Antarctic Conference of Gondwanan Palaeontology, 20-29 March 2009

["Jerry D. Harris" <jharris@dixie.edu>]

Dear Colleague,
 
The Antarctic Conference of Gondwanan Palaeontology will be held from
19-30 March 2009 onboard the Polar Pioneer as it sails around the
Antarctic Peninsula. The conference will be hosted by Aurora Expeditions
in association with The University of Queensland.  Conference and
participants will live onboard the ship for the two week duration of the
conference. We will visit several important late Mesozoic, Paleocene and
Eocene fossil localities, including Seymour Island, Snow Hill Island,
James Ross Island, Vega Island and the Peninsula 'mainland'. 

Full details and registration procedures can be found the conference
website:
 
www.uq.edu.au/dinosaurs/acgp
 
Purpose of the Conference
The conference is intended to be a scientific forum for researchers
working on all aspects of Gondwanan palaeontology. The conference will
also provide a unique opportunity to access and conduct collaborative
research projects on several important fossil-bearing localities on the
Antarctic Peninsula and surrounding islands in the James Ross Basin.
 
Call for papers
Interested researchers are invited to participate in this international
meeting, and present relevant papers. All papers concerning any aspect
of Gondwanan Palaeontology will be welcome for submission.
 
Proposed Mini Symposia and Discussion Sessions:

Evolution and palaeobiogeography of Gondwanan vertebrates 
Early evolution and diversification of modern birds 
High-latitude vertebrate faunas 
Evolution of Gondwanan floras 
Antarctic biostratigraphy 
The KT extinction across Gondwana 


If you have an idea for a mini symposium or discussion session, please
contact the conference organisers.
 
Availability
Places are strictly limited to 50 people and preference will be given to
active palaeontologists or other researchers from recognised
institutions. 

Registration
Positions on board will be reserved on a first come-first serve basis.
Offers to register for this conference and expedition will only be made
to bona fide researchers and students until 30 June 2008. For commercial
reasons, after 1 July 2008 any remaining berths onboard the Polar
Pioneer will be offered to the general public and are expected to sell
out very quickly. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT INTENDING PARTICIPANTS REGISTER
THEIR INTEREST AND RESERVE THEIR POSITION NO LATER THAN 30 June 2008.
 
Reservations can be made with an AUD$1500 deposit with final payment no
later than 90 days in advance of the commencement of the Conference
(i.e., no later than 19 December 2008). Registrations are through
conference website: www.uq.edu.au/dinosaurs/acgp

Conference costs and fees vary dependant on the standard of
accommodation selected on board. Costs include all food, accommodation
and transport for the duration of the conference, which will start and
finish in Ushuaia, Argentina. Transport to and from Ushuaia, along with
accommodation there before and after the conference, can be organised
through Aurora Expeditions.

Further details are available on the conference website:
www.uq.edu.au/dinosaurs/acgp
 
Please forward this email to any of your colleagues who you think may be
interested in participating.
 
We look forward to having you aboard!
 
Cheers,
 
Paul Willis & Steve Salisbury
(Conference organisers)