UKIRSC XI Annual Conference 2017 Plymouth University 18-20 January Aude Benhemma Le Gall Kristina Steinmetz Will Kay Pina Gruden CONFERENCE INFORMATION PACK
1 CONTENTS Conference Venue 2 Accommodation 3 Ice Breaker at National Marine Aquarium 5 Evening Meal at The Stable 6 Guest Speakers 7 Student Travel Grants 8 Prize for Best Presentation 8 Contacts 9 Join the Committee! 9 Map of Plymouth 10 Sponsors 11
2 CONFERENCE VENUE Plymouth University Marine Station All guest lectures, student talks, poster sessions and workshops (19 th -20 th Jan) will be held on the top floor of the Marine Station (room 103). The Marine Station is a new waterfront facility that serves as a teaching base for Plymouth University s marine expeditionary work. The venue is a 15 min walk from Plymouth City Centre, 2 mins from the Barbican (across the pedestrian footbridge), and 15 mins from the main university campus (see map page 10). Please note there is NO PARKING at the venue. One blue badge holder space is available, but if you would like to use this please enquire with the conference committee in advance (Matt: 07466625621). Tea and coffee will be supplied during breaks, but please bring your own re-usable cup. Lunch is not supplied. There are many cafes and shops in the Barbican nearby.
3 Staying with Students ACCOMMODATION There are a limited number of beds / sofas available with students based in Plymouth. These will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so if you would like to stay with a student please e-mail us directly at ukrsc@st-andrews.ac.uk and we will let you know whether there are still beds available and put you in touch with your host. Accommodation in Plymouth Hotels There are several hotels near the venue. Best prices are often through Expedia / Trip Advisor / Booking.com. The following are recommended due to their proximity to the venue. Cheapest options are usually family / triple rooms based on 3-4 people sharing which range from around 20pppn. Jury s Inn have offered us a special rate for conference attendees which can be obtained by booking on their website with the following promo code: MARINE (N.B. it may still be cheaper to book through Expedia however). The promotional rate is 76pn for single and 86pn for doubles, triples and family suites including breakfast. Jury s Inn (10 min walk to conference) Singles, doubles, triples, family suites Premier Inn City Lockyers Quay (3 min walk to conference) Singles, doubles, twins Premier Inn Sutton Harbour (2 min walk to conference) Singles, doubles, twins
4 B&Bs Many B&B options are available through Trip Advisor / Booking.com / AirB&B. These tend to be located close to Plymouth Hoe (10 min walk to conference). Singles, doubles and family rooms are available. Prices range from around 30pppn. Backpackers Hostels There is a hostel in Plymouth (Plymouth Backpackers Hotel). However, this is situated in Union Street (around 30 min walk to the conference). Union Street is not the nicest area of Plymouth so if you choose to stay here please be vigilant, especially at night! The hostel has also received some negative reviews regarding cleanliness and security and is not recommended by the committee.
5 ICE BREAKER @ NMA This year we will be starting the conference in style with an ice-breaker evening at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth Barbican on Wednesday 18 th January. This is an opportunity to get to know your fellow attendees, the conference committee and some of the invited speakers in an informal setting. The event will start with a drinks reception and finger food in the Eddystone Reef room (pictured below), followed by a guided tour of the aquarium. Attendees will get 2 free drinks, and there is a cash bar on site in case 2 isn t enough! The event will run from 8pm -10:30pm. Please note that if you are heading back to the Barbican side of Plymouth, the pedestrian footbridge across the lock gate closes at 11pm (see map page 10).
6 CONFERENCE MEAL @ THE STABLE All conference attendees are invited to join us for an evening meal at The Stable (Plymouth Barbican; see map page 10) on Thursday 19 th January at 19:30. The meal will cost 10 for a pizza and a pint of cider. Vegetarian and vegan options are available but please inform us of any other dietary requirements or allergies. If you have indicated that you will be attending the meal upon registration then you will have received a menu with this document. Menu choices must be made by 10 th January. Please send them to leah.trigg@plymouth.ac.uk Upon receipt of your menu choice we will assume you are coming, and you will be charged even if you do not attend. Please bring cash to the meal as this will make it easier for us to settle the bill. Photo Competition The winner of the photo competition will have their meal paid for. You can vote for a photo on the UKIRSC facebook page by navigating to the competition post and liking your favourite photo.
7 GUEST SPEAKERS Dr Iain Staniland: British Antarctic Survey Dr Staniland is a biologist with expertise in Antarctic wildlife, in particular seals and penguins. His scientific interest is in animal behaviour and his research focusses on feeding ecology; using animal-borne telemetry devices to track the behaviour of seals and penguins at sea. Dr Staniland has worked for the British Antarctic Survey since 1996. Dr Kimberley Bennett: Abertay University Dr Bennett is a comparative physiologist working on the physiology of stress and energy balance. Her particular interest is in how animals (including humans) and plants deal with environmental challenges. Her previous work has involved investigating causes of body composition variation in grey seal pups and the consequences for their diving behaviour. Abigail Crosby: Cornwall Wildlife Trust Abigail is the Marine Conservation Officer at CWT. She coordinates and manages a plethora of projects which collect data on the marine environment, and campaign for its protection across Cornwall. Abigail will be speaking about the Trust s work on recording and conserving marine mammals in Cornwall from sightings and stranding schemes.
8 Paul Cox: The Shark Trust Paul is Managing Director of the Shark Trust. He is a marine biologist based in Plymouth with experience working in marine conservation charities. Paul has a specific interest in science communication. He will talk about conservation psychology, and will run a workshop on how to engage with different stakeholders and effectively communicate your research. STUDENT TRAVEL GRANTS This event is free and entirely supported by our sponsors. Whilst we have obtained funding to offer travel grants, we are unable to cover everyone s travel expenses in their entirety. Funding will therefore be distributed equally to all claimants once all claims are received. Once you have purchased your tickets, please retain any receipts and we will reimburse you as much as possible. You will receive a claim form at the registration desk on day 1 and will be reimbursed after the event. PRIZE FOR BEST PRESENTATION This year we are pleased to announce that the best 15 MINUTE oral presentation will be awarded a free course with PR Statistics. The prize includes a course in 2017, but excludes travel to the venue and accommodation. Attendees will vote for the best presentation at the end of the conference.
9 CONTACTS Before the conference: Please direct all questions and concerns to: ukrsc@st-andrews.ac.uk During the conference: For any issues during the conference itself please contact committee members directly: Matt Carter (Plymouth University): 07466625621 Toby Oliver (University of St Andrews): 07858061042 Leah Trigg (Plymouth University): 07846691848 Leticiaà Legat (Cumbria University): 07860626292 JOIN THE COMMITTEE! Some of this year s committee members will be completing their PhDs during the coming year. We are therefore looking for students to fill their places and take part in organising the next conference to be held in St Andrews in 2018. This is a great way to gain extra skills during your studies and take a more active role in the society. If you are interested in joining the team, please approach one of the committee members listed above during the conference or e-mail the committee at ukrsc@standrews.ac.uk.
The Barbican lock gate opens frequently to let fishing vessels enter and leave the harbour. If your route involves crossing the pedestrian bridge, please allow an extra 5-10 mins. 10
With Thanks to Our Sponsors: