The 2023 Annual Meeting is Powered by Whova — Registered Attendees, Login now to launch your meeting experience!
How to Login to Whova:
- Login HERE through the website portal and/or download the Whova App from the app store.
- Setup an account — You MUST use the email that you used to register for the meeting. This is the email we have authenticated for you in Whova! Create a password, or reset if you have used Whova before and can’t remember your old password.
- Bookmark the URL for the Whova Website: https://whova.com/portal/
webapp/amot_202302/ - Log in to Whova now in case you have any difficulties. Don’t wait until next week!
- If you have trouble logging in, you may email us for assistance: tech_help@tws-west.org. If you need more guidance on how to use Whova, please visit Whova User Guides.
Whova is is intended for both Virtual and In-Person Participants. It is the hub for engaging and communicating with other attendees, and is the best way to receive announcements and notifications from the event organizers. It is also the place to watch live and recorded presentations virtually (both during and after the meeting).
A Few Tips:
- The Annual Meeting officially begins Tuesday, February 7th at 6pm. We look forward to seeing you then.
- Did you know you can make your own, personalized Whova agenda? Just “add” the things you want to attend to “your” list, and when you’re done you can click to view “my agenda” for your own personalized schedule.
- Fun facts! If you open the agenda item for each concurrent session presentation, you’ll find the link to the abstract, and more. Use Session Q&A to ask the presenters any questions you may have. Posters will be uploaded to Whova next week, if not sooner.
- Set up in-person/virtual meet-ups with other attendees to connect and network.
- Create and converse through Discussion Topics in the Community Board.
- Please don’t share your login to Whova – this could make us exceed our user license agreements and keep others from being able to access Whova.
- Bidding for our online silent auction starts now. What are you dreaming about purchasing? All funds support Western Section Student and Early Career Professional Programs.
- Onsite registration is available online and on site in Riverside through the end of next week. Please share with your colleagues may not have registered yet.
Coming to Riverside?
- Sign up for the Tuesday night Cornhole tourney — Our quota of 16 teams is filling up fast and just a few spots remain. Sign up HERE.
- Don’t forget to wear your favorite Wildlife Tee Tuesday evening. Prizes awarded for the best shirts in several categories. (1) Science/Nature (2) Funniest (3) Most Unique (4) Most Artistic.
- We’re having a gear swap. Please bring anything you want to pass on to the next generation. Field gear and clothing, etc.
- Here is a link to a Downtown Riverside Parking Map. You may park at the Riverside Convention Center for $10 day. If you instead park on the street, it is recommended that you do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
- Check out Slack and/or Discord if you are looking for a roommate or carpool. They function just like Whova and are available year-round!
Giving a talk in an Oral Scientific Session?
- If you are presenting in-person, come to the room where your talk is assigned a half hour before your session begins to upload your PPT to the laptop.
- Virtual presenters – Click the Zoom link in the Whova Agenda for your session. Ask to be promoted to “host” and please login 30 minutes before your session so we can make sure you are all set.
- Poster Presenters – Please upload the PDF for your poster to Whova by Wednedsay, February 8th at 10am.
- Guidelines for Oral Presenters AND Guidelines for Poster Presenters
It’s going to be a great week of cutting-edge scientific presentations, robust panel discussions, exciting networking events, and more.
Sincerely,
2023 Annual Meeting Planning Committee
Our 2023 annual meeting will be presented in a hybrid format.
When you register, you can choose either in-person or virtual and you are free to switch between them anytime.
All scientific and general sessions will be both livestreamed AND available to view online (for 90 days after the meeting) through the Whova App.
We will mail the full registration packet and early reg gift to anyone who is registered for virtual attendance as of January 20th using the address provided on the online registration form. (An opt-out option will be available.) The mailed packets will be sent from Riverside at the beginning of the meeting once the packets have been compiled. In-Person attendees will pick up their registration packets in the Exhibit Hall at the meeting.
*Note: In-person and virtual attendance options are equally priced. Due to the significant technology costs, we are not able to discount the registration fees for virtual attendees. It is important to TWS-WS that we offer an inclusive meeting open to all, and this also creates flexibility for anyone who may need to change their plans.
COVID 19 – Your health and safety is our top priority!
Local conditions and safety guidelines are constantly evolving. We are closely monitoring the current federal and local COVID-19 guidelines for in-person gatherings and travel restrictions,. As of today, there are no vaccination requirements or mask requirements in Riverside County, the site of the conference. Even though masks are not required, they are strongly recommended. We will be emailing participants ahead of the meeting to encourage them to take daily Covid tests each morning of the meeting as well.
Please do not attend the meeting in-person if you have recently tested positive for Covid-19 and please follow the CDC isolation procedures until you are no longer infectious. If you are unable to attend the annual meeting because you test positive for COVID-19, you can switch between virtual participation or in-person participation at any time. All participants, regardless of whether they are participating virtually or in-person, will have access to the recordings of the conference for up to 3-months after the conference.
Meeting Theme — Challenge Accepted! Confront Obstacles, Create Opportunities
As professionals, we wear many hats and face constant change. In addition to the obvious challenges that confront wildlife research, conservation, and management efforts, we face obstacles in growing our reach and guiding the next generation of professionals: challenges such as competing interests, different backgrounds, and points of view. Throughout my career, I’ve been impressed that wildlife professionals are people of action who care deeply about their work. I challenge us to work together to directly address obstacles and actively create opportunities for wildlife professionals, collaborators, stakeholders, and those future wildlife biologists who are out there! For the 2023 Annual Meeting, I would like us each to throw down the figurative gauntlet, be honest with ourselves and each other, and take critical steps towards meeting challenges in wildlife science, conservation, and management head on.
– Randi McCormick, Meeting Chair and TWS-WS President-Elect