PDF Copy of Call for Abstracts
The Biennial Bay-Delta Science Conference is a forum for presenting technical analyses and results relevant to the Delta Science Program's mission to provide the best possible, unbiased, science-based information for water and environmental decision-making in the Bay-Delta system. The goal of the conference is to provide new information and syntheses to the broad community of scientists, engineers, resource managers, and stakeholders working on Bay-Delta issues. The organizers of this 7th Science Conference are seeking presentations that support this goal. The conference program will feature both oral and poster presentations that provide scientific information and ideas relevant to the specific themes, as well as to the broader overall conference theme "Ecosystem Reconciliation: Realities Facing the San Francisco Estuary." The theme refers to the growing realization that the ecosystem of the San Francisco Estuary is vastly changed and is continuing to change as the result of human actions. For it to function in desirable ways, we have to reconcile human use with maintaining desirable natural elements such as native species. And because the new ecosystem is increasingly unlike any previously experienced, we need to develop new ways of reconciling these potentially conflicting goals. In addition to contributed sessions and poster topics based on the abstracts received, conference participants may propose special oral sessions or poster clusters on topics of particular importance to the Bay-Delta. Instructions for proposing a special session or poster cluster appear after the Conference Themes. All abstracts must be submitted by June 8, 2012. Proposals for special oral sessions or poster clusters are due June 15, 2012.
Oral Presentations
The oral presentations are expected to advance our state of knowledge by focusing on new findings, models, and syntheses of past and ongoing studies that are relevant to the management or scientific understanding of the Bay-Delta rather than on project or program descriptions and summaries or on planned studies. Because we anticipate that requests for oral presentations will exceed the available timeslots, the Program Committee will assign oral presentations based on technical merits of the abstract, including relevance of the topic, presentation of results, and importance of the findings. For that reason, abstracts should provide a clear description of the contribution, including their relevance to Bay-Delta management, as described above. Use of such phrases as "results will be discussed" is discouraged.
Special Oral Sessions
There will be a limited number of special sessions devoted to topics of particular interest to the Bay-Delta community. Click here for instructions for proposing a special oral session.
Poster Presentations
The poster session is a very important part of the Science Conference. Posters will be displayed throughout the conference, and will be featured during social sessions on the evenings of the first and second days of the conference to encourage open discussion between the presenters and conference attendees. A major component of the poster session will be presentations of results from projects funded by the Delta Stewardship Council Science Program and the Ecosystem Restoration Program. Posters may also include project/program summaries relevant to Bay-Delta issues, as well as reports of work in progress or planned. Presenters should indicate the theme most pertinent to the subject of the poster from the list on the abstract submittal form, as the posters will be arranged by theme. Inclusion of a statement in the text of the abstract and poster on the relevance of the study's findings to Bay-Delta management is strongly encouraged.
Poster Clusters
Similar to special oral sessions, there is the opportunity to organize groups of posters on a particular topic and to have those posters grouped together. Click here for instructions for proposing a special oral session.
Student Awards
Awards will be given for the best student oral and poster presentations during the conference. Please indicate student status on the abstract form. To qualify for a student award, you must have carried out the presented work while you were a registered student, and you must make the presentation yourself.
Abstract Requirements
All presenters (oral and poster) must submit an abstract using the on-line form accessible through the conference website address provided below. There is a 300-word limit on the abstract text. Please fill in all of the blanks on the form, including selection of the appropriate theme or special session, any special projection equipment needs, and your preference for an oral or poster presentation. Depending on the number and content of abstracts submitted, the Program Chairs may move some of the requested oral presentations into the poster session and vice versa. Incomplete or poorly written abstracts and those that are not relevant to Bay-Delta issues will not be accepted.
Abstract Content
A complete abstract should include the following four components:
- Problem statement: What problem are you trying to solve?
- Approach: How did you go about solving or making progress on the problem?
- Results: What are your main findings?
- Conclusions/Relevance: What are the scientific and management implications of your findings, including the relevance of your findings to Bay-Delta management? What insights do your findings provide towards ecosystem sustainability in the near and long term futures? Authors are strongly encouraged to include this relevance statement in the abstract.
Questions?
Questions about the technical program or the abstract submittal process should be directed to the Program Co-Chairs, Lenny Grimaldo (lgrimaldo@usbr.gov) and Cindy Messer (cmesser@deltacouncil.ca.gov). Questions on posters or poster clusters should be directed to the Poster Co-Chairs: Darcy Austin (dgaustin@usgs.gov) and Josh Israel (jaisrael@usbr.gov). Questions about other aspects of the conference should be directed to the Conference Co-Chairs: Brian Pellerin (bpeller@usgs.gov) and Peter Moyle (pbmoyle@ucdavis.edu).
ABSOLUTE ABSTRACT DEADLINE: FRIDAY, June 8, 2012
Call for Abstracts Links
Abstract Submission Site (You will need to create and account) http://precis2.preciscentral.com/Link.aspx?ID=FC867CEBA059C2E3
PDF Copy of Call for Abstracts
Information on the Delta Science Program is available at: http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov/science-program