2008 Annual Conference in Milwaukee

Instructions for submitting proposals

The AZA Program Committee is accepting proposals for program sessions and posters for the 2008 Annual Conference in Milwaukee. The deadline for submitting a proposal is Friday, March 28th, 5:00 pm EST. Proposals submitted after the deadline will only be considered after all other submissions have been reviewed and if there is space on the program.

Please use the online submission form to submit your proposal.

Program Proposals

Proposals can be submitted in one of the following program tracks:

Animal Management and Conservation
Business Operations (includes Gift Shops, Concessions, Technology, Guest Services and Human Resources)
Public Relations and Marketing
Development/Fundraising and Membership
Volunteer and Docent Management
Other

If your proposal does not fall into one of the above tracks, please choose "Other" and explain which audience your session most appeals to.

Proposals that are accepted will be scheduled on any day of the conference. The Program Committee reserves the right to modify submissions including adding or deleting speakers. Moderators will be consulted before any changes to their submission are made final.

Proposals can either be submitted as a Program Session or a Poster. Sessions will not be classified as Roundtable, Workshop, Concurrent Session or Individual Paper.

Poster Presentations

Posters are particularly well suited for presentation of complex and technical methods and results. Posters will be on display in the Exhibit Hall during the conference. There will also be a Poster Reception that will give authors the opportunity to discuss their work or findings with conference attendees.

Role of the Moderator

The moderator is involved in planning and executing the entire session. Please read the Moderator's Checklist for a detailed description of the moderator's responsibilities.

Once a session is accepted, the moderator is responsible for confirming all participants by May 23rd. If any speaker withdraws, the moderator must notify the Program Committee and submit a replacement candidate to the committee or the session will be subject to cancellation. Please note that all speaker changes are subject to approval by the Program Committee.

Speaker Registration

All speakers are required to register for the conference for at least the day that they are presenting. It is the role of the moderator to be sure all speakers in a particular session are registered.

The Program Committee would like to encourage the participation of individuals from outside of the zoo or aquarium industry. This helps to bring a broader range of expertise and experiences to a session. In the case of individuals from outside of the industry, registration may be waived for the day. It is the role of the moderator to receive an exception from AZA for registration to be waived for those individuals who do not work in the zoo or aquarium industry.

Audiovisual Needs

Audiovisual equipment can be expensive to rent. Please request only what is essential for your proposal. A lap top, LCD projector, screen, microphone, flip chart and markers will be provided for each session. Additional AV equipment can be requested, but will be subject to approval.

Submit a Proposal

Please use the online submission form to submit your proposal.

Questions?

Please contact: Marshall Judges, Annual Program Committee Vice Chair