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The Wildlife Society’s 25 Annual Conference is approaching, and while wildlifers can expect the same networking, engagement and fun activities as the past few years, there are some changes this year to optimize your experience.
This year, Cleveland, Ohio will welcome wildlife professionals from Oct. 7 to 11 on the shore of Lake Erie. Building on last year’s conference in Albuquerque, which brought in over 1,800 wildlifers, The Wildlife Society is making some changes this year. So roll up your posters, prepare your presentations and, if you’re inspired by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, strap on your guitar. This conference is one you won’t want to miss.
New Day Pattern
This year, the core days of the conference, which include concurrent sessions, plenaries and other important sessions, will run Monday through Thursday. Workshops will take place Sunday. This is different from last year when core sessions took place Sunday to Wednesday, with workshops on Saturday. With this new schedule, early arrivers can enjoy the Sunday workshops, but latecomers won’t miss out on core sessions.
Later Times for General Sessions
In past years, plenaries and keynotes occurred first thing in the morning. If you’re not an early bird, this year’s schedule might work out better for you. General sessions, including keynotes and plenaries, will take place after a round of early-morning concurrent sessions from 8:10 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. After a midmorning refreshment break, the general sessions will take place from 10:20 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. A lunch break will immediately follow. Check out the schedule at a glance to see a preliminary version of this new schedule.
The Student-Professional Networking Event
Good news! An old favorite is returning! The Student-Professional Networking Event will take place Tuesday evening from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. All conference attendees — not just students — are encouraged to attend. This event will be a good time to network, learn about what other professionals are doing and maybe get some ideas for your own projects. At the networking event, attendees will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the TWS annual conference.
Additional Poster Session
Ever felt like you spent so long on your poster, but it wasn’t getting the exposure you wished it would? This year, there will be a daily 50-minute poster session Monday to Thursday during the 2:30 p.m. afternoon break. These designated sessions are intended to encourage more attendees to view the posters and engage in discussions with the presenters. With four days of posters, that means fewer posters each day, providing a better opportunity to get a look at all of them.
A New Way to End the Conference
In place of a party-style event at the end of the conference, where you might miss an opportunity to visit and have meaningful conversations with friends, this year TWS will host a Closing Night Happy Hour and Trade Show Networking Event. In the late afternoon and early evening Thursday, immediately following concurrent sessions, attendees are invited to stick around the convention center for the event from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Then, you have the rest of the night to go out with friends and explore all Cleveland has to offer.
