International Pacific Marine Educators Conference (IPMEC)

Program

Program Notes

The venue for the IPMEN’08 conference will be Jupiters in the north Queensland city of Townsville.
The IPMEN’08 conference will run for three days – Friday October 17 to Sunday October 19, 2008.
Monday October 20 will be set aside for optional field trips (yet to be finalized) plus the opportunity for IPMEN’08 delegates to join 300 international youth delegates attending the parallel International Youth Coastal Conference (IYCC), also held at Jupiters.
The following program is a draft program (March 2008) and may be subjected to minor changes.

Venue for joint IPMEC and IYCC
function on Sunday 19

Thursday October 16
Getting to Townsville Delegates make their own arrangements to get to Townsville
4.00 pm to 6.00 pm Registration at Jupiters (conference venue)
Evening Optional informal gathering at Molly Malones Irish Pub

Friday October 17 – Conference Day 1 (Jupiters)
8.00 am to 8.30 am Registration
8.30 am to 9.00 am Opening Ceremony
9.00 am to 10.00 am Keynotes – strand 1
10.00 am to 10.30 am Morning break
10.30 am to 12.30 pm Concurrent sessions – strand 1

12.30 pm to 1.30 pm Lunch at conference venue

1.30 pm to 2.30 pm Keynotes – strand 2
2.30 pm to 3.00 pm Afternoon break
3.00 pm to 5.00pm Concurrent sessions – strand 2
Evening Formal IPMEN Opening Dinner at Jupiters.

Saturday October 18 – Conference Day 2 (Jupiters)

8.00 am to 8.30 am Registration
8.30 am to 9.00 am Opening Remarks
9.00 am to 10.00 am Keynotes – strand 3
10.00 am to 10.30 am Morning break
10.30 am to 12.30 pm Concurrent sessions – strand 3

12.30 pm to 1.30 pm Lunch at conference venue

1.30 pm to 2.30 pm Keynotes – strand 4
2.30 pm to 3.00 pm Afternoon break
3.00 pm to 5.00pm Concurrent sessions – strand 4
Evening A Night at the Museum at the Museum of Tropical Queensland

Museum of Tropical Queensland

Sunday October 19 – Conference Day 3 (Jupiters)

8.00 am to 8.30 am Registration
8.30 am to 10.00 am IPMEN forum Part 1– aim to set IPMEN goals for the next 3 to 5 years
10.00 am to 10.30 am Morning break
10.30 am to 12.00 pm IPMEN working group meetings

12.00 pm to 1.00 pm Lunch at conference venue

1.00 pm to 2.30 pm IPMEN working group meetings
2.30 pm to 3.00 pm Afternoon break
3.00 pm to 4.00 pm IPMEN forum Part 2 – working groups report back
4.00 pm Conference Close
Evening Joint IYCC & IPMEN Function with indigenous theme at Reef HQ Aquarium and Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Cultural Centre

Field Trips Monday October 20: Option 1

Billabong Sanctuary

Morning: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Reef HQ Aquarium OR Billabong Sanctuary

Afternoon: IPMEN delegates attend IYCC youth presentations (at Jupiters)

Field Trips Monday October 20: Option 2

Full day field trips: Sustainable cities tour OR Australian Institute of Marine Sciences plus James Cook University.

Field Trips Tuesday October 21: Option 1

Magnetic Island OR one day dive trip (scuba or snorkel) to the Kelso Reef .

Field Trips Tuesday October 21: Option 2

Three day live-aboard dive trip (scuba or snorkel) to the Great Barrier Reef and the Yongala wreck.

Great Barrier Reef dive
(photography by
Tourism Queensland)