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38th Annual Biological Systems Simulation Group Conference

38th Annual Biological Systems Simulation Group Conference

April 8-10, 2008

Blackland Research & Extension Center
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
720 E Blackland Rd
Temple, TX 76502

(Meeting Brochure [PDF] | Meeting Presentations)

The Biological Systems Simulation Group (BSSG) is in its 38th year and brings together an international group of scientists interested in using integrated systems approaches to study agricultural and natural systems. Topics range from basic physiological and biological systems to ecosystem simulations of field-level flows of water, carbon, energy, and nutrients to regional analysis of the impacts of climate variability and global change. This includes a strong focus on the study and dynamic simulation of effects of climatic, biotic, and abiotic factors on agricultural and natural systems performance.

The complexity of agricultural and natural systems management and their social, environmental and economic interactions poses challenges for scientists, stakeholders and policy makers. As the potential of these systems as sources of biofuel is explored, there is an increased need to understand the limits of biomass production and its composition, and the impact of bioenergy production on environmental integrity at both field and watershed levels. Rangelands, which occupy a significant part of the US and the world, pose a challenge for simulating plant communities that, unlike homogenously managed crops, have extreme spatial variation at several scales. Climate change poses a challenge in understanding plant responses to biotic and abiotic factors affecting plant productivity particularly under extreme events such as temperature stress. Simulation models have a major role in helping to manage this complexity. We hope this workshop will help the modeling community focus their innovative modeling efforts in issues of important for science while addressing critical issues for the society.

Conference Organizers:

  • Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES)
    • Armen R. Kemanian, TAES
    • Wesley Rosenthal, TAES
    • Yubin Yang, TAES
    • William Fox, TAES
  • USDA-ARS Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory
    • Jim R. Kiniry, USDA/ARS
    • Colleen H. Green, USDA/ARS
    • Philip A. Fay, USDA/ARS

Conference Attire

Business Casual

Registration

Online registration is no longer available for this conference. On-site registration will be available immediately prior to the conference.

Full Registrants

$250, Early Registration (until February 29, 2008)
$300, Late Registration (after February 29, 2008)

Students

$120, Early Registration (until February 29, 2008)
$150, Late Registration (after February 29, 2008)

Conference registration will be available at the entry of the facility immediately prior to the conference. The late registration fee of $300 and $150 for students will be in effect during that time. Check and money order only will be accepted on-site.

Event Management & Planning (EM&P) cannot invoice; therefore, payment of the conference registration fee must be received prior to admission to the conference. For payment processing purposes, the vendor identification number for TTI EM&P is 37277277275000. The federal identification number is 74-2270624.

Please make checks or money orders (U.S. currency drawn on a U.S. bank) payable to TTI-BSSG08. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards are also accepted.

Cancellation

Only cancellations received in writing by EM&P by 5:00 p.m. CST March 7, 2008, will be refunded, less a $50 handling fee. No refunds will be made after March 7, 2008.

Abstract Submission

Instructions
  1. Title submission: Presentation titles must be submitted by — DEADLINE EXTENDED to March 14, 2008
  2. Summaries: Summaries (1-2 pages) of your presentation will be printed and must be submitted by — DEADLINE EXTENDED to March 14, 2008
  3. Format: The summaries should be sent to bssg08@brc.tamus.edu with the subject heading "BSSG SUMMARY + Last Name of First Author". The file should be in portable document format (pdf). The text and figures should take no more than 2 printed pages, letter size, 1 in margin and font 12 in Times New Roman for text and tables. Figures must be embedded in the *.pdf file.

Hotel Information

Accommodations have been arranged at the Hilton Garden Inn Temple, (254) 773-0200, and La Quinta Inn Temple, (254) 771-2980.

Hilton block:
$70 per night

La Quinta Inn block:
$59 per night

Reservations should be made by March 17, 2008 to receive the discounted rates. After this date, rooms may be available at a higher rate. To receive the conference rate, please refer to "Simulation Conference" when making your reservation.

Transportation

Flying to Austin or Killeen and renting a car is the most efficient way of getting to Temple.

Distance from Area Airports to Temple
  • Killeen, TX (GRK) is 30 min west of Temple.
  • Austin, TX (AUS) is 1 hour 15 min south of Temple.
  • Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (DFW) is 2 hours 45 min north of Temple.

Parking

Complimentary on-site self parking is available at each hotel. There is also parking available at the event facility at no cost.

For More Information

Program Contents
Armen R. Kemanian
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
ph. (254) 774-6107 · fax (254) 774-6001
bssg08@brc.tamus.edu
Registration Information
Event Management & Planning
Texas Transportation Institute
Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3135
ph. (979) 862-1219 · fax (979) 862-1225 · toll-free (888) 550-5577
events@tamu.edu

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