Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

EECOM National Conference, 2011

"Exploring the Socioecological in Education and Culture: Becoming Active Participants in Change"

June 8-11, 2011 at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan

www.eecom.org

Greetings, everyone!
The 2011 EECOM National Conference at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan is now less than two months away! We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the prairies for this exciting conference. We want to say a huge THANK YOU to the many, many people who sent in proposals to participate in the conference. The response to our Call for Participation was overwhelmingly fantastic. Also, a giant THANK YOU to our conference reviewers. We apologize that it took longer than we had originally anticipated to review all the applications. We are excited that an online registration process is now available, so register early to take advantage of an early bird rate! Our conference program is jam packed and we promise you that your time spent in Regina from June 8th-11th (or perhaps longer) will be one of the highlights of your summer. Please peruse this newsletter for all the information you need to know about the conference. 

See you in Regina!

Registration
Registration for the conference is now open. Please note that all participants must register. Early bird registrants will receive a discount fee of $150. To take advantage of this price you must register before May 1, 2011. Regular registration commences after May 1st at $200. Students may register for $120 (school and university students) and volunteers also get a discount rate of $100. You can register for the conference here. Please note that membership dues must also be paid to the hosting organizations EECOM ($40) and SOEEA ($25). Click here to  register.  

Keynote Speakers
Three of the many highlights of the 2011 EECOM Conference will be dynamic keynote speakers: Annie Leonard, author of The Story of Stuff, Dr. Marcia McKenzie, professor of Social Justice and Education at the University of Saskatchewan, and Dr. Norm Henderson, Director of Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative. For bios of the keynotes as well as information about their presentations at the 2011 EECOM Conference, click here.

Accommodations
We are encouraging all participants to stay in residence on the University of Regina campus, for a number of reasons. Staying in "rez" is very affordable, is only a few minutes walk to the conference locations (the most environmentally friendly option!), and it also promotes a community atmosphere. For full details about the University of Regina residence, including rates, click here. You will also find details on alternative accommodation including hotels and homestays.

Nutrition
Your registration will cover most of your meals during the conference. Meals include: three breakfasts, three lunches, the awards banquet, as well as the welcome event on Wednesday which will not be a formal meal, but a selection of mostly locally grown and prepared goodies. We have committed to locally sourced food for all of our meals, as much as possible. 

Sustainability
The organizing committee of the 2011 EECOM Conference is dedicated to hosting an environmentally sustainable event. Our sustainable initiatives range from providing locally sourced food, encouraging "green" accommodation and transportation, and hosting a "Trash Watch" contest. We encourage conference participants to take part in our quest for sustainability by bringing your own name tag, water bottle, hankie, reusable tote bag, etc. For full details the sustainability of the conference, please click here. 

Silent/Live Auction
Do you have something awesome that you would just love to get rid of? Perhaps a pair of rubber boots you never got around to wearing? (We could sure use them here in Saskatchewan) What about those binoculars you got as a Christmas gift even though you already had two pairs? Do you have a business that would be willing to donate an item/service to the auction? Consider donating to our silent/live auction! All funds raised will support EECOM endeavors! To donate an item, please indicate thus on your registration form.  

Transportation Information about how to get to Regina and how to get around Regina is available here. Please consider the most sustainable mode of transportation you can afford, financially and time wise.

About Regina
Are you just dying to know more about Regina? Want to know what the term "bleeding green" means? We wish it was environmentally focused! Did you know that there's actually quite a lot to do in Regina, and Saskatchewan as a whole? If you want to make the most of your time here, and are considering extending your trip, check out the Saskatchewan Tourism website for all the information you need.

Pre-Conference Field Trip
Speaking of extending your trip...we are excited to present a pre-conference field trip to the southwest corner of Saskatchewan! From Saturday, June 4th to Monday, June 6th, the field trip will visit Grasslands National Park and Cypress Hills Inter-Provincial Park. These areas represent some of the most unique and diverse ecosystems in Canada. Cost for the trip, $150, is all-inclusive. Thank you to the Prairie Learning Centre (PLC) for partnering with us to offer this fabulous, one-of-a-kind trip. More details can be found here.  Please note that there are only 40 spaces for the pre-conference trip, so register early to take advantage of this great opportunity. 
Pre-Conference Associates Gathering and Research SymposiumThe conference gets to a start on Wednesday, June 8th with an all-day Research Symposium and Associates Gathering. A welcome event will be held Wednesday evening. The event will be held outdoors near beautiful Wascana Lake. Afterwards, those so inclined are invited to participate in a Music Night. 

Post-Conference Workshop
We are thrilled to offer a post-conference workshop featuring Dr. Chet Bowers! For full details on this special post-conference event, click here.
Fun StuffAs if there wasn't enough fun on offer already, there are plenty of "extras" at the conference to make the experience that much more enjoyable. In addition to Music Nights on Wednesday and Thursday, there will also be a Pub Night on Friday, June 10th at Bushwakkers, one of Regina's finest pubs and microbreweries. For those singles out there looking for their perfect environmentally-inclined complement, or those interested in a bit of harmless fun, a special "Enviro Speed Dating" event will be sure to result in some embarrassing moments (the good kind of embarrassment). Then, of course, there are the field trips which will take participants out into Regina and area to get the most authentic prairie experience possible. 

Thank you to our Conference Sponsors!

Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental Education Association (SOEEA)  - Conference Host Organization 

Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM) 

Nature Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Science Centre

Prairie Learning Centre

University of Regina, Faculty of Education

University of Regina, Presidents Fund  

Saskatchewan Parks and (SRPA)

Cooperators Life Insurance Company

Saskatchewan Ministry of Education

Saskatchewan Ducks Unlimited

Regina Board of Education 

SaskEnergy