Christmas Mountains Research Symposium

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) Christmas Mountains Oasis -- Matt York 22 October 2012

The most recent celebrity of the Christmas Mountains (and the Christmas Mountains Oasis) is the longest-staying record of Varied Thrush that the state of Texas has ever hosted. Tip o' the hat to Carolyn Ohl for pampering her guest so well that it surpassed the 4 month mark! This post is not about the Varied Thrush, though... it's about the Christmas Mountains Research Symposium. The information presents itself most effectively so, without further delay:

Christmas Mountains Research Symposium

May 13-15, 2013

Terlingua Ranch Headquarters, Brewster County, Texas

The objective of the Christmas Mountains Research Symposium is to increase the public and scientific understanding of the ecology, geology, culture, and history of the Chihuahuan Desert Ecosystem, spanning West Texas and Mexico on either side of the Rio Grande.

The two-day symposium will highlight research by students and faculty from universities in the Texas State University System, and welcomes contributions from researchers from other universities, federal, and state agencies, as well as residents of the region who have investigated various aspects of the region’s ecology, geology, culture and history.

The format will be 15-minute talks followed by 5 minutes of questions and discussion. Slides and powerpoint presentations will be supported, but are not required.

The symposium will begin with a Welcome Barbecue and Pool Party beginning at 7 pm. on Monday, May 13. Each of the two days will have a field trip in the morning, and presentations from 1 to 6 in the afternoon. The symposium will close with a steak dinner on the patio Wednesday Evening, May 15. Participants may wish to depart on Thursday, May 16, but are welcome to stay and spend more time exploring the area on their own. The $40 registration fee will cover the opening and closing dinners. All other meals are “on your own,” as well as any alcoholic beverages (wine and beer are served by the Bad Rabbit Cafe). Any local residents not planning to attend the opening and closing dinners may attend the symposium free of charge.

Those wishing to make a presentation should submit an abstract of the proposed talk by March 20, 2013. Abstracts will be evaluated by the symposium organizing committee and successful applicants will be notified by April 15. Abstracts must include the general topic (ecology, geology, culture, history), the title of the talk, the names of the authors, with the speaker listed first, and a description of the main points not to exceed 350 words (see attached example).

Accommodations at Terlingua Ranch include 32 motel-style cabin rooms (two double beds) at $68 per night for one person (check with frontdesk@terlinguaranch.com for reservations and rates) , RV hookups at $20 or $24 per night, and camping at $5 per person per night. In addition, there are also Bed-and-Breakfast accommodations and cabin rentals in the area. A full-service restaurant is open on site 6:30am – 9:00pm daily (reduced hours on Sunday).

The Symposium is sponsored by the four universities of the Texas State University System: Texas State University, Sam Houston State University, Sul Ross State University, and Lamar State University.

Organizing Committee: Michael Huston, David Lemke, and Ivan Castro-Arellano, Texas State;
Kevin Urbanczyk, Sul Ross; Jerry Cook, Sam Houston; Jim Westgate, Lamar.

Abstracts should be sent by email (as Word Documents, or rtf) to Michael Huston, hustonma@txstate.edu, no later than March 20, 2013.