IMCC3 FAQs
Interested in presenting at or attending the 3rd International Marine Conservation Congress, but have additional questions? Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions. If you are presenting a symposium, oral, speed or poster presentation, please also read the Presenter Information.
The Abstract Submission formed asks if the abstract is "assigned." What does "assigned" mean?
An “assigned” abstract means you have been specifically invited to submit an abstract as part of an organized symposium (or occasionally workshop) by the sympoisum organizers.
My research is relevant to an organized symposium. Can I submit an abstract for a symposium?
Presentations in symposia are by invitation only. But, if you think your work is very relevant, you may request to contact the symposium organizer. They may have had people drop out and might have speaking slots free. But, you are always welcome to submit your abstract for the contributed sessions (and not part of the symposum). Many delegated at the meeting, including those in the symposium, may be interested to see your work.
I received an email that says acceptance of my abstract is pending review, but I am submitting an invited presentation for a symposium.
There has been a glitch in some automatic email replies. If you have an invited presentation for a symposium, the accepted symposium has already been reviewed during the proposal review and the presentation has already been accepted. You can relax. But keep an eye open for when registration opens. Register early, as the fee is substantially smaller (and your symposium organizers' stress levels will be reduced to see you registered). Remember, all presenters of accepted abstracts must register and be paid in full by the early deadline of 15 April 2014. Authors failing to comply with this rule will not be included in the Congress.
In the confirmation email, I noticed errors in my abstract. What can I do?
You can go to http://birenheide.com/IMCC2014/correctabstract.php with your abstract ID number and edit the abstract until the review process begins.
I want to submit a poster, but I can’t go to the meeting. Can I get someone else to put it up for me?
No. Everyone presenting must be registered and attend the meeting. Spaces for talks and posters will be limited. If we give a slot to you, someone who was potentially able to attend may not be getting a presentation slot (and because funding is often dependent on presenting, they may not be able to get funding to come to IMCC at all). By taking up a presentation slot when you can’t come, you’re denying a colleague the opportunity to present, or possibly attend the meeting.
My presentation doesn’t fit into one of the conference themes. What do I do?
Simply select “other” on the Abstract Submission Form. The selection of themes is to help organize the program and to encourage submissions for those topics. But, abstracts that cover other topics are more than welcome. Also, your submission may address one of the 71 research questions critical to the advancement of marine conservation, developed by the SCB Marine Section.
Will my abstract submission be discounted if my presentation doesn’t fit into any of the themes?
No. The overriding theme for the meeting is Making Marine Science Matter. The conservation value of your presentation is most important to us.
Does it help if my submission addresses on of the 71 research questions critical to the advancement of marine conservation?
Developed by the SCB Marine Section, these are questions considered urgent to marine conservation. Addressing one of these questions will help to decide acceptance of presentations in tie-break situations during the review process. We are also interested in assessing how many presentations at the meeting address one or more of these priority questions.
May I submit more than one abstract?
No. You may submit one presentation only. (This does not include people who have been invited to give a plenary, focus group or workshop presentation.) You cannot be first author on two or more symposium presentations either.
I've already submitted an abstract for a contributed presentation, but due to someone dropping out in a symposium, I've now been invited to present for a symposium. Do I have withdraw my original abstract submission?
Please don't withdraw your original submission. Contact the IMCC organizers and we will work with you and the symposium organizers to make sure everything works out.
I'm a symposium organizer, and one of my presenters has dropped out at the last minute. If I can't find a replacement before the abstract submission deadline, what can I do?
Please don't panic. We can waive the abstract submission deadline just for cases like this. Please contact the IMCC3 meeting organizers, and we will work with you to help ensure that your symposium is a success.
But my projects are the most important projects in the world. You must allow me to present more than one abstract?
We're very sorry, but no. We're sure you are doing excellent work in muttiple areas, but we receive far more abstracts that we have space for in the conference, and want to give as many people as possible the chance to present in the contributed sessions portion of the meeting. You can start preparing additional presentations for IMCC4 in Australia!
I’m the organizer of a workshop/focus group/symposium. Can I submit an abstract, too?
Absolutely!
I can’t go to IMCC3, but my co-author is going. Can he/she present my abstract for me?
Yes, if they register for and attend the meeting. But, they cannot submit another abstract themselves (unless he'she has been invited to present in an organized symposium, workshop, or focus group—this is the only exception).
Do I have to be a member of the Society for Conservation Biology Marine Section to submit?
No. But SCB membership will save you lots of money when it comes to registration time! In fact, you will save more money on IMCC registration that it costs to become a member. For more information on becoming an SCB Marine Section member, see our instructions. (Once you are a member of the Society for Conservation Biology, you may become a member of up to two sections at no additional cost.)
What’s my SCB membership number?
If you log into the Member Area of the SCB website (www.conbio.org), you can look it up. If you’ve forgotten your password (as we always do), the system can send you a link to make a new one. Write down your membership number somewhere safe. You will possibly need it to claim a fee discount when you register.
Do you have travel funds available for students?
Unfortunately, at the moment, no. We are trying to raise funds to help pariticpants from developing countries to attend the meeting (but there are no promises for that, either, at this time). There are various means to save money and attend the meeting cheaply, as noted in the travel support page. Many universities also have some travel grants available for students with accepted presentations. Check with the travel support offices of your affiliated university or organization.
But my research is super important. You must fund me to attend?!
I’m sorry, we cannot make money (legally). As noted above, there are ways and means to save money when attending the meeting, as outlined in the travel support page.
Can I submit something that is not related to the marine environment or conservation?
Presentations must be appropriate content for the International Marine Conservation Congress.
I've been accepted for a presentation, but I don't have the funds to attend. Can I send my presentation with someone else to present for me?
The rules for IMCC is that one contributed presentation is allowed per registrant. (Although, in certain cases, we are allowing an additional presentation for people who have been invited to present in certain symposia symposia). There is a price associated with meetings. Space, electronics, security, etc. have to be paid for. By having a presentation fill a slot for "free" that a paying delegate could have, it is effectively taking hundreds of dollars out of the pocket of the conservation NGO that is organizing the meeting. We are sorry if tough financial times are making it impossible for you to attend, but financial times are tough for other delegates and NGOs, too. We cannot afford to have a non-registered presenter take up a conference slot. BUT, we are allowing other people to present posters and presentations for people who have paid the registration fee, but can't go because of funding issues. We are also allowiong presentations to be made by co-authors who (they themselves) have paid the registration fee, but do not have a presentation of their own that they are giving.
I’m a post-doc/work for a tiny non-profit/unemployed /on a fixed pension, and I have limited funds. Is there a discounted registration rate?
The average U.S. graduate student salary is $26,000 (the average U.K. student bursary is £13,500-£16,000, which is $22,700 - $27,00). We recognize that there are many NGO salaries and postdoc stipends that are lower than that. If your pre-tax annual salary is equivalent or lower to the grad student stipends noted above, please notify our registration coordinator (LStrong@burkinc.com) who can give you permission to register for the lower graduate student rate. Please also see our post on IMCC on a budget for cost-saving tips