[Coral-List] 4. Educating the masses

tim ecott timecott at hotmail.com
Mon Aug 4 14:01:49 EDT 2008


re: educating the massesI spend a lot of time trying to alert mainstream news editors to the plight of coral reefs, declining fish numbers etc.One tactic that does work is the 'lone individual' or better still 'celebrity' with an interest in a particular species or issue. I agree with others that finding 'poster boys and girls' for the coral reefs is difficult but getting the mainstream media interested is the only way to get the message across to big numbers quickly. Making the message simple isn't that difficult: coral reefs are dying at an unprecedented rate: fish stocks are plummeting: climate change is changing the oceans' chemistry. As long as you don't get bogged down in the minutiae of conflicting scientific theories you can get people thinking and acting.I've been trying for a little while to pitch a tv series about coral reefs to some major channels - they like the idea but they want two things - 1. a sense of jeopardy = immediate threat 2. a personality to attach to the program. - finding 'celebrities who (a) care is one challenge, (b) who can dive - is another. so if you know any Hollywood stars or big names in other fields who can use scuba and don't mind being filmed in a wetsuit (another challenge let me know!tim ecottTim Ecott is the author of Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World 

> From: coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> Subject: Coral-List Digest, Vol 62, Issue 7> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 11:12:20 -0400> > Send Coral-List mailing list submissions to> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to> coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> > You can reach the person managing the list at> coral-list-owner at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific> than "Re: Contents of Coral-List digest..."> > > Today's Topics:> > 1. Re: Reflections on ICRS 11 (Jessica Carilli)> 2. Re: Reflections on ICRS 11 (Richard Dunne)> 3. Re: animated anemone (Keven Reed)> 4. Re: Education of the masses (Martin Moe)> 5. job opportunity Miami FL (Martha Robbart)> 6. Marine Climate Change Postion Announcement (Emily Pidgeon)> 7. Job Announcment - Oil Spill Specialist (Greg Challenger)> 8. Re: Reflections on ICRS 11 (Michael Risk)> 9. Re: Reflections on ICRS 11 (Szmant, Alina)> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------> > Message: 1> Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 16:55:35 -0700> From: Jessica Carilli <jcarilli at ucsd.edu>> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Reflections on ICRS 11> To: Phil Dustan <dustanp at cofc.edu>> Cc: "'coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov'"> <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID: <986224d730684bf70d900e6830471957 at ucsd.edu>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed> > Another suggestion would be not to have posters and talks concurrently. > I'd go for a longer meeting if that's needed for poster presenters to > have dedicated sessions.> Cheers,> Jessica Carilli> > On Aug 1, 2008, at 7:07 PM, Phil Dustan wrote:> > > Dear Colleagues,> >> > I?m sure you?ll all join in thanking all the people that worked so hard> > to make the ICRS 11 a success. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet,> > hear, discuss, and share ideas with new and old colleagues alike; well> > worth the expense and time of traveling to Fort Lauderdale. I think we> > can all agree that the meeting was HUGE and it took superhuman efforts> > to make it work as smoothly as it did. Congrats to Dick Dodge and the > > ICRS.> >> > That said, I?d like to offer the following observations and thoughts in> > an effort to improve ICRS 12:> >> > 1. Too many of the talks I attended went over their allotted time,> > leaving no time for discussion.> >> > 2. Too many of the talks I attended were full of information that had> > already been published. An extreme example of this was a very senior> > researcher who must have shown at least 30 slides, each with a bold> > citation across the bottom. His talk also ran over by a wide margin.> > Who gave him the license to waste my time?> >> > 3. Too many presentation slides offered far too much information to > > absorb.> >> > 4. Too many presentations had not bothered to check the pre-internet > > era> > literature, or even basic reference texts such as the Treatise on> > Invertebrate Paleontology. The older literature is still full of good> > science.> >> > 5. It has always been my idea that meetings are occasions to share new> > information, not overwhelm the audience, impress the funding agencies,> > badger us with old facts, reinvented wheels, or pronounce your own> > revision of history. Save this kind of stuff for gossip during breaks,> > dinner, or drinks.> >> >> > As we begin planning for the next symposium, now less than 4 years > > away,> > perhaps the next organizing committee could consider some changes such > > as:> >> > Perhaps each talk could be limited to no more than 10 slides with 7> > minutes for presentation time and 8-10 minutes for questions.> >> > Additionally, and I think extremely important, presentations should > > show> > only new, unpublished research, not stuff that?s already in the > > literature.> >> >> > -- > > Phillip Dustan> > Department of Biology> > College of Charleston> > Charleston SC 29424> > (843) 953-8086> > (843) 953-5453> > _______________________________________________> > Coral-List mailing list> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list> >> >> _____________________________> Graduate Student> Scripps Institution of Oceanography> 9500 Gilman Dr., Dept. 0208 > La Jolla, CA 92093-0208 > Lab: 858-822-2783> Office: 858-822-2355> Cell: 760-815-2629> Vaughan Hall office: 308 lab: 423> > "We are all campers together on this earth--just not in the same tent > at the same time" --Kalpana Chawla> > > ------------------------------> > Message: 2> Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:08:40 +0100> From: Richard Dunne <RichardPDunne at aol.com>> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Reflections on ICRS 11> To: "'coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov'"> <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID: <4895E618.8040608 at aol.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed> > Dear Coral Listers> > On many of these points I would concur with Phil Dustan from the > sessions I attended. I would add, or emphasise that:> > 1. At least one talk I attended was a literature review and presented no > new information/ideas.> 2. Two talks contained analysis/data that has already been shown to be > flawed and had been rejected (in one case by two separate journals).> 3. For at least two talks the authors had decided to change their title > and content and announced this at the start of the talk.> 4. Quite a number of the talks were simply presentations of a paper > that had recently been accepted or published.> > I leave Listers to draw their own conclusions as to whether any of these > are appropriate.> > I concur that ICRS is an opportunity to present NEW information, or NEW > ideas, or perhaps also present a different slant on existing research > which cannot normally be done within the confines of a journal > publication where the use of visual aids is ideally suited.> > Let us hope that the session organisers weed out inappropriate papers > from the published proceedings.> > > Richard P Dunne> > West Briscoe, Baldersdale, Barnard Castle, Co Durham, DL12 9UP. UK> Tel +44 1833 650059> > > > Phil Dustan wrote:> > Dear Colleagues,> >> > I?m sure you?ll all join in thanking all the people that worked so hard > > to make the ICRS 11 a success. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet, > > hear, discuss, and share ideas with new and old colleagues alike; well > > worth the expense and time of traveling to Fort Lauderdale. I think we > > can all agree that the meeting was HUGE and it took superhuman efforts > > to make it work as smoothly as it did. Congrats to Dick Dodge and the ICRS.> >> > That said, I?d like to offer the following observations and thoughts in > > an effort to improve ICRS 12:> >> > 1. Too many of the talks I attended went over their allotted time, > > leaving no time for discussion.> >> > 2. Too many of the talks I attended were full of information that had > > already been published. An extreme example of this was a very senior > > researcher who must have shown at least 30 slides, each with a bold > > citation across the bottom. His talk also ran over by a wide margin. > > Who gave him the license to waste my time?> >> > 3. Too many presentation slides offered far too much information to absorb.> >> > 4. Too many presentations had not bothered to check the pre-internet era > > literature, or even basic reference texts such as the Treatise on > > Invertebrate Paleontology. The older literature is still full of good > > science.> >> > 5. It has always been my idea that meetings are occasions to share new > > information, not overwhelm the audience, impress the funding agencies, > > badger us with old facts, reinvented wheels, or pronounce your own > > revision of history. Save this kind of stuff for gossip during breaks, > > dinner, or drinks.> >> >> > As we begin planning for the next symposium, now less than 4 years away, > > perhaps the next organizing committee could consider some changes such as:> >> > Perhaps each talk could be limited to no more than 10 slides with 7 > > minutes for presentation time and 8-10 minutes for questions.> >> > Additionally, and I think extremely important, presentations should show > > only new, unpublished research, not stuff that?s already in the literature.