Registration

Associated EDIT meeting

Grande Galerie de l'Evolution, Paris, France

Conference Overview

This two-day conference is the kick-off meeting for ViBRANT – an EU infrastructures project supporting the development of virtual research communities engaged in biodiversity science. Registrants will include taxonomists, computer scientists, ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and representatives of government agencies, in addition to scientists from the 17 ViBRANT partners. Day one will cover the major thematic components and philosophy of the ViBRANT project. Day two consists of a series of lightning talks outlining the partners contributions to ViBRANT’s eight workpackages.

About ViBRANT

Data are one of the primary outputs of biodiversity research. ViBRANT’s goal is to provide a more integrated and effective framework for managing this data on the Web via i) a virtual research environment (Scratchpads) where users can safely store, share and manage their research information; ii) analytical services for users to build identification keys and phylogenetic trees; iii) a publication platform for users to automatically compile biodiversity science manuscripts from their research database; iv) a portal for users to centrally access publicly accessible biodiversity research information and literature; v) training, helping research communities to use these tools and services; and 6) a standards compliant technical architecture that can be sustained by the biodiversity research community. For more information, visit the ViBRANT website (http://vbrant.eu) where you can get involved by starting a Scratchpad, getting training, access data, or helping us to develop the software.

Venue & Directions

The meeting is to be held at the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution, Paris, France and is scheduled to take place after the final EDIT conference that runs between 17-19^th January.   A list of local hotels and directions to get to the Museum are available from the EDIT conference site.  You are strongly advised to register early and book both your hotel and travel as early as possible.  This is particularly important if you are planning to attend both meetings.

Registration

A registration desk is situated at the entrance to the lecture theatre and will be staffed during the registration period of 9.00-9.30 on Thursday 20^th January and during coffee breaks on the 20^th and 21^st. All delegates and speakers must report to the registration desks to collect their badges to gain access to the lecture theatre. Speakers MUST deposit their slide presentations as powerpoint or PDF documents with the conference organisers at this time.

Lightning talks

ViBRANT’s lightning talks are short presentations limited to 5 minutes and a maximum of 5 slides. Each partner receiving funds will give a lightening talk covering their contribution to ViBRANT, supplementing the ten-minute workpackage presentations on day two. Presentations should highlight the participants’ objectives, user-base and integration activities. Speakers should focus on the most salient aspects their work and be available to address audience invited questions as part of the ten-minute general discussion scheduled for the end of each workpakage session.

Presentations

The high volume of speakers on day two means that all presentations (WITHOUT EXCEPTION) must be submitted during conference registration. These presentations will be grouped in to a single Powerpoint presentation for each workpackage. Lightening talk speakers during day two are strongly encouraged to use the Powerpoint template below:

• ViBRANT lightning talk template (5 slides per presentation)

This outlines key themes that we expect project participants to cover during their presentation. A time limit of 5 minutes per lightening talk will be strictly enforced so we strongly recommend a maximum of 5 slides per presentation.

Workpackage leaders may also use this template as the basis for their longer (10 munite) presentations but are recommended to include more slides since they have greater scope for variation. Suggested topics for workpackage leaders include an overview of workpackage activities, sustainability, specific risks associated with the workpackage and how workpackage activities can be linked within ViBRANT and the wider landscape of European and international biodiversity informatics projects.

Each workpackage session concludes with a 10 minute question and answer session to facilitate a dialoge between the workpackage participants and the remaining audience. Workpackage leaders might like to prepare discussion points relavent to their workpackage in advance of their session. 

Catering and refreshment

Tea and coffee will be available during mid-morning and mid-afternoon refreshment breaks in the cafe above the Auditorium. The lunch will be in the Museum Canteen.

Funding

There is no conference registration fee.  Partners in ViBRANT have been allocated funding for this meeting directly.  No further funding is available from the organisers.

Language

The official conference language is English. There will be no simultaneous translation.

Internet Access

Internet access at the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution will be available at the podium for speakers and we hope to have WiF access for the delegates.

FINAL PROGRAMME