ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE 2000 SPRING MEETING

18-20 MAY 2000
PORTLAND, MAINE

JOINTLY HOSTED BY
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE

AND

ENSR MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCE CENTER,
WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS

CALL FOR PAPERS AND PRE-REGISTRATION

MEETING SITE: The first NEERS meeting of the new millennium will be held in Portland, Maine. Consistently rated as one of the country's "dream cities", Portland has all of the food and dancing a society could want. The meeting will be held in the Eastland Hotel, located in the center of downtown Portland. There are several lunch spots, bars and coffee shops next to the hotel. We will also be within walking distance of the Old Port, which has its own restaurants, brew pubs, dance clubs, and coffee shops.

SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS: Oral presentations will be scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 19 and 20. Each presentation will be limited to 15 minutes with an additional 5 minutes for discussion. Poster presentations will be held during a special poster session. We encourage participants to present their results as a poster. Textured boards will be available for poster display. Bring Velcro strips with you to hang up the posters. Presentations can include completed projects, reviews, as well as projects in progress (even proposals of new experiments are encouraged). Any subject on estuaries or coastal environments is welcome. The Bostwick Ketchum and the John Rankin Prizes will be awarded for student oral presentations. The David Dean Prize for the best student poster will also be awarded. Presenters must be (or must become) NEERS members.

ABSTRACT DEADLINE, MARCH 31: Follow the abstract format included in this announcement. You have a chance to submit your abstract in any of three ways:

1. electronically by way of the NEERS website (www.neers.org) meeting announcement page; if you are unclear about the directions, contact Ron Rozsa at maron@snet.net,
2. e-mail directly to Program Chair, Pat Kremer at pkremer@uconnuvm.uconn.edu,
3. paper copy sent to Program Chair, Pat Kremer, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1084 Shennecossett Road, Groton CT 06340- 6097, FAX 860-405-9153.

Note: put an asterisk (*) next to presenter's name on abstract.

STUDENT PRIZES: The Ketchum Prize ($100.00) will be awarded to the graduate student who presents the best oral presentation. The Rankin Prize (also $100.00) is for the undergraduate who presents the best oral presentation. The David Dean Prize (also $100.00) will be awarded for the best student poster, either graduate or undergraduate. Candidates for the David Dean prize must be prepared to answer formal and informal questions about their poster. For all prizes, criteria used by judges include scientific content, clarity and professionalism of presentation (including graphics). To be eligible, the students must clearly be major contributing authors, and previous winners are ineligible. Contributions towards the endowment fund for prizes would be greatly appreciated by NEERS.

ACCOMMODATIONS: We will be meeting and rooming at the Eastland Hotel, 157 High Street, Portland, Maine 04101. Make arrangements directly with the hotel by April 25 to get special rates for NEERS as follows:

• Standard room: $80/nite (two double beds or one queen bed) plus tax.
• Deluxe room: $105/nite (oversized with one king bed, or 2 double beds) plus tax.

These rates apply for one or for two persons occupying the room. When more than two adults share a room, an additional $15 per night, plus tax applies to each additional quest per night. Maine State Hotel Tax is presently at 7%.

To make arrangements, call the Eastland at (207)-775-5411 or FAX, (207)-775-1066. The hotel currently is without an 800 number, sorry. Check-in time, 3 P.M, May 18. Check-out, 12 noon, May 20. Storage of luggage will be provided if you come in earlier than the check-in or leave later than the check-out. With luck, rooms may even be available before the check-in.

NEERS BEER BLAST: The traditional NEERS social will be held in the lobby of the Eastland Hotel, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Thursday, May 18. Beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and some light munchies will be provided. Then members can walk (stumble?) downtown or to the Old Port for dinner at one of Portland's fabulous restaurants.