> >> >> > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 3> Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 14:00:28 -0400> From: "Keven Reed" <reedkc at comcast.net>> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] animated anemone> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID: <008301c8f592$d0f35f20$6401a8c0 at VALUED664B84C7>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > Dear all,> > Many on the list can attest to rapid movements by anemones. Though NOT advocating rudely poking Actiniaria animals, two common examples from the Western Pacific are:> > Large, erect Actinodendron spp. in the Western Pacific (a powerful stinger) will retract their entire body under soft substrate when poked. > I've also seen colorful, low profile, Cryptodendrum adhaesivum (which may have associated symbiotic Ambon shrimp, anemone crabs, or Clark's anemonefish) rapidly withdraw into coral & rock crevices.> > Regards,> Keven> > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Camilla Floros > To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov > Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 3:03 AM> Subject: [Coral-List] animated anemone> > > Good day coral list> > > > Last week while on a sampling trip, we came across a remarkable anemone. It> resembled a carpet anemone with red edges and a cream centre, and I would> say the disk was about 20cm in diameter. The remarkable bit was that when> touched the anemone instantly withdrew or rather jumped backwards into the> small crevice it was resting on. The movement was so rapid that there was> little time to realise what was happening and the anemone could not be seen> it had withdrawn so far into the crevice. I would very much like to know if> anyone has seen similar behaviour or has any suggestion as to what genus> this anemone might belong to. > > > > Best,> > > > Camilla> > > > **********************************************************> Camilla Floros> Oceanographic Research Institute> 1 King Shaka Avenue, Durban, 4001> P.O.Box10712 Marine Parade> Tel: 031 3288168> Cell: 082 893 6919> > email: cfloros at ori.org.za> > Think about the environment before you print this email> > *******************************************> > > > _______________________________________________> Coral-List mailing list> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list> > ------------------------------> > Message: 4> Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 05:17:24 -0700 (PDT)> From: Martin Moe <martin_moe at yahoo.com>> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Education of the masses> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> Message-ID: <414838.9743.qm at web42103.mail.mud.yahoo.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8> > Basically, we know what we must do, basically we know how to> do it. What we must do is to build the will of the people to care and to want> make the effort, and the small sacrifices, to do it. We need a Rachael Carson. We need a Silent Spring. In fact, we need a> lot of them, in every field of endeavor that touches people where they live, in> science, in economics, in waste treatment, in music, in literature, in the> arts, in communication, and all other interactive fields. And where are these> people. They are you. You?re reading this right now. No one can tell or teach you how to do this;> it has to come from within. Do what you gut tells you. It may not be right, it> may not do the job, but then it may give someone else what they need to> understand and to use their talents, which may be much greater than yours and be> more effective in creating the spark that will turn the tide. The will is there,> you can see it in the posts on this list. You must do what you can, however> little, however silly and ?unprofessional? it may seem. Reach the young people, it sill soon be their world, for good or ill.> > > Martin Moe> > > A Tropical Fable> > Once there was a glorious goose, a goose that laid golden> eggs of unimaginable beauty and value. Each and every day she laid 5 golden eggs.> > The first one was always a mild climate, never too hot and> never too cold.> > The second was a series of tropical islands that marched in> a long line out into a tropical sea.> > The third was warm, clear, shallow waters that bathed the> mangrove studded shores of the islands and sheltered and nurtured all manner of> rare tropical marine and island life. > > The fourth was a beautiful barrier coral reef over 200 miles> long that fringes the ocean side of these islands and protects them from storms> and land eating ocean currents.> > And lastly, the fifth was a unique blend of the natural> marine resources of incredible sea side beauty and limitless fisheries that> made every day a joy of existence.> > > A community of good people inhabited these islands and> celebrated a way of life that was one with the glorious nature and seemingly> inexhaustible resources that the good goose provided every day. More and more> people were attracted to these islands, to live and work, to visit and play,> and to profit handsomely from all the people that flocked to enjoy the beauty> and the good life from the golden eggs that the kind goose produced each day.