Category Archives: Society News

Spring 2019 Vote Results: New Honorary Members Approved and Membership Expanded

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Vera da Silva and Bernd Würsig elected as new Honorary Members

In the spring 2019 vote, Members of the Society for Marine Mammalogy voted to elect Vera da Silva and Bernd Würsig as Honorary Members in recognition of their distinguished service to the field of marine mammalogy. Vera da Silva is a Senior Researcher at the National Institute of Amazonian Research (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia) in Manaus, Brazil, where she has carried out multiple, multi-decadal research and conservation efforts on Amazonian dolphins and manatees. Bernd Würsig is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Marine Biology at Texas A&M, was one of the first to author a paper on the individual recognition of dolphins by marks on their dorsal fins and was President of our Society from 1991–1993. Our Honorary Members are the giants upon whose shoulders we all stand. They pioneered research methods, brought students and colleagues into the field, served their scientific community, and brought their science to bear on critical conservation issues. We thank them for their service and welcome them as new Honorary Members!

The Society for Marine Mammalogy expands its Membership

In the spring 2019 vote, Members of the Society for Marine Mammalogy voted to increase the length of time that a student is eligible for the Student Membership category to include “the year after their graduation from a degree-granting program at an institution of higher learning.” This change will make it easier for students, who represent the future of our Society, to maintain their active membership as they transition to their next life step! Members also voted in support of the proposal to create a new Fellows membership category. “A Fellow is a member who has rendered conspicuous service, or made truly notable contributions to the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of marine mammal science or the fostering of its practical applications through conservation of marine mammals.” This category of membership is aimed at recognizing Members at all stages of their career, and, thus, expanding our celebration of our Members and their accomplishments! Stay tuned to find out how to nominate a charter member of the Society’s Fellowship!

24 Hours until WMMC 2019 Abstract Submissions and Workshop Proposal Deadline

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Greetings,

This is a friendly reminder from your WMMC’19 Organizing Committee that there are 24 hours left before the abstract and workshop submission deadline – April 30, 2019 at midnight, Barcelona time (GMT +1).

If you have not completed and/or submitted your abstract or workshop yet, please login to the conference system via ECS or SMM to submit your abstract.

Please select from the options below to sign-in to the conference system:

  • For ECS members, click here.
  • For SMM members, click here.
  • For those who are not currently a member of either society, and do not plan to become members, you can choose to login as a non-member (via SMM). To create an account as a non-member, click here.

* Please be sure to use the same account to submit an abstract (i.e. ECS, SMM, Non-Member), as you would to register for the conference.

If you have any questions, please contact our Abstract Review Team. Workshop questions? Please contact our Workshop Team. We look forward to reviewing your submissions for WMMC’19!

Sincerely,

WMMC’19 Organizing Committee

WMMC Workshop Proposals Due In By April 30, 2019 at midnight, Barcelona time (GMT+1)

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Greetings all,

The deadline to submit workshop proposals for consideration at the upcoming World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona (Wednesday, April 30, 2019 at midnight, Barcelona time (GMT +1) is less than one week away!

World Marine Mammal Conference-affiliated workshops are half day, full day, or two day events proposed by individual researchers (the “workshop leaders”) and organised by them if their proposal is accepted by the WMMC conference committee. WMMC workshops will be held on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December, 2019, during the weekend just prior to the conference.

WMMC-affiliated workshops are open to all conference registrants up to the stated capacity of the workshop. Workshops are separate from the conference presentation program, so you can give a presentation at the conference and organize or participate in a workshop.

We expect to receive between 20-40 workshop proposals and have 12-16 rooms available per day, so may not have space for all the proposed workshops. A group of reviewers approved by the WMMC Conference and Scientific Program Committee chairs will evaluate the workshop proposals and select those to fill the available slots based on their review scores. Other workshops will be placed on a waiting list and added to the schedule by rank order of their review scores if additional slots become available.

If you want us to consider your proposal for a workshop please prepare your online application form soon! You can start filling out the form and if you get tired, or have to check something out, you can save (click on “Submit Workshop Proposal”) and resume later (but note, you must put something into all the required fields or you will not be able to save). You have until the submission deadline (Wednesday, April 30, 2019 at midnight, Barcelona time (GMT +1) to finalize your proposal – saved proposals will not be reviewed until after that date.

Proponents will be notified by May 16, 2019 as to whether their workshop proposal has been accepted for presentation at the conference. The list of workshop descriptions will be posted on the conference website and registration will be available online June 1, 2019.

