Proposals will be accepted for the 2017 SSAR Roger Conant Grants-in-Herpetology Program starting on 15 September 2016, and proposals are due by 15 December 2016. Please see this page for complete details.

The long-term perspective, about science, conservation or a particular discipline, is often lost. The broader view may be lost in the immediacy and fervor of publishing science that will move us along in understanding the complex world we live in or in facilitating management that will make a difference in the conservation of the beleaguered organisms we study, protect, and love.  Several years ago the Journal of Herpetology began a new series of invited papers. This series was specifically intended to capture the long-term perspective of scientists who had gained that multi-decade view of their field. The pieces were intended to provide a forum for lessons learned, musings about the future of the discipline, and data, yet with the added depth and humanity that makes herpetology a unique science. We intended to chronicle some of the adventures, wisdom and heretofore unpublished data of “giants in our field” and to provide an opportunity for their shared wisdom and tribal lore to be communicated and archived for students, current and future, and for colleagues.

This series has been a success, but we want to draw the readership back to its presence. Publication in this section is by invitation only, and no more than one is published per issue. Papers reflect a multi-decade perspective on a particular herpetological issue, focusing on how the science has changed over the years, on what current views are and what future views might be. These pieces are highly readable because they include an element of anecdote such that readers are drawn not only to the science, but to the person behind that science and the challenges and adventures that highlighted the journey.

Perspectives pieces by the following have been published and more are in preparation.

• Richard Goris
• Marvalee Wake
• Whit Gibbons
• Pat Gregory
• Hal Heatwole
• Eric Pianka
• Martha Crump
• Trevor Beebee
• Rick Shine

Perspectives pieces are archived and can be accessed by members of the Society for the Study or Amphibians and Reptiles here.

If you are not yet a member and would like to become one, click here.

In honor and memory of Dr. David J. Morafka, distinguished herpetologist and authority on North American gopher tortoises, the Desert Tortoise Council, with the aid of several donors, has established a monetary award to help support research that contributes to the understanding, management and conservation of tortoises of the genus Gopherus in the southwestern United States and Mexico: G. agassizii, G. morafkai, G. evgoodei, G. berlandieri, and G. flavomarginatus.

Award Amount: $2,000 to be awarded at the Desert Tortoise Council’s Annual Symposium, depending on the availability of funding and an appropriate recipient.

Eligibility: Applicants must be associated with a recognized institution (e.g., university, museum, government agency, non-governmental organization) and may be graduate students, post-doctoral students, or other researchers. They must agree to present a report on the results of the research in which award funds were used at a future symposium of the Desert Tortoise Council.

Evaluation Criteria: Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the potential of the research to contribute to the biological knowledge of one or more of the above gopher tortoise species, and to their management and conservation. Important considerations are the significance and originality of the research problem, design of sampling and analysis, preliminary data supporting the feasibility of the research, and the likelihood of successful completion and publication.

Application Procedure:

1. Download and open an application form from the Desert Tortoise Council’s website www.deserttortoise.org. The form is electronically interactive.

2. Provide all information requested on the application, including a description of the research project in no more than 1,200 words.

3. Submit the completed application to grstewart@cpp.edu as a pdf document.

4. Applications must be supported by the applicant’s CV and three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from the applicant’s research advisor, supervisor, or a knowledgeable colleague. Instruct the recommenders to submit their letters to grstewart@cpp.edu as pdf documents.

5. All application materials and letters of recommendation must be received by December 1, 2016. They will be evaluated by a committee of gopher tortoise biologists appointed by the Desert Tortoise Council Board of Directors.

6. The research award recipient will be notified of his/her selection by January 20, 2017 and the award will be presented at the 2017 Desert Tortoise Council Symposium, February 24-26, 2017.

For full details, see: Morafka Award Announcment 2017

We just wanted to provide a quick recap of some of the information regarding the JMIH which will be kicking off this week in New Orleans:

1) The local host committee has made arrangements for a second venue for a no-host social on July 6th, starting at 7:00 p.m at the House of Blues (225 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130).   Admission is free of charge and there will be appropriately priced drinks as well as  an “open mic” event.

2)  If you are an oral presenter, you will need to submit your presentation onsite to the audio-visual technicians who will be located in Studio on the 2^nd floor of the New Orleans Marriott by 3:00 p.m. the day before your presentation.

3) If you are a poster presenter, please review the information for poster presentations on the web site at http://conferences.k-state.edu/joint-meeting/presentation-information/poster-presentations.  This link provides information and guidelines for presentations. Set up is from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the day of your presentation.  Please have your poster up by noon to give time for attendees to view it before the scheduled poster session. Your poster should be removed immediately after your presentation at 6:00 p.m.  Please note, you will need to bring your own pins to hang on the boards!!

4) There will be several fund raising events held by participating organizations to help support student travel.  Events specifically associated with SSAR include the Silent Auction which will start 1 pm Thursday July 7th in the Bonaparte Room on the 4th floor.  The Silent Auction room will be open 1 – 5 PM on Thursday July 7th, 8 am – 5 pm on  Friday and Saturday July 8th/9th, and 8 am until 12:30 pm Sunday July 10th.  Check back between 12:30 and 1:30 pm on the 10th to see if you won any items.  Payments will need to be paid at this time, cash and credit are both accepted.  The Live Auction, co-run with The Herpetologists League, will be at 9:00 PM on Sunday July 10th in Salons D-H. 

If you would like to donate any items to either the Silent or Live Auction please contact Samantha Kahl (samantha.kahl@ttu.edu) or Vincent Farallo (vfarallo@gmail.com). Donated items can include anything herp related (although nothing made from animal parts).  An example of one of the nicer donated item is this drawing of Diadophis punctatus by Chris Sheil.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in New Orleans!

As always, we will have a live and silent auction at this years JMIH in New Orleans to help fund student travel to attend future meetings. If you would like to donate anything to the live or silent auction you can bring the items directly to the meeting or send them ahead of time. Items should be related to herpetology in some way, however we can not auction off any animals or items taken from animals. Typically items include books, art,  clothing, trinkets, etc.

If you would like to send items ahead of time please send them to the following address:

Kyle Piller
Attn: SSAR Live Auction
Southeastern Louisiana University
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Hammond, LA 70402

We would like donators to include the following information with their donation (typed, if possible):

1. Name of Donator
2. Title of the donation, or a brief description of the donation or its history.
3. Estimated value of the donation, or purchase price of the item.
4. Contact information for donator
5. Preference (if any) for the live or silent auction

If you plan on bringing an item to the meeting please find Samantha Kahl (samantha.kahl@ttu.edu) or Vincent Farallo (vfarallo@gmail.com) once you have arrived. Preferably send us an e-mail beforehand so we have an idea of what to expect and can also arrange a time for you to drop off the item.

Also if you would like to volunteer to help with the live auction including auction runners during the auction itself, item setup before the auction, and people to watch auction items during the conference, please contact Samantha Kahl (samantha.kahl@ttu.edu).

We look forward to seeing everyone in New Orleans!