> > But many people did not realize, or did not care, that the> gentle goose had limits and her very existence depended on a great web of life> and a balance of nature that could adsorb only so many insults before breaking> apart. Through ignorance and greed, the people burned fossil fuels and spewed> out carbon dioxide to the point of impending climate change, they dug canals> and filled wetlands and changed the very character and ecology of the islands,> they pooped and peed in their waters, polluted the roadways, and fertilized> their exotic vegetation and allowed all this to run off into the coastal> waters, they fished the marine resources almost to extinction and many of them> laughed at the efforts to conserve and protect those few resources that> remained, and the coral reef suffered, and finally they took almost every> opportunity to sell their rich heritage through development and exploitation> that imperiled this very heritage.> > The good goose saddened and sickened. Her eggs grew darker> and smaller. Some days she laid only two or three instead of five. There is> something wrong with the goose, many people cried, the quality of her eggs is> deteriorating, and she may be dying. There are those that say; ?She will die,> it is a shame but nothing can be done, we must take all the eggs we can now> while she still has a few, kill her if necessary to get them all, but have fun> now, make money and to hell with the future.?. But fortunately, there are many, many more people that know the great> goose can be saved if we can just take care of her, nurture her, and help her> preserve the life she creates. It won?t be easy, it will take knowledge, work,> commitment, sacrifice, and a great amount of caring, but it can be done. You> can help. Learn what you must do.> > > ------------------------------> > Message: 5> Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 17:07:41 -0400> From: "Martha Robbart" <mrobbart at dialcordy.com>> Subject: [Coral-List] job opportunity Miami FL> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID:> <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAANqJQbM1mR9NrUZIWu6xL9jCgAAAEAAAAI8JNjgv57pMp0lAq/DlYHkBAAAAAA==@dialcordy.com>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"> > Dial Cordy and Associates Inc. (DC&A) is an environmental firm that provides> environmental resource related services and expertise to federal, state,> local and private clients throughout the southeastern United States and> Caribbean. > > > > DC&A is looking for a full-time Field Manager to manage 2-3 staff, run> outboard motor boats (19 feet and under), conduct SCUBA operations and work> with a diverse group of people at a field site in Biscayne Bay, Miami,> Florida. Environmental monitoring tasks include seagrass (Halophila> johnsonii) protection and assessment, water quality monitoring (turbidity),> and compliance with all environmental permits. This project is ongoing and> is expected to last through March 2009. Qualified applicants will be SCUBA> certified, have boat handling experience, an understanding of the benthic> ecology of seagrass communities, and be excellent communicators. This> position is available immediately. If you are interested in applying for> this position, please send your resume to mrobbart at dialcordy.com> > > > > > Martha L. Robbart> > Senior Marine Scientist/Project Manager> > Dial Cordy and Associates, Inc. > > South Florida Office> > 954.200.9113> > mrobbart at dialcordy.com> > > > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 6> Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 17:37:14 -0400> From: "Emily Pidgeon" <e.pidgeon at conservation.org>> Subject: [Coral-List] Marine Climate Change Postion Announcement> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID:> <3BE4E060F6A8584B96DADD8086FC0D7301484F9D at ci-xmail1.CI.conservation.org>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > > > Manager- Marine Climate Change> > > > Conservation International's marine program is seeking a manager to> oversee day to day implementation of our rapidly expanding marine> climate change program, ensuring success for our science and field> implementation outcomes. This includes vulnerability assessments and key> biodiversity adaptation projects in priority marine sites around the> world, a program of applied natural and socio-economic science focused> on developing adaptation tools for marine biodiversity and human well> being, and marine climate change conservation workshops and meetings.> The Manager will work closely with CI field teams in marine regions> around the world and with our academic and conservation partners. The> position will also support development of CI's global and regional level> strategies for addressing marine climate change, and provide key> technical support to CI's marine regions and other programs. This> position will provide essential coordination between CI marine staff and> partners, providing guidance on how they can best contribute to the> marine climate change program. > > > > For further details please see:> > > > http://conservation.org/discover/about_us/careers/Pages/mgr_mar_climate_> change.aspx> > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 7> Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:47:01 -0700> From: "Greg Challenger" <gchallenger at msn.com>> Subject: [Coral-List] Job Announcment - Oil Spill Specialist> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID: <BLU107-DS662B75EA359D4292E2209B37C0 at phx.gbl>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > Seattle Washington Firm seeks someone to become an oil spill specialist.