For more information on workshop requirements and fees, location, workshop registration, and how to submit a workshop proposal, be sure to check out our:

In order to access the conference system, authors are required to sign-in via ECS or SMM. Please select from the options below to sign-in to the conference system:

  • For ECS members, click here.
  • For SMM members, click here.
  • For those who are not currently a member of either society, you can also choose to login as a non-member (via SMM). To create an account as a non-member, click here.
  • then, from the WMMC’19 login page, click on the “Pre-Conference Workshop Proposal Submission“ button

* Please be sure to use the same account to submit an abstract or workshop proposal (i.e. ECS, SMM, Non-Member), as you would to register for the conference.

If you would like to discuss the options before you submit a proposal, or have questions about any of the requested information, please contact the workshop coordinators (Frank Cipriano and Juanita Zorrilla). We look forward to reviewing your proposal for WMMC’19 workshops!

Sincerely,
WMMC’19 Organizing Committee

23rd Annual Meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) (University of Washington, Seattle;18-19 May 2019)

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This is a reminder to registerfor the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle on 18-19 May 2019!

Registration cost is TBD (max of $15 USD) and will include breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Registration for the meeting will be accepted up until the day of the meeting (on-site registration available).

The purpose of the annual meeting is to cultivate community among students studying marine mammals by creating a relaxed atmosphere to share research ideas, tribulations, and triumphs. Though the meeting is geared towards students, everyone and anyone interested in marine mammals are encouraged to attend!

Saturday, May 18th, will involve a full day of oral and poster presentations, followed by a group dinner at Big Time Brewery. On Sunday, May 19th, we are offering an optional outing to the Seattle Aquarium (behind the scenes!, max price of $10 for admission) and Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle.

*Register  at: *
https://goo.gl/forms/TrnsKGoMw4MXt2cS2

*Follow along on the Facebook event page: *
https://www.facebook.com/events/651319458635126/

Hope to see you in Seattle!

The NWSSMM 23rd Annual Meeting Student Organizers

World Marine Mammal Conference – Abstract Deadline 30th April 2019

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Greetings,

Are you interested in submitting an abstract for the upcoming World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, December 2019? Well, the submission deadline for abstracts is rapidly approaching! Be sure to submit your proposal(s) online by 12PM CET on April 30th, 2019. Successful abstract applicants will be notified on July 5th, 2019.

For more information on submitting an abstract, be sure to check out our conference resources:

In order to access the conference system, authors are required to sign-in via ECS or SMM. Please select from the options below to sign-in to the conference system:

  • For ECS members, click here.
  • For SMM members, click here.
  • For those who are not currently a member of either society, you can also choose to login as a non-member (via SMM). To create an account as a non-member, click here.

* Please be sure to use the same account to submit an abstract (i.e. ECS, SMM, Non-Member), as you would to register for the conference.

If you have any questions, please contact our Abstract Review Team. We look forward to reviewing your submissions for WMMC’19!

Sincerely,
WMMC’19 Organizing Committee

WMMC 2019 Abstract Submission Deadline is April 30, 2019

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Greetings,

Are you interested in submitting an abstract for the upcoming World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, December 2019? Well, the submission deadline for abstracts is rapidly approaching! Be sure to submit your proposal(s) online by midnight Barcelona Time (GMT +1) on April 30th, 2019. Successful abstract applicants will be notified on July 5th, 2019.

For more information on submitting an abstract, be sure to check out our conference resources:

In order to access the conference system, authors are required to sign-in via ECS or SMM. Please select from the options below to sign-in to the conference system:

  • For ECS members, click here.
  • For SMM members, click here.
  • For those who are not currently a member of either society, you can also choose to login as a non-member (via SMM). To create an account as a non-member, click here.

* Please be sure to use the same account to submit an abstract (i.e. ECS, SMM, Non-Member), as you would to register for the conference.

If you have any questions, please contact our Abstract Review Team. We look forward to reviewing your submissions for WMMC’19!

Sincerely,
WMMC’19 Organizing Committee

News from Ann

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Hello Friends and Colleagues,

As I write you today, I am still getting my “land legs” after having the distinct pleasure of joining an international team of students and other colleagues for a leg of an offshore research cruise. Our goal was simple, to enhance our understanding of the abundance, distribution and behavior of cetaceans off the continental shelf. But the logistical requirements of such an endeavor were anything but simple! From the years-long planning; to the competencies of the crew, honed and developed over collective decades; to the purpose-built vessel that safely plied the winter, and sometimes downright angry, Atlantic waters; to the diversity of technologies onboard including those to detect individual whales that we would never see; to the tags that offer us unparalleled insights into the lives of these divers. All had to work.

This wonderful adventure reminded me that members of our community are every day working across the globe, in a diversity of environments and often under difficult conditions, to carry out critical research on marine mammals. From the poles to the equator, from the pelagic to the riverine, from the sea surface to the abyss, from the Eocene to the Anthropocene, and from the outside to the inside of our species, our colleagues are discovering how marine mammals work in their diverse environments. This information always adds to our understanding of the biological world and is often absolutely required to inform wise management and conservation actions to help preserve marine mammal biodiversity. 

