2nd Annual AMPED Meeting

The 2nd annual AMPED meeting will be held May 27-28, 2010 in Sète, France.

Schedule

The details of the schedule can be found here. Overall program will consist of:

 Financial and scientific summary by the director of each project partner.
 Short presentations of advances on each projet task. These presentations will be for the most part given by students or postdocs on the project.
 Group discussions designed to reinforce collaborative aspects of the project.
 Group discussion of future major project milestones: possible 3rd meeting in South Africa, initial preparation for a special volume of publications and a symposium on MPAs for mobile species.

Teleconferencing for South African participants

For those South African project members that cannot come to Sète for the meeting, we plan on arranging for some sort of teleconference between Sète and University of Cape Town. However, as teleconferencing over such a large distance is often sub-otpimal, all South African participants that can make the trip are highly encouraged to do so.

Travel arrangements and per diem

The nearest airport to Sète is Montpellier (MPL), though travel through Marseille, Paris and other smaller regional airports with appropriate train or plane connections is possible. Transport from the airport to Sète is either via public transport (shuttle bus->tram->montpellier train station->Sète train station) or via taxi or shuttle.

University of Nantes project participants should arrange travel in coordination with Gwenaelle PROUTIERE-MAULION. For project participants that will be paid for via the IRD (notably South African participants), please forward as soon as possible the following information to David M. Kaplan via email or fax (+33 4 99 57 32 95):

1. A document from your superior(s) at the organization where you work testifying that your own organization will not be paying for your travel (an "attestation de non prise en charge" in French).
2. For transferring per diem into your bank account we will need a document from your bank indicating that you have an account at that bank, as well as all the information necessary for making the transfer. For French bank accounts, this means a RIB. For foreign accounts, the document must contain the bank name, address and phone numbers, your account number and the numbers necessary for international bank transfers (IBAN, Swift, etc.; in French, an "Attestation de domiciliation bancaire").
3. A filled out travel form with your preferred travel arrangements, etc. French speakers can use this form. For non-French speakers, there is a form in english. Please do not purchase travel tickets directly; the IRD will do that for you.

Normally, plane tickets are purchased by the IRD’s travel agent and you will receive an E-ticket via email. Per diem is usually reimbursed several weeks after the meeting. If you have any problems or questions about arranging travel, please contact David M. Kaplan.

Hotel information and maps

A list of recommended hotels in Sète can be obtained from the CRH website and we have created a special google map indicating the locations and contact information of hotels, the CRH, etc. Thursday, 27 May, there will be a group lunch at "Paillote La Ola" paid for by the project. Friday, 28 May, there will be a no-host lunch (everyone pays for themselves) for those interested at "Table de Jean" in the "La Conga Hotel".

Each participant should make his or her own hotel reservation. You must pay for the hotel yourself and then be reimbursed for the cost after returning from the meeting. When placing your reservation, please mention that you will be visiting the Ifremer/IRD center in Sète to receive a reduced fee. If you desire to share a hotel room with someone or have any other difficulties, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance.

After returning from meeting

In order to reimburse your travel after the meeting is over, we will need to receive the original travel (airline ticket stubs, train tickets, etc.) and hotel receipts. Please hold on to all such receipts. Food receipts will not be necessary.