> > > > We are looking for a marine scientist; mid level with opportunity for advancement and company ownership. We are a small international firm specializing in oil spill preparedness and training, technical advise to oil spill response, oil spill and coral reef injury assessment and restoration. <>We are based in Seattle, but work nationally and internationally and do very little work in the Seattle area.> > > > Requirements are Masters with several years experience or a recent PhD. Some consulting and/or oil spill experience is ideal but not necessary. We are looking for someone to grow into a future senior level scientist and company principal. Academic background may include fish and fisheries, environmental toxicology, wildlife, research design and statistics, coral biology and modeling. The person needs to be a good writer, public speaker, self-starting, enthusiastic and ability to think quickly. The person should also be willing to travel frequently, often at a moments notice. A good scientific background is a basic requirement, but only partially fulfils the political and social complexities of working on environmental disasters. > > > > The candidate would have to relocate to Seattle in order to work closely with other company principals. Please peruse our website below for company profile, key technical personnel and recent job experience.> > > > Best regards,> > > > Greg Challenger> > > > Principal> > Marine Scientist/Professional Wetland Scientist> > Polaris Applied Sciences, Inc.> > 12525 131st Ct NE> > Kirkland, Washington, USA 98034> > (425)-823-4841> > Direct (206) 369-5686 > > > > www.polarisappliedsciences.com<http://www.polarisappliedsciences.com/>> > > > > > This transmission (and/or the documents accompanying it) may contain confidential information belonging to the sender, which is protected by attorney-client or attorney work product privilege. The information is intended only for the use of the individual named above and others who have been specifically authorized to receive such. If the recipient is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that dissemination, distribution or copy of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, or if any problems occur with transmission, please notify me immediately at this address or by telephone at (425)-823-4841. > > > ------------------------------> > Message: 8> Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:44:38 -0400> From: "Michael Risk" <riskmj at univmail.cis.mcmaster.ca>> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Reflections on ICRS 11> To: Phil Dustan <dustanp at cofc.edu>, "'coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov'"> <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID: <web-219845044 at cgpsrv2.cis.mcmaster.ca>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"> > Hi Phil.> > Your post brings home to me my keen disappointment that I did not> attend the meeting. Just thinking what I missed...fine dining at Jojo's> Italian Restaurant, gracious living at the Sleep Inn, old talks that> went overtime...> > For most of my career I balanced on that thin and ragged line that> separates geology from biology. I attended both types of meetings. Your> audience may not like to hear this, but for about a generation,> geologists have been giving better talks at meetings that are more> tightly run.> > The reasons are, I think, pretty evident: money. Biology talks are> given to others of the faithful: geology talks are often given to> influence exploration decisions. If one is trying to persuade a company> to invest $10 million in a drilling program, the message needs to be> succinct and effective.> > This attitude carries over into their meetings. I don't know what the> policy is now, but years ago, if you wanted to present at the AAPG> (Amer Assoc Petroleum Geol.) meeting, you sent your slides into a Slide> Committee well in advance. They might well send your slides back> telling you to redo some, omit others. Our Department for years gave a> short course on how to present at a meeting, how to make slides:> beginning with the cardinal rule, one idea per slide. etc.> > Session chairs were chosen, not only on their stature as scientists,> but on their presumed ability to pull the plug on the long-winded.> Chairs had control over power to the lights and the slide projector.> > So, this has been fun. But we both know nothing will change.