To the BirdsCaribbean community:
We hope you are getting ready to attend the upcoming AOS-BirdsCaribbean meeting! We can’t wait to see you there!
Here we have important information for planning your participation.
Registration
The meeting’s registration portal is open! There are 15 different registration categories, but Caribbean nationals should select the “Special Countries” rates, either for professionals or students. Note that members of the host organizations (AOS and BC) pay lower rates. If you haven’t done so yet, we recommend that you join BirdsCaribbean or renew your BirdsCaribbean’s 2022 membership to benefit from this discount. Also, make sure you register before May 1st in order to get the Early Bird rates. An “invoice me” option towards the end of the registration process will allow you to register now and pay later, if needed.
Accomodations
Meeting participant’s have special lodging rates at any of three hotels in the vicinity of the Puerto Rico Convention Center: Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino, Hyatt Place, and Hyatt House. See the website for rates based on single, double, triple, and quadruple occupancy for each hotel. We recommend that you make your reservations ASAP as the block of rooms we have reserved with a special group rate at each hotel is limited. In order to receive the special room rates, you must navigate to your desired hotel’s website using the links provided.
Financial Support
The host organizations want to promote a well-attended meeting. For this reason, there will be travel award opportunities to support local students and professionals, as well as Caribbean participants through the Diversity and Inclusion Grants. These applications should be submitted through the Travel Award Portal, by May 1st, 2022. Note that you will need to provide a budget with your expected expenses, make sure to follow instructions carefully. In addition, Caregiver Grants are available to support traveling families. Learn more here and apply by April 24th.
Student Presentation Awards
If you submitted an abstract and would like to compete for a student presentation award, please review the information on this page and submit your application by May 1st.
Workshops
Note that most conference workshops will take place on Monday, June 27th (see the list here) and the Opening Reception and first Keynote speaker will be that evening. If you wish to attend one of the excellent workshops being offered on this date, you need to arrive on Sunday, June 26th. For those interested in the BirdSleuth Caribbean workshop offered on June 27th, some travel awards are available to cover the additional cost of arriving one day early for this workshop - contact Lisa Sorenson (Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org) for more information.
Field Trips
As you plan your conference travel, be sure to check out the many wonderful field trips that are being offered before, during, and the after conference and sign up early to experience Puerto Rico’s amazing endemic birds and unique and beautiful habitats, history and culture.
Stay tuned for more updates in the following days and be sure to check the AOS-BC Conference website and social media frequently for the latest news and announcements. We are thrilled to know that we will be able to finally meet in person in less than three months!
Adrianne, Lisa, and Justin
AOS-BC Meeting Coordination Committee
P.s. We are attaching an image that shows the overall conference schedule.