FIELD TRIPS: On Thursday, May 18, there will be a boat cruise from 3:00-5:00 PM. The cruise will be a narrated tour of the Fore River Estuary, Portland Harbor, and Casco Bay. We'll see Portland Headlight, the most photographed lighthouse in the United States and the oldest, commissioned in 1790 by George Washington. The boat will also skirt around a few of the over 300 islands in the Bay, some occupied by forts dating to the Civil War years. We may sight harbor seals basking on exposed rocky ledges. Snacks, soda, mineral water, and juice will be available for purchase. No alcoholic beverages are sold, but you may bring them onboard in coolers, i.e. unexposed. We will go rain or shine; awnings will be drawn for roofing to give shelter if needed. The cost of the tour is $10.00 per person. If more than 49 people sign up, we'll run a second trip from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. If fewer than 20 people sign up, money will be refunded unless we come up with a brilliant alternative, perhaps some dinghies. Directions to nearby parking facilities and to the dock will be given with the mailing of the program.

A second "field trip" will run on Saturday, after the meetings, if there is enough interest. This will be a one-half hour tour of the Shipyard brewery, followed by a beer tasting and perhaps lunch at the brewery. For both trips, we need to know by the pre-registration deadline (April 25) how many will attend. Please indicate your interest on the pre-registration form.

BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES. Since so many cheap restaurants are located nearby, lunches will be up to you. This will also allow you to get outside during the day. A light continental breakfast will be provided before the meetings. If you want a real breakfast, the hotel has a restaurant and there are several breakfast spots within walking distance. A map and brochure of lunch spots, breakfast spots, coffee shops, and beer spots will be provided.

BANQUET: The banquet will be held at the Eastland Hotel on Friday evening, preceded by a cash bar social hour. It will include a chicken, seafood, or vegetarian entree (your choice). Please choose one of these entrees on the pre-registration form which also gives costs. The Ketchum, Rankin, and Dean Prizes will be awarded at this time.

DANCING, LOUNGING, ETC.: There are several dance venues within walking distance of the hotel. There is the Big Easy (Blues), Zoots (D.J.), and The Stone Coast (rock). In addition, on the top floor of the Eastland Hotel is the Top of the East lounge. This lounge, which provides one of the best views of Portland (day or night) and really cheesy music, is open from 5:00 PM until 1:00 AM.

BUSINESS MEETING: This will take place after the last presentation on Friday.

REGISTRATION: Costs: The rates for pre-registration are: $38.00 for students, $45.00 for members, and $50.00 for non-members. The rates for on-site registration are: $45.00 for students, $52.00 for members, and $57.00 for non-members. Deadline: The deadline for registration and room reservations is April 25, 2000. Please send attached registration form and check to Pam Arnofsky, Treasurer. On-site registration will be held on Friday, May 18, between 5:00 and 7:00 P.M., but please pre-register!

GETTING THERE:

From the North:
Maine Turnpike (1-95) to Exit 9
Pick up I-295 South to exit 6A, Forest Ave. South
Follow Forest Ave. to the T intersection of Forest Ave. and Congress Street.
Turn right onto Congress Street., one block over to High St.
Turn Right onto High St.
The Eastland Hotel is the first building on your right*.

From the South
Maine Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 6A
Pick up I-295. Proceed to Exit 6A of I-295
Follow Forest Ave. to the T Intersection of Forest Ave and Congress St.
Turn Right onto Congress Street, one block over to High St.
Turn right on to High St.
Eastland Hotel is the first building on your right*

From the West
Route 22 direct into Portland
Route 22 becomes Congress Street
Follow Congress St. to the Center of Portland downtown
Turn left at the intersection of Congress and High Streets
The Eastland Hotel is the first building on your right*.

From the Airport
From the airport terminal, follow exit signs (to Congress Street, Rt. 22)
Turn right on Congress ST.
Follow Congress St. to the Center of Portland downtown
Turn left at the intersection of Congress and High Streets
The Eastland Hotel is the first building on your right*.
(Complimentary van transportation is available. Call hotel from direct phone line in baggage claim area upon arrival).
* Parking is available in The Gateway Garage on High Street, the second building on the right (after hotel) for $6.50 per night.

QUESTIONS?: Contact the organizers, Mike Mazurkiewicz or Terry Theodose, at the University of Southern Maine. Mike can be reached at 780-4262 and mazurkie@maine.edu. Terry can be reached at 780-4074 and theodose@maine.edu.