> > Mike> > On Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:07:27 -0400> Phil Dustan <dustanp at cofc.edu> wrote:> > Dear Colleagues,> > > > I?m sure you?ll all join in thanking all the people that worked so> > hard > > to make the ICRS 11 a success. It was a wonderful opportunity to> > meet, > > hear, discuss, and share ideas with new and old colleagues alike;> > well > > worth the expense and time of traveling to Fort Lauderdale. I think> > we > > can all agree that the meeting was HUGE and it took superhuman> > efforts > > to make it work as smoothly as it did. Congrats to Dick Dodge and> > the ICRS.> > > > That said, I?d like to offer the following observations and thoughts> > in > > an effort to improve ICRS 12:> > > > 1. Too many of the talks I attended went over their allotted time, > > leaving no time for discussion.> > > > 2. Too many of the talks I attended were full of information that had> > > > already been published. An extreme example of this was a very senior> > > > researcher who must have shown at least 30 slides, each with a bold > > citation across the bottom. His talk also ran over by a wide margin.> > > > Who gave him the license to waste my time?> > > > 3. Too many presentation slides offered far too much information to> > absorb.> > > > 4. Too many presentations had not bothered to check the pre-internet> > era > > literature, or even basic reference texts such as the Treatise on > > Invertebrate Paleontology. The older literature is still full of> > good > > science.> > > > 5. It has always been my idea that meetings are occasions to share> > new > > information, not overwhelm the audience, impress the funding> > agencies, > > badger us with old facts, reinvented wheels, or pronounce your own > > revision of history. Save this kind of stuff for gossip during> > breaks, > > dinner, or drinks.> > > > > > As we begin planning for the next symposium, now less than 4 years> > away, > > perhaps the next organizing committee could consider some changes> > such as:> > > > Perhaps each talk could be limited to no more than 10 slides with 7 > > minutes for presentation time and 8-10 minutes for questions.> > > > Additionally, and I think extremely important, presentations should> > show > > only new, unpublished research, not stuff that?s already in the> > literature.> > > > > > -- > > Phillip Dustan> > Department of Biology> > College of Charleston> > Charleston SC 29424> > (843) 953-8086> > (843) 953-5453> > _______________________________________________> > Coral-List mailing list> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list> > Mike Risk> Marine Ecologist> PO Box 1195> Durham Ontario> N0G 1R0> > > ------------------------------> > Message: 9> Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 10:37:34 -0400> From: "Szmant, Alina" <szmanta at uncw.edu>> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Reflections on ICRS 11> To: "Richard Dunne" <RichardPDunne at aol.com>,> <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Message-ID:> <4E15FCC7981F7A4CA5AA0DEF4B2141C912C6B3F8 at UNCWMAILVS2.dcs.uncw.edu>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"> > Dear All:> > I totally agree with both Phil and Richard. Thank you to the organizers> for a monumental effort handling such a huge number of participants very> well. But the program itself had some flaws that need fixing for future> meetings:> > Several talks I attended were basically already published (already> emphasized by Phil and Richard) and had no business being presented as a> talk at this meeting. This cluttered up the program and left less time> for viewing posters. The instructions for the meeting clearly stated> that the material should not have been previously presented or> published, but some folks think that doesn't apply to them. I am not> sure how the organizers can be on top of the status of so many research> topics, but maybe in the future, submitters must sign a paper confirming> that the work has not been published or presented elsewhere (other> meetings do that. One issue is the long lag time between submitting> abstracts and the meeting. People don't want to hold off on submitted> work until after the meeting, so maybe a place to declare that the work> will be submitted before the meeting is OK. But if's already submitted> or in press, then it should not be allowed.> > I heard about the senior folks who did the "I am so great" routine but> did not witness them myself. That I heard about it means that it made a> bad impression on those who were at the talks. > > The poor poster presenters got a raw deal this time around: they had to> miss oral presentations to stand before their posters, but nobody was> there because they were attending oral presentations. There should not> have been talks concurrent with poster sessions. The two beer> receptions should have been placed among the posters (spread the> beverage tables down the central aisle).