[Coral-List] Conference: Coral Reefs of the Gulf -- Jan.17-19, 2012 (Arabian Gulf/Persian Gulf)

[John Burt]

Call for Abstracts: ‘Coral Reefs of the Gulf’ conference (Jan. 17-19, 2012,
Abu Dhabi, UAE)

Abstract submission is now open for the ‘Coral Reefs of the
Gulf’ conference, being held at the InterContinental Hotel in Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 17–19 January, 2012.
Please submit abstracts here:
https://nyuad.nyu.edu/institute/conference.coral.reefs.html    NOTE: The
deadline for submission is August 1, 2011.

This conference will bring together leading regional and
international scientists working on the marine systems in the Arabian and
Persian waters of the Gulf and surrounding seas. Our goal is to discuss
our current understanding of coral reef ecosystems in the region, and
to open a dialogue on future research directions and how this research can
be better integrated with regional marine management programs. An list of a
several of the confirmed speakers is provided below, and we are welcoming
additional abstract submission from active marine scientists or
science-based managers in the region.

The Coral Reefs of the Gulf conference is being hosted by the New
York University – Abu Dhabi Institute, the research wing of the New
York University campus in Abu Dhabi. The Institute will provide meals
and event transportation for conference speakers and can
facilitate arranging immigration visas (if relevant). There are no
registration fees for presenting participants. Flights and accommodation may
also be provided to a limited number of participants in need of
financial support (contact John.Burt at nyu.edu if relevant).

This two and a half day conference will include a series of themed symposium
sessions, each opened by a keynote address from a renowned expert in the
field. Themed sessions in this conference tentatively include “Natural
history of Gulf reefs”, “Environmental extremes and climate change”,
“Threats to regional reef communities”, “Science-based management and
conservation initiatives in the Gulf”, and a locally-focused session on
specific studies of unique reef sites in the Gulf and surrounding seas.
There will also be a discussion session where participants are invited to
break into smaller, topically-focused groups to open dialogue on knowledge
gaps and means to improve our understanding of these unique ecosystems. We
are planning to keep this conference small and focused (~100 participants)
in order to foster greater interaction among participants.

Please upload Abstracts at
https://nyuad.nyu.edu/institute/conference.coral.reefs.html (max. 250 words)
or contact John.Burt at nyu.edu for further information. Deadline for
submission: 1 August, 2011.

Steering Committee - Coral Reefs of the Gulf Conference
  - John Burt – New York University-Abu Dhabi
  - David Feary – University of Technology, Sydney
  - Andrew Bauman – James Cook University/ARC Centre for Excellent in Coral
Reefs Studies

A selection of confirmed speakers include:
 - Don Anderson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
 - Michael Berumen, King Abdullah University for Science and Technology
 - Kent Carpenter, International Union for the Conservation of Nature
 - Morgan Pratchett, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
 - Bernhard Riegl, Nova Southeastern University
 - Peter Sale, United Nations University
 - Charles Sheppard, University of Warwick
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