KHS Annual Meeting

KHS 53rd Annual Meeting

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INFORMATION

REGISTRATION

CALL FOR PAPERS

SUBMITTED PAPERS

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Friday Night Social: New Location!

Unfortunately, All Star Sports has suddenly closed and cannot guarantee it will reopen by the time we need the space. So, we’re moving the Friday Night Social! The Social will now take place on Friday, November 6, from 6:00 pm–10:00 pm at the Sedgwick County Zoo’s Cargill Learning Center. We’ve got a particularly fun addition planned for the evening: WSU graduate student Brett Riffel has put together what promises to be a phenomenal Herp Trivia contest! Gather your team, study up on your obscure amphibian and reptile knowledge, and be ready to compete at 8 pm. There will be a cash bar from 6:00–9:00 pm, and everyone of legal drinking age will receive one free drink ticket. Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks will be provided gratis.

Come to the Social, where you’ll have an opportunity to pick up your pre-ordered meeting apparel and other merch, grab your nametag, socialize with fellow attendees, and generally get yourself oriented before the weekend really gets underway. To help us all plan for the evening, please RSVP here. It’s not required to RSVP, but it will help us to calibrate bar sizes, snacks ordered, etc

Second Call for Papers & Posters

Our second call for papers and posters is here! Please see the information below and get those abstracts submitted by October 19.

Herpetologists at all levels of expertise are encouraged and urged to give scientific presentations. Please submit titles here. There are limited spaces available, so submit early. Titles are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. If our spaces fill up, we will close submissions early.

Last year, we split the KHS Poster Session into two sections. Overwhelmingly, folks enjoyed the additional time to consider the posters. However, many folks were unable to make the session we had on Friday evening. So, we’re switching things up a little! Each morning of the meeting will start with a poster session from 8:00-9:30 am. Coffee and donuts will be in ample supply to fuel your perusals and presentations. Poster presenters will be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday morning. This allows presenters time to see other posters, and gives more time for each poster to be read/discussed by attendees. Presenters should contact KHS Editor Travis W. Taggart (twtaggart@fhsu.edu) AND Dexter Mardis (treasurer.khs@gmail.com) if they are unable to attend a session and need to schedule the other option. Schedule assignments will be communicated once Abstract Submissions close on October 19.

We currently have 8 paper slots, 4 lighting talks, and 23 poster presentation slots remaining, so if you’ve been contemplating submitting something, now is the time!

Last Call for Early Registration

Register by 12:00 am (PST) on October 12 to save on registration costs! Early registrations may also include a sense of peace and benevolence, helping us stay sane during the final weeks leading up to the meeting. As a reminder, the Professional registration is voluntary for folks who have institutional support or other budgetary flexibility to help cover the costs of the meeting while keeping it accessible to students and non-professionals.

Early Student Registration: $20

Early Regular Registration: $45

Early Professional Registration: $75

Late Student Registration: $30

Late Regular Registration: $60

Late Professional Registration: $100

Registration includes access to both poster sessions, paper talks, the KHS Business Meeting, the famous KHS Live Auction, and free admission to the zoo on Saturday and Sunday! KHS also provides beverages and snacks throughout the weekend. As alluded to previously, drinking alcohol at the auction will require a $15 wristband to help pay for the open bar.

Student Travel Grants

Thanks to some incredibly generous donors, we have received pledges totaling $500 so far to support student travel grants! We’d love to build that fund even further. If you would like to contribute, please contact KHS Treasurer Dexter Mardis. Students attending the meeting may apply for a $100 travel stipend. To apply, please complete this travel grant form by October 26. Recipients will be announced shortly thereafter.

Important Deadlines: A few dates to put on your calendar, tattoo onto your field notebook, or otherwise ensure that you do not forget:

• October 19: Paper and poster abstract submissions.
• October 19: Pre-order deadline for meeting apparel.
• October 12: Early Registration deadline.
• October 26: Student Travel Grant applications.
• October 26: Auction drink wristbands.

o   And speaking of those wristbands: due to some unexpected budgetary savings, we’ve been able to reduce the price from $20 to just $15! If you’ve already purchased a wristband for $20, don’t worry, we’ll be issuing you a refund soon.

Call for Auction Items

We are looking for items for the KHS Live Auction! If you have something herpetologically interesting, useful, strange, delightful, or otherwise likely to inspire competitive bidding, please consider donating it to the auction. These items will need to be brought to the zoo Friday night or Saturday morning. More information on how to contribute an item will follow shortly.

Finding the Cargill Learning Center & KHS Annual Meeting

Because of the flow of regular zoo traffic during the day—and the folks arriving for the WildLights events in the evening—it may be a little tricky to find your way to the Cargill Learning Center. The Cargill Learning Center is to the right (north) of the main entrance, behind the large administration building. Keep an eye out for KHS signs in the parking lot to help point you in the right direction. Here is a map of the zoo to help you locate the Cargill Learning Center (bottom right) and plan any downtime walks you might want to take during the weekend.

And remember: showing your KHS nametag at the front gate will get you into the zoo for free on Saturday and Sunday! So take advantage of the opportunity to wander around and see what the zoo has to offer between presentations.

Updated Tentative Schedule

Friday, November 6

• 6:00 pm–10:00 pm: Friday Night Social at the Cargill Learning Center

o   Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks provided gratis. Cash bar; all attendees of legal drinking age receive one free drink ticket.

• 8:00 pm: Herp Trivia!

o   Designed and hosted by KHS graduate student Brett Riffel. Gather your team and prepare to defend your honor.

Saturday, November 7

• 7:00 am: Registration opens

o   Pastries and coffee available to appease the shambling masses.

• 8:00–9:30 am: Poster Session 1
• 9:30am-4:45ish/pm: Paper talks

o   Light snacks and beverages shall maintain a sacrificial presence.

• 5:45–6:15 pm: Social & perusal of auction items

o   Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks provided. Alcohol is available with the pre-purchase of a $15 wristband.

• 6:15–7:15 pm: Keynote Speaker
• 7:15 pm: KHS Awards Ceremony
• Following the awards: KHS Live Auction

Sunday, November 8

• 7:00 am: Registration opens

o   Pastries and coffee offered to appease the hypershambling masses.

• 8:00 am–9:30 am: Poster Session 2
• 9:00 am-12:00 pm: Paper talks

o   Light snacks and beverages maintain a presence.

• ~12:00 pm: KHS Business Meeting, Officer Elections, and presentation awards.
• Shortly thereafter: Close of meeting. Disperse.

We’re getting close! Keep an eye on your inbox for additional updates, and please make sure to take note of those October deadlines. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone in Wichita for another excellent weekend of herps, science, and questionable auction purchases.

The KHS holds an annual meeting in the fall of each year. The meeting is, minimally, a two-day event with lectures and presentations by herpetologists. All interested individuals are invited to make presentations. The annual meeting is also the time of the Saturday night social and fund-raising auction. All are invited to bid on herpetologically oriented items (except for living animals or parts thereof) donated by a variety of sources, including members.

Past KHS Annual Meeting Programs: