Save the date for Kuching 2018, highlights from Mérida, Sodhi award & more
Save the date for Kuching 2018!

Mark your calendar now for ATBC 2018 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia on 1-5 July, 2018. The meeting will be hosted by University of Nottingham Malaysia, with Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz serving as the meeting Chair. Be prepared to be overwhelmed!
Thank you for joining us in Mérida!
The  54 th   Annual   meeting   of   ATBC "Ecological and Social Dimensions of Tropical Biology Conservation" was held in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, from July 9-14, 2017.  A total of 734 delegates, from 42 countries and 297 academic institutions, attended the conference. A total of 774 contributions were presented, 240 in 32 symposia, 246 in 39 sessions of free oral presentations, 288 in four poster sessions, covering thirty-three different basic and applied research topics. 

The conference was enrich ed with four keynote  lectures, two debates  and three discussion panels, providing different perspectives and issues on the ecological and social dimensions of tropical biodiversity conservation. Four expositions, two satellite meetings, eight workshops, one specialized course, two meetings of ATBC regional chapters, and five field trips were organized as side events. For the first time in ATBC, four scientific café sessions were offered, where delegates and general public were able to freely exchange ideas and points of view with leaders in tropical biology and conservation on hot scientific topics.  As part of the ATBC capacity building initiatives, new mentoring and soft-skill programs were carried out with the participation of more than 180 students and professors/researchers. 

The Mérida meeting was draped with cultural themes of the Yucatan region, with traditional food, music, dances, and natural and archeological settings, which the delegates enjoyed during the welcome cocktail and in the closing banquet, ending with a great dancing party in true ATBC tradition!  Kudos to Dr. Miguel Martínez-Ramos, Chair of the ATBC 2017 Meeting, Dr. Juan Manuel Dupuy Rada, co-Chair, and  Iván A. Ortiz-Rodríguez, head of local logistics for setting a new standard for ATBC! 
Conservation & Policy 

During the Annual Meeting in Mérida and the  Asia-Pacific Chapter meeting in China, the Conservation Committee  organized discussions of conservation issues of relevance to our members and the places where they live and work. 
At the closing ceremony of the ATBC meeting in Merida, the Conservation Committee presented the ATBC Mérida Declaration , which calls for public policies that foster and protect traditional Maya agricultural practices in Mexico. The Mérida Declaration strongly commends current landscape conservation initiatives in the Yucatán Peninsula, and endorses the careful management of the Milpa forest-garden cycle system in the region. 
A new Resolution  on the implementation of China's New Wildlife Protection Laws in Yunnan was released in July 2017. The Resolution recommends 17 initiatives to strengthen existing wildlife protection practices, which should lead to better protection of regional biodiversity and help China take the lead in tackling wildlife trade in the region.  The Resolution received extensive inputs from Chinese scientists from at least 14 government and non-government agencies.
Mentoring Circles at ATBC 2017

At the meeting in Mérida, ATBC launched eight  Mentoring Circles that met for several hours on the Sunday before the start of the meeting and again on Wednesday for lunch.  Each Mentoring Circle for 2017-18 has 2-5 mentors and 5-8 mentees, for a total of 23 mentors and 44 mentees. Each group has at least one member of the ATBC Council serving as the head mentor, and these head mentors organize monthly videoconference meetings to continue the small-group mentoring throughout the year. The majority of mentees said that the Mentoring Circles made them feel more comfortable or prepared to introduce themselves to other scientists at the meeting and that they received valuable career advice during the Mentoring Circle activities. The Mentoring Circles for 2017-18 will conclude at the next ATBC meeting, in Kuching, Sarawak. 
Navjot Sodhi Conservation Research Award
Every year the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation presents the  Navjot Sodhi Conservation Research Award  to a student from a developing country conducting research in tropical conservation biology. This award is in remembrance and recognition of the contributions of our colleague and friend  Navjot Sodhi , who inspired many students and colleagues with his passion for research and the conservation of tropical biodiversity. The selected recipient will receive a cash award (typically up to $500) to be used towards research-related expenses. Please check out the  guidelines  and submit your applications to  Lisa Davenport , co-chair of the Awards Committee. The deadline for applications for the Sodhi Award is  15 November 2017 . 
News from our Leadership
Nominate ATBC President Elect and Councilors

We are now accepting nominations for ATBC President Elect and Councilors. Please send names and contact information to the head of the nominations committee Past President  Kaoru Kitajima before 15 October 2017.

