Workshops - July 30-31, 2022
Conference - August 1-5, 2022
Palm Beach County Convention Center
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Registration
Early bird registration will now be extended to Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 12pm (noon) EDT
Workshops - December 11-12, 2021
Conference - December 13-17, 2021
Palm Beach County Convention Center
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Abstract Submissions
Pre-Conference Workshops
Registration
Early bird registration now closed!
Standard rates apply.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF POSTPONEMENT
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA / August 1-5, 2022
Posted: August 26, 2021
We have decided to postpone both the in-person and the virtual 24th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals until 2022. The new dates will be Monday, August 1 to Friday, August 5, 2022 with workshops being held on Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31, 2022. All conference venues will remain the same.
The SMM2021 Conference Team has been closely monitoring COVID infection and vaccination trends throughout the pandemic. The global surge of infections related to the Delta-variant and the slow and inequitable rollout of vaccines compromises our ability to maximize participant safety and inclusivity.
We know that this change will significantly impact many of you who have submitted abstracts, planned workshops, already registered, received a grant, sponsored the conference and more. We have included information below regarding some of the more obvious questions we expect to receive, and we will continue to sort out more details and share them with you over the next few weeks. Rest assured, there is no need for you to act on anything at this time; we are going to be applying maximum flexibility on all aspects of the conference (e.g., refunds, grants, sponsorship, etc.).
Though the future seems exceptionally uncertain these days, we intend to provide a world-class conference in 2022. We will be using the intervening months to maximize in-person safety, enhance our virtual program experience, more deeply promote the inclusivity of the conference, and expand sponsorship to reduce cost for members of our community that could be aided with financial support. We will ensure that we are communicating regularly with you on how the plan is progressing.
For more information about SMM2021, click HERE.
KEY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
You don’t need to do anything! We will be rolling all registrations forward to the future conference date. However, if there is a reason you would like a refund we will work with you. Please contact registration@marinemammalscience.org if you have any questions. Please be patient while we work through requests.
If you require a refund for your conference registration, or any other items you’ve already paid for (e.g. workshop, merchandise, etc.), please contact registration@marinemammalscience.org and we will work to provide you with a full refund until Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 12pm (noon) EDT. After this date, our standard cancellation of $100 USD handling fee for registration cancellations will apply.
Don’t worry! We will be reopening and extending the early bird registration window. Early bird registration will now be open until Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 12pm (noon) EDT. If you registered after the original early bird deadline and paid full price, please reach out to registration@marinemammalscience.org to request a partial refund until Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 12pm (noon) EDT.
The conference program has already been set with excellent content and we are hoping to minimize any changes in 2022. However, we realize that the change of conference date may change your preference for how you would like to present your work (i.e. in person vs. virtually). If you would like to switch to a virtual presentation, or visa versa, we can accommodate your request. If you would like to switch to an in-person presentation we will put you on a waiting list and add you as spots become available. We will be extending the date to make these requests to Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12pm (noon) EDT.
We realize that the later conference date may allow you to analyze that last bit of data. We can work with you to help you update your abstract if necessary. We will follow up with an announcement early in the calendar year to open a short window for updates. Presenters will be given one opportunity to update their abstracts.
The SMM2021 Conference Team realizes that some Society members’ professional schedules also had to undergo a “reschedule” when the SMM2021 Biennial Conference was rescheduled from December 2021 to August 1-5, 2022 in West Palm Beach, Florida (Workshops July 30-31). We have fielded many requests from members and potential attendees regarding consideration of new abstracts. To accommodate those who now have data ready to share and/or are able to attend, we are announcing a limited Abstract Submission for 15 days, starting Monday, January 3 at 12pm (noon) EST until Monday, January 17 12pm (noon) EST. These new abstracts will undergo the same review process as all previously submitted abstracts. We anticipate all new abstracts submitted by in-person attendees will be presented in the poster format, as the oral presentation program is relatively locked in. However, some abstracts may be chosen as or changed to oral presentations subject to slot availability and quality of abstracts. For those unlikely to attend in-person, we encourage using this abstract submission period to submit for virtual presentation. This format allows for great flexibility and creativity of presentation for long and short formats. The traditional oral and poster formats can be completely reimagined. Authors will be notified in early February 2022.
You can cancel your reservation with no penalty and rebook at your convenience. To visit the accommodation reservation portal, click HERE. We will be establishing the new room block soon and will announce opening for rebooking or changing your reservation.
We will be working with workshop organizers to determine how this delay might impact their workshop. If a workshop organizer needs to cancel their planned workshop, you will be refunded the full cost. If you no longer will be able to attend the workshop in person at the new date, we will refund the full cost. Please wait for updates and guidance. We will be sending out more information before Wednesday, October 27, 2021.
You don’t have to do anything if you are still planning on attending the conference in person. Products will not be shipped to attendees prior to or following the conference. So, if you will now be presenting virtually or no longer want the merchandise, please contact registration@marinemammalscience.org and we can provide a full refund.
If you were going to be a student during the originally scheduled dates of the conference then we will honor that status at the conference in 2022 – even if your status has changed. Your registration costs and travel grant status will not change. It is expected that all grant recipients maintain their Society for Marine Mammalogy membership.
Yes! If you still plan on attending the conference you will be able to keep your travel grant. We are hoping that travel uncertainty will clear up before the postponed conference happens. If you received support to attend the conference in person and the date change means you will not be able to do so, then please work with your grant coordinator (Student Members-at-Large or International Relations Committee) to let them know of your change of plans and whether or not you will need the virtual conference costs covered. It is expected that all grant recipients maintain their Society for Marine Mammalogy membership.