> > If the meetings remain this large or get any bigger, I suggest doing> away with oral presentations, have a few well selected plenaries (1 or 2> per day), and the rest poster sessions and discussion sessions held> after each poster session (2.5 hrs to view posters on a topic; 1 hour> for general discussion with all presenters and audience interested in> that topic). If you had only 5 concurrent poster/discussion sessions> per am or pm, you could do 50 topics in one week, and people would only> miss 80 of concurrent events (unless they wanted to travel among the 5> concurrent sessions), rather than miss 92 % of the orals and almost all> the posters.> > Alina Szmant> > *******************************************************************> Dr. Alina M. Szmant> Coral Reef Research Group> UNCW-Center for Marine Science > 5600 Marvin K. Moss Ln> Wilmington NC 28409> Tel: (910)962-2362 & Fax: (910)962-2410> Cell: (910)200-3913> email: szmanta at uncw.edu> Web Page: http://people.uncw.edu/szmanta> ******************************************************************> -----Original Message-----> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Richard> Dunne> Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2008 1:09 PM> To: 'coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov'> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Reflections on ICRS 11> > Dear Coral Listers> > On many of these points I would concur with Phil Dustan from the > sessions I attended. I would add, or emphasise that:> > 1. At least one talk I attended was a literature review and presented no> > new information/ideas.> 2. Two talks contained analysis/data that has already been shown to be > flawed and had been rejected (in one case by two separate journals).> 3. For at least two talks the authors had decided to change their title> > and content and announced this at the start of the talk.> 4. Quite a number of the talks were simply presentations of a paper > that had recently been accepted or published.> > I leave Listers to draw their own conclusions as to whether any of these> > are appropriate.> > I concur that ICRS is an opportunity to present NEW information, or NEW > ideas, or perhaps also present a different slant on existing research > which cannot normally be done within the confines of a journal > publication where the use of visual aids is ideally suited.> > Let us hope that the session organisers weed out inappropriate papers > from the published proceedings.> > > Richard P Dunne> > West Briscoe, Baldersdale, Barnard Castle, Co Durham, DL12 9UP. UK> Tel +44 1833 650059> > > > Phil Dustan wrote:> > Dear Colleagues,> >> > I'm sure you'll all join in thanking all the people that worked so> hard > > to make the ICRS 11 a success. It was a wonderful opportunity to> meet, > > hear, discuss, and share ideas with new and old colleagues alike; well> > > worth the expense and time of traveling to Fort Lauderdale. I think> we > > can all agree that the meeting was HUGE and it took superhuman efforts> > > to make it work as smoothly as it did. Congrats to Dick Dodge and the> ICRS.> >> > That said, I'd like to offer the following observations and thoughts> in > > an effort to improve ICRS 12:> >> > 1. Too many of the talks I attended went over their allotted time, > > leaving no time for discussion.> >> > 2. Too many of the talks I attended were full of information that had > > already been published. An extreme example of this was a very senior > > researcher who must have shown at least 30 slides, each with a bold > > citation across the bottom. His talk also ran over by a wide margin. > > Who gave him the license to waste my time?> >> > 3. Too many presentation slides offered far too much information to> absorb.> >> > 4. Too many presentations had not bothered to check the pre-internet> era > > literature, or even basic reference texts such as the Treatise on > > Invertebrate Paleontology. The older literature is still full of good> > > science.> >> > 5. It has always been my idea that meetings are occasions to share new> > > information, not overwhelm the audience, impress the funding agencies,> > > badger us with old facts, reinvented wheels, or pronounce your own > > revision of history. Save this kind of stuff for gossip during> breaks, > > dinner, or drinks.> >> >> > As we begin planning for the next symposium, now less than 4 years> away, > > perhaps the next organizing committee could consider some changes such> as:> >> > Perhaps each talk could be limited to no more than 10 slides with 7 > > minutes for presentation time and 8-10 minutes for questions.> >> > Additionally, and I think extremely important, presentations should> show > > only new, unpublished research, not stuff that's already in the> literature.> >> >> > > _______________________________________________> Coral-List mailing list> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list> > > ------------------------------> > _______________________________________________> Coral-List mailing list> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list> > > End of Coral-List Digest, Vol 62, Issue 7> *****************************************
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