Announcing the 45th Annual Meeting of the Animal Behavior Society

Scientific Program Highlights

Featured Speakers:

Keynote speaker: John Mitani, University of Michigan, The behavior of wild chimpanzees. Monday 8:45 -- 9:45 am

Distinguished Animal Behaviorist address: Jerram Brown, Emeritus of SUNY Albany, Studies on Behavior and Ecology of the Mexican Jay, 1969-2004. Wednesday 8:45 -- 9:45 am

Fellows lecture: Mary Jane West-Eberhard, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Alternative developmental pathways and why they are so important in behavior and evolution. Sunday 8:45 -- 9:45 am

Fellows lecture: R. Haven Wiley, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, A Signal-Detection Equilibrium in the Evolution of Communication. Tuesday 8:45 -- 9:45 am

Symposium: Pathways to Novelty and Diversity: The Causes and Consequences of Polyphenism. Organizers: David W. Pfennig, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Armin Moczek, Indiana University. Sunday

Writing workshop: Stanley Coren (Childrens Book Author), John Alcock (Textbook Author & Popular Science Writer); Steve Nowicki (Texbook Author); Susan Milius (Science Journalist); Ann Downer-Hazell (Book Editor for the sciences)
Organizer: Becky Talyn, California State University San Bernardino

Career workshop: Where do I go with a PhD in Animal Behaviour?
Organizer: Jennifer Mather, University of Lethbridge

Film Festival:

The XXIV Annual Animal Behavior Society Film Festival. Saturday, 16 August and Sunday, 17 August.

See the --> ABS Film Committee<-- site for more details and entry forms. The deadline for film entries is 02 June 2008

Special Events

• An opening reception will be held on Saturday evening, 16 August.

• Posters will be on display all day Monday and Tuesday, and a poster reception will be held on Tuesday evening.

• Acaoke (Academic Karaoke) is back! Watch your esteemed colleagues talk themselves into everlasting fame. Or everlasting shame. There is no middle ground!

• A closing banquet will be held Wednesday night, 20 August.

• First annual 5K fun run! Contact Molly Morris ( morrism@ohiou.edu) for details.

• A Silent Auction will be held once again. Please bring items to Snowbird to donate to the auction: (1) Books on animal behavior, biology, ecology, conservation, applied animal behavior, etc.; (2) autographed books from ABS authors; (3) items with animal themes (t-shirts, jewelry, calendars, greeting cards, posters, etc.); (4) software useful for members (statistics, data collection, etc.); (5) videotapes for teaching or entertainment with behavior themes; (6) memorabilia from past ABS meetings and members (vintage artifacts); (7) animal photography; (8) animal artwork; (9) statistical consulting; (10) behind-the-scenes tour of a zoo, etc. Donated items will be placed on tables next to bidding forms, or described, if the item is not present.

Registration

For updated information about registration and registration forms, go to: Registration

To present a paper or a poster at ABS 2008, you must register and submit abstracts by 30 June 2008. Only ABS (and ASAB) members are allowed to present research at ABS Meetings, which means participants should apply for membership or renew by 26 May 2008 in order to submit an abstract.

Be advised that there is a limit on the number of Contributed Talks that can be accepted. ABS bylaws require us to accept talk abstracts in the order received rather than the merits of the abstract or the presenter. You may still submit your most excellent abstract as a contributed poster, but not as a contributed talk, once this limit has been reached. The current limit is set at 200. This year the limit will remain firm because of space constraints at Snowbird.