If needed, we will gladly provide an updated conference receipt or VISA letter with new conference dates to support your travel to Palm Beach. Please contact registration@marinemammalscience.org for assistance with these requests.
We can refund presenters that need a refund and allow you to maintain your presentation spot in the conference program, but you MUST be fully registered again by the new early bird registration deadline of Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 12pm EDT. Please contact abstracts@marinemammalscience.org if you have any questions. Please be patient while we work through requests.
At this point there is no change to our plans to host SMM2023 in Perth, Australia. If anything changes we will release an announcement to all SMM members and the broader marine mammal community.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
Please rest assured that we will continue to monitor state and federal guidelines related to COVID-19. Our top priority is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all participants at SMM2021. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.
Dr. Sylvia Earle
OPENING PLENARY SPEAKER
Michael A. Castellini, PhD
Michael J. Moore, Vet. MB. PhD
Nantarika Chansue, DVM, PhD
NASA astronaut
(to be announced closer to the conference)
Michael A. Castellini, PhD
Plenary Speaker
Nantarika Chansue, DVM, PhD
Plenary Speaker
Michael J. Moore, Vet. MB. PhD
Plenary Speaker
NASA astronaut
(to be announced closer to the conference)
"In a sea of change, be the change you wish to see."
BLUE-GREEN INITIATIVE
We have pledged to mitigate the carbon footprint of our attendees through a combined use of an energy efficient venue, elimination of single use plastics and styrofoam, employing compostable and recyclable products, decreasing the use of paper and purchasing carbon offsets, as well as making the conference available virtually.
For the first time in the history of our Biennial Conference, we have initiated a carbon offsetting program. Although the conference is hybrid, and by nature will reduce our carbon footprint (and be more inclusive!), we propose that attendees offset their personal carbon use and buy back the carbon cost of your flight and/or accommodation!
EVERY DOLLAR contributed will be donated to the Miami Waterkeeper, a local non-profit organization, who will put the money towards local conservation and outreach activities in Biscayne Bay, a subtropical estuary located in the Miami area. Our goal is to directly use the offsetting for a local conservation initiative that should generate interest from our attendees.
Show your support and offset your carbon footprint by donating via the conference registration form. Help us reach our goal of $10,000 of carbon offset for the conference!
For more information on our Carbon Offsetting Program and how offset costs are calculated, click HERE.
DIVERSITY MATTERS
Marine mammal science is only strengthened by the participation of people representing all ages, career stages, races, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, physical abilities, as well as national, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. The SMM is dedicated to enhancing diversity in its members and conference attendees.
INCLUSIVITY
Our conference aims to push boundaries and will be more inclusive than ever! Our virtual platform will allow for thousands of marine mammal scientists and enthusiasts that have previously been unable to participate. SMM2021 will reflect the Society’s true desire to make the conference accessible and inclusive to the widest audience.
BLUE-GREEN INITIATIVE
We have pledged to mitigate the carbon footprint of our attendees through a combined use of an energy efficient venue, elimination of single use plastics and styrofoam, employing compostable and recyclable products, decreasing the use of paper and purchasing carbon offsets, as well as making the conference available virtually.
For the first time in the history of our Biennial Conference, we have initiated a carbon offsetting program. We propose that attendees offset their personal carbon use and buy back the carbon cost of your flight and/or accommodation! EVERY DOLLAR contributed will be donated to the Miami Waterkeeper, a local non-profit organization, who will put the money towards local conservation and outreach activities in Biscayne Bay, a subtropical estuary located in the Miami area. Our goal is to directly use the offsetting for a local conservation initiative that should generate interest from our attendees.
Show your support and offset your carbon footprint by donating via the conference registration form. Help us reach our goal of $10,000 of carbon offset for the conference!
For more information on our Carbon Offsetting Program and how offset costs are calculated, click HERE.
DIVERSITY MATTERS
Marine mammal science is only strengthened by the participation of people representing all ages, career stages, races, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, physical abilities, as well as national, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. The SMM is dedicated to enhancing diversity in its members and conference attendees.
INCLUSIVITY
Our conference aims to push boundaries and will be more inclusive than ever! Our virtual platform will allow for thousands of marine mammal scientists and enthusiasts that have previously been unable to participate. SMM2021 will reflect the Society’s true desire to make the conference accessible and inclusive to the widest audience.
our
SPONSORS
our
SPONSORS
INTERESTED IN SPONSORING?
We are seeking like-minded individuals and organizations to achieve our goal of creating a highly visible and diverse global forum via live and virtual interactions to stimulate new research, facilitate discussion, and develop science-based policy that ensures marine mammals and their aquatic homes will persist for future generations.
For more information on sponsoring SMM2021, click HERE.
ARE YOU READY TO REGISTER FOR SMM2021?
In order to do so you will need to access our conference software by signing-in via the SMM website. Attendees may choose to register as a member or non-member; HOWEVER, conference registration is significantly more affordable for members than non-members. All are welcome to become members and join our society!
To get started, select one of the two options below:
Not already an SMM member?
Join or renew your membership to access the best conference rates.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you have already logged into the conference system as a Non-Member you can still sign-up for membership with the SMM to receive a reduce ‘Members’ registration fee. Use the same email address to sign up or renew your membership as you did to create your Non-Member profile and the system will automatically update your account information for you once you sign back into the conference system.
Have a question about the conference?
Contact our conference committee at conference@marinemammalscience.org