What does the Council do?  Council members work together to advance the goals of the ATBC, as set out in the Strategic Plan. Discussion, debate, and decisions about ATBC activities and organization are the order of the day. All nominees must be willing to serve actively for 3 years if elected, by attending the council meetings and being involved in committees and task forces. 

Who can stand for election to Council?  Anyone who is an ATBC member, and who has the enthusiasm and motivation to actively contribute to the development of the ATBC. We are looking for a diverse pool of potential nominations, including a diversity of career stages, nationalities, and interests. Enthusiasm and motivation are key, not experience and recognition.

Not sure what is involved and want more information or keen to be nominated yourself? Get in touch with Kaoru.
New ATBC Communications Manager

We are happy to announce that ATBC has a new Internet Communications Manager, 
Dr. Maga Gei. She will supervise the website, social media, and communications with members. Maga is a Costa Rican scientist specialized in tropical ecosystems ecology and biogeochemistry. She is passionate about tropical legume trees that fix nitrogen and also about the ways that tropical biologists can communicate their wonderful work more effectively both online and in person. 

If you have news or information for posting on the website or social media, please contact Maga.
New ATBC Membership Coordinator

After rotating off of the council and continuing to serve as an Associate Editor of Biotropica, Jennifer Powers (University of Minnesota) is pleased to contribute to ATBC as the newly appointed Membership Coordinator. Her duties include liaising with Wiley to streamline the membership renewal process, collecting and analyzing data on trends in our membership, collaborating with the Executive Director, ATBC President and Council on initiatives to increase and retain members, and, yes, helping you locate misplaced Wiley Membership numbers. Please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer if you are interested in helping out with any of these activities, or if you have a related concerns. When you renew your membership this fall, please visit our membership information survey so we can do a better job of serving you and keeping track of your contact information.
News from ATBC chapters
Our Student and Early Career Scientist (SECSCI) Chapter is looking for new officers!

If you:
- are a  student or early career scientist,
- are interested in becoming an  integral part of the ATBC community,
- want to  inform the direction of ATBC,

then, 
nominate yourself for an officer position in SECSCI !  There are a total of FIVE positions available: President (1), Secretary (1), and Member-at-Large (3). Check out  our webpage  for more information and please contact  Erin Kuprewicz, current President of SECSCI, for more information on how to participate in our chapter. Deadline for nomiantions is  1 November 2017 . We will hold elections in Mid-November 2017!
Asia-Pacific Chapter 

The Asia-Pacific Chapter held their 11th annual meeting on 25-29 March, 2017 at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, hosted by the hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The conference focused on the evolution, ecology, and conservation of Southeast Asian Biodiversity and attracted 300 people of 37 nationalities from 108 institutions in 28 countries, and included around 150 international participants. The conference featured 5 plenaries, 2 panel sessions,  and 20 Symposia. The conference also emphasized training for the next generation of researchers, with 8 long workshops (1-13 days), 6 shorter training sessions and mentoring. 
Africa Chapter 

The Africa Chapter organized a 2-hour event during the 2017 ATBC meeting on " Exploring Collaborations Between Africa and Latin America for Ecology and Conservation Biology " to create awareness on ongoing and planned educational activities taking place in the two continents with the goal of building linkages/collaborations among researchers and practitioners within the fields of ecology and conservation. The Chapter has now established a webpage and a listserve and is planning additional activities for the coming year, including preparations for the 2019 ATBC meeting in Madagascar! 
New Neotropical Chapter 

We are making plans to initiate a Neotropical Chapter for ATBC. Please fill out this  survey  by 1 October 2017  to provide more information as we move forward on this ambitious plan!
Missed the ATBC 2017 meeting in Mérida? Here's a video of the Opening Ceremony:
Tropically yours,
Robin Chazdon
Executive Director