Attn: Texas Chapter American Shore & Beach Preservation Association Members and Friends:
Although the ASBPA Coastal Conference that was scheduled in Long Beach, California, October 13-16, was cancelled, there will be a “virtual” on line-only conference platform on the same days. Details are below and a call for abstracts is due by June 12, 2020. We hope you participate.
Jerry Mohn
President Texas ASBPA Chapter
2020 ASBPA Coastal Conference, “Navigating Stormy Times,” Information and Call for Abstracts
http://asbpa.org/2020/04/18/2020-asbpa-conference/
Given the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association will host its 2020 National Coastal Conference as a “virtual,” online-only conference platform. We have changed the theme to “2020 Vision for Our Coasts: Navigating Stormy Times.”
With a reduced registration cost, no associated travel costs, and no concerns about health impacts nor possible future travel or large gathering restrictions, we hope more people can attend the 2020 National Coastal Conference in its online format than could have attended in person.
Schedule:
The live portion of the 2020 National Coastal “Virtual” Conference will occur October 13-16, 2020. Content will be presented 3-4 hours each day (in the afternoon on the East Coast and morning on the West Coast). Each day may include a plenary or keynote talk, technical and policy presentations across up to three concurrent sessions, and online networking and marketing opportunities. All talks will be recorded (either pre-recorded or recorded live) so they can viewed in their entirety by all registrants during or after the conference.
We also plan to have online poster viewing and presentations, and possibly an online social component.
All posters and presentations (with presenters’ permission) will be available to view for all registered attendees outside the actual conference days.
Conference Focus:
The National Conference, “2020 Vision for Our Coasts: Navigating Stormy Times,” will reflect how beach and coastal communities are dealing with the unique challenges presented this year by the coronavirus pandemic, but will also look at how coastlines and communities can be resilient to current and future physical and economic challenges.
Topics covered at the conference will include coastal and beach science, engineering, processes, policy and management (see our Call for Abstracts for a full range of topics).
The conference also invites presentations for a dedicated track on coastal and beach operations and management, focusing on how to manage people and businesses who use the beach. We are looking to include how beach communities, beach managers and tourism officials are dealing with COVID-19, and any lessons learned from managing a beach in a pandemic.
Call for Abstracts:
The deadline for submitting abstracts (originally scheduled for May 1) is now June 12. See the updated “Call for Abstracts” for full information.
Abstracts are being accepted for oral and poster presentations. Selected presentations will be offered live during scheduled days and times (and also recorded for subsequent viewing). Other abstracts will be invited to submit pre-recorded presentations or posters. All presentations will be available via a platform that encourages interaction, questions, and comments.
Registration:
Registration will open in June.
| ASBPA Member | Non-Member* | Student Member | Student non-member | |
| Before Sept.28 | $250 | $370 | $50 | $85 |
| After Sept. 28 | $300 | $420 | $50 | $85 |
| Full-day short course | $175 | $175 | $25 | $25 |
* Non-member registration fee includes membership for remainder of 2020 and full year membership for 2021.
Deadline to cancel with refund: October 8, 2020 ($50 cancellation fee)
Send checks or government purchase orders to ASBPA, 5460 Beaujolais Lane, Fort Myers, FL 33919-2704. To be officially registered, payments must be received by October 10, 2020.
Sponsorship:
A new sponsorship prospectus is being developed and will be included on asbpa.org/conferences/ soon.
Next In-Person Coastal Conference:
ASBPA conference bucket, with sticker logos from the annual coastal conferences since 2008, will be passed across the web this year![/caption]
ASBPA will consider the health, travel and economic implications of holding our 2021 National Coastal Summit in Washington DC, March 9-11, 2021, but we hope to hold this important gathering in-person in order to meet face-to-face with federal agencies and our Members of Congress.
We look forward to meeting again in New Orleans in fall 2021 for our next in-person National Coastal Conference, Sept 28-Oct 1. We are also excited to make Long Beach, California – the intended site of our 2020 National Conference – the location of our 2022 National Coastal Conference (dates to be announced).