Hi all,
I want to let you know that the ICAR 2020 conference webpage is up and that we (NAASC) are doing new and exciting things for ICAR 2020 – Seattle!
In response to community feedback we’ve gathered an External Advisory Board to discuss approaches to better meet the needs of plant science researchers and educators interested in a moderate sized conference such as ICAR, and that focuses on the resources, techniques, and fundamental research taking place in Arabidopsis labs and in other labs that depend on Arabidopsis knowledge and resources.
We consistently heard that attendees prioritize the chance to present their work, especially in a talk; that most want greater diversity in the invited speakers list and in conference session topics. In response we’ve dramatically changed our and we anticipate a highly engaging and more diverse program in Seattle next summer.
Some FIRSTS for ICAR 2020- Seattle:
- We’re now accepting proposals for community-proposed and organized mini-symposia that we expect will encompass about half the program. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5ZHYMYS
- Please share this call with your students and postdocs as we’ve reserved a number of sessions to be organized by early-career researchers.
- 31 July 2019: Deadline to apply to organize and invite speakers for a community-proposed ICAR 2020 symposium.
- Selected symposia organizers will be provided budgets to enable them to recruit speakers for their sessions. Proposers may be at any career stage and are not limited to faculty submitters.
- We are seeking community input on invited speakers for the non-community organized part of the program, and on the new themes we’ve developed with significant discussion with our international External Advisory Board.
- Finally- we are putting significant emphasis on building, engaging, and supporting the diversity of our community, be it new parents, under-represented minorities, LGBTQ scientists, students, and others. We’re engaging in various approaches to enable fuller participation and inter-personal connections and are soliciting input via our survey/proposal submission mechanism, where we’ll invite folks to join and/or lead various groups at ICAR 2020.
- As part of our diversity and inclusion endeavor, a NAASC subcommittee launched the DiversifyPlantSci list in February and there are nearly 250 plant scientists that have signed up.
- Beyond ICAR, our DiversifyPlantSci list could be value to you– e.g. as you and colleagues consider inviting visiting speakers for local seminars. Please see the description below; I encourage you to join (if applicable) and please share with your labs and colleagues.
- We’ve even gotten some press in Science Magazine! “Just last week, a group of plant scientists started a new database for women, members of underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups, people who identify as LGBTQ, and people with disabilities; as of today, 124 plant scientists are already on the list.” (now up to nearly 250)
- Twitter: #ICAR2020 @ICAR_2020
- DiversifyPlantSci Twitter: @DiversifyPlants
Not logged in