Registration fees for 2008*

* approved by the Executive Committee, are listed below (all prices in US Dollars):

Lodging

Housing will be primarily on site, in either the Cliff Lodge (hotel-style rooms) or the Lodge at Snowbird (condo/kitchen suites). Reservations will be handled entirely by Snowbird staff. Prices have remained steady or dropped since Snowbird 2006:

• $100/night ($79/night for a limited number of students) for a hotel-style standard room (2 queen beds) or a studio condo (1 queen bed and kitchen).
• $139 for deluxe bedrooms with spa access (1 king bed).
• $239/night for a one-bedroom suite (2-3 queen/king beds)
• $249/night for a studio-style loft (3 beds and kitchen).
• $289/night for a two-bedroom suite (2-3 queen/king beds) or a one-bedroom condo (3 queen beds and kitchen).
• $319/night for one-bedroom condo with loft (5 queen beds and kitchen).

Camping is also convenient and inexpensive at National Forest Service campgrounds a few miles up and down the canyon from Snowbird, though reservations need to be made in advance.

(1) There are two National Forest campsites near snowbird: Tanner's Flat and Albion Basin. More information about these campsites can be found at the Wasatch-Cache National Forest website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/wcnf/unit/slrd/recreation/camping/little_cottonwood_canyon_cg.shtml.

Reservations for campsites can be made by calling 1-877-444-6777 or via the web at http://ReserveUSA.com.

Food Options

There are several restaurants on the hotel grounds that range from fast and relatively inexpensive (at least by Snowbird standards) take-out sandwiches and pizza to 45-minute in-and-out casual or bar sit-down dining to very formal, very relaxed (i.e., slow) and expensive penthouse restaurants. In prior years, a number of participants expressed concern about the relatively high prices of food in the hotel restaurants. One solution is to register for a condo that provides full kitchen facilities. There is a food store on site, and a supermarket at the entrance to the canyon to purchase supplies. By early August we will post, on the meeting website, some specific tips for achieving a successful Snowbird foraging experience. This information will also be included with your registration packet.

Transportation

Salt Lake City (SLC) has a major international airport that acts as a hub for Delta Airlines. Consequently, transportation into and out of SLC by air is relatively easy and inexpensive. SLC is also located at the confluence of several interstate highways. Ground transportation from the SLC airport to Snowbird is provided by Canyon Transport shuttle vans. An Enterprise car rental service is available at Snowbird.

Please contact Canyon Transport directly to make reservations (1-800-255-1841, http://www.canyontransport.com/index.html). When making a reservation please state that you are with the Animal Behavior Society (Group code 898) to receive a discounted rate. Rate for round trip is $56 and one-way is $35. To reveice the reduced rate participants will need to book a reservation at least 48 hours prior to arrival at SLC airport and pre-pay over the phone. Note that participants booking Canyon Transport through Snowbird with NOT receive the reduced rate.

Here is a list of rental car companies, plus contact information, that serve the airport: http://www.slcairport.com/rental_cars.html

Things to Do

If you feel lazy, the hotel has an excellent full-service spa, hot tub, two swimming pools, and three bars. Those of you with more energy can hike the many alpine trails on Snowbird ’s mountainsides, which range from 8000-11,000 feet above sea level. The mountains are laced with alpine meadows full of colorful wildflowers (usually in full bloom in August), streams, cascades and lakes. Mountain goats, deer, moose and small mammals are often seen and there are many birds for bird watching. If hiking has no appeal, but you would like to enjoy the view from the top, the resort has a tram that will take you to the mountaintop. The adventuresome can hike down or rent trail bikes and have a wild ride down. A gorgeous U.S. Forest Service campground is located 5 miles up the road at Alta (advance reservations required). Other activities include mountain-biking, jogging, tennis, basketball and volleyball, fly-fishing, and helicopter rides. Golf and Salt Lake City are nearby.

Child Care

Snowbird runs a children’s day camp all summer long. With advance registration, the children of attendees of almost all ages can be accommodated at “Camp Snowbird.” Camp Snowbird is highly recommended by your local host.

For Further Information

Please have a look at the Snowbird website (summer.snowbird.com), the Animal Behavior Society website or, if all else fails, contact the Designated Host: Jeff Podos by e-mail (jpodos@bio.umass.edu) or phone (413) 545-0847.