Our strength as a Society relies upon the dedication and hard work of its members. So, thank you all.

Things have been busy within the Society lately! A few highlights – congratulations to our Emily B. Shane Awards winners! The Education Committee and the sub-Committee on Diversity and Inclusion have filled their ranks and are ready to carry out their important work. The World Marine Mammal Conference team has been working diligently (an understatement, really!), and you will soon be asked to submit your abstracts and workshop proposals to ensure that we have the finest scientific program possible. You are being asked to vote on three measures that will strengthen our community – to support our student members, to enhance our ability to recognize the accomplishments of many of our colleagues, and to honor the lifetime achievements of two senior scientists. And your journal is getting a new look, including options for its cover design, upon which you will be asked to vote!

So, a lot is going on! And as always, I look forward to hearing from you if you have any questions or ideas that will continue to enhance our work together.

My very best wishes to you all!

 
D. Ann Pabst

23rd Annual Meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (18 May 2019; University of Washington, Seattle) 2019!

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The 23rd Annual Meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) will take place at the University of Washington, Seattle on May 18, 2019!
The purpose of the annual meeting is to cultivate community among students studying marine mammals by creating a relaxed atmosphere to share research ideas, tribulations, and triumphs. The meeting is also an opportunity to meet other students from across the Pacific Northwest region, explore potential collaborations, and have a great time in a supportive and informal setting.

Saturday, 18 May, will involve a full day of student oral and poster presentations, followed by a group dinner. On Sunday, 19 May, there will be an optional fun outing [TBD].
 
Please save the date and be on the lookout for more details to be announced in the coming weeks.
The NWSSMM 2019 Organizing Committee 

Grants available for Latin American students to attend 2019 Biennial Conference

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YAQU PACHA, an organization that promotes aquatic mammal protection, conservation, and research in South America and sponsors LAJAM (Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals), has generously offered SOLAMAC (the Latin American Society of Specialists in Aquatic Mammals) two travel grants to assist students attending the 2nd World Marine Mammal Science Conference/23rd Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals.

The conference will take place at the International Convention Centre of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain, on December 9-12th, 2019.

This meeting will be hosted jointly by the Society for Marine Mammalogy and the European Cetacean Society, together with the active involvement of SOLAMAC, effectively bringing together experts in the field from every continent. The gathering of interdisciplinary scientists will enable discussion amongst the marine mammal research community and policy makers, and will facilitate collaboration and training of the next generation of scientists and practitioners.

Travel grant eligibility

To be eligible for one of the grants, an applicant must:

– Submit a manuscript as first author to LAJAM by March 31, 2019. Late applications will not be accepted. The manuscript will have to be accepted to be considered for one of the grants.

– Attach a certificate showing that he/she is enrolled as a student (graduate or undergraduate level) at the time of submission.

– Indicate in the cover letter of the manuscript that he/she meet the above criteria and would like to be considered for the scholarship.

What does the travel grant cover?

Each grant will cover airfare, accommodation, and registration to the upcoming World Marine Mammal Conference for the student author of the best two manuscripts accepted for publication in LAJAM´s first issue of 2019.

Evaluation

An independent panel of experts will be appointed by LAJAM’s Editor-in-Chief to evaluate all manuscripts submitted by eligible students to LAJAM, and will deliver their results by the end of June 2019. The decision of the panel will be unappealable.

Manuscripts will be judged by the originality of the research, the quality of manuscript, and the potential impact of the study on the conservation of aquatic mammals in Latin America.

Questions regarding this travel grants should be directed to lajam.editors@gmail.com

Help SMM become a more diverse and inclusive Society

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The Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM) has recently created an ad hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion to investigate ways the SMM can better serve the marine mammalogy community by enhancing the diversity of scientists in the field. The first step of the committee is to better understand the make-up of the field and to solicit ideas of ways that SMM can help make a more diverse and inclusive community. This survey is completely anonymous and will be used to inform the SMM as it moves forward in creating a more inclusive and diverse society. There are 17 questions and it should take less than three minutes to complete. Even if you are not currently a member of SMM, please feel free to fill out the survey. Our intent is to obtain as comprehensive a view of the field as possible.
 
Please fill out the survey by December 16, 2018.
 
Thank you for your participation!
Eric Archer and Tara Cox
Co-Chairs, Ad hoc Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Society for Marine Mammalogy
diversity@marinemammalscience.org
 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfm7imeVFJeypxs6Qnep9vX2OX8qT09Ow8tUiObJfw4BIstew/viewform