifying that the candidate is a student and that the work to be presented represents the initiative, imagination, and labor of the student. Further details on eligibility and the address for application are available.
POSTER AWARD: PSA is pleased to continue the new award for the best student poster, which was initiated at the 2006 meeting. Details on this are available. Poster size 3' x 4'
HOSHAW TRAVEL AWARD: Student members can apply for a limited number of awards to assist in their travel expenses to the annual PSA meeting. All other factors equivalent, students who will present their research at the meeting (lecture or poster) will be given priority. Successful applicants will be notified prior to the meeting, and the awards will be presented at the meeting. Application forms (and appropriate contact/application information) are available.
Additional information will be added to this webpage as it becomes available.