Evening Socials -Included in Annual Meeting Registration Fee

Tuesday

Welcome Reception, 6:00 – 8:00pm 

Join us to kick-off the Annual Meeting and make connections with friends, colleagues and fellow participants.  Featuring our annual taco bar and more.  We’ll have the fabulous annual wildlife photo slideshow highlighting photos taken by our members (‘remote wildlife captures’ theme this year!), a cornhole tournament with prizes, and fun games as always to help new attendees get to know the Western Section of TWS.

    • The annual Taco buffet will be served, along with a no-host bar. 
    • Wear a Wildlife T-Shirt! Amaze your colleagues – wear your favorite wildlife tee and participate in our annual TShirt parade.
    • Submit your photos “remote wildlife captures theme’ for our annual wildlife slideshow, and enter to win one of several $100 REI Gift Cards!  Link to instructions
    • Cornhole! Sign up for a spot in our Cornhole Tournament – back by popular demand!  Prizes to the top teams. We have space for 16 teams.  Cornhole Lottery Signup Form HERE.   And instructions HERE.
    • Students: Stop by the Student Affairs table  and play the fun games – get to know the Western Section of TWS!

Student Quiz Bowl Finals, 8:00pm to 9:00pm

Watch the top two student teams battle it out for champion status at the annual Student Quiz Bowl, led by Rhys Evans

Open Mic Night, 9:00pm to 11:00pm new!

Bring your stories from the field, poetry, live music, songs, jokes, skits and more!  Led by Katie Smith.

Each act will get 10 minutes to perform.  We’ll have a few hand held mics and mic stands.  If you want to bring your own gear or if you need set-up/tear-down time, talk to us ahead of time so we can see what we can accommodate.

Sign up ahead of time here, or show up that night.  Spots will be saved for last minute additions.  Keep it fun for everyone!  All acts must meet our Code of Conduct.  Anyone not following these guidelines will be promptly removed from the stage.  

Questions?  Email projectmanager@tws-west.org

Wednesday

Members Awards Ceremony Reception & Raffle, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

  • 7-8pm Hors d’ouevres will be served, along with a no-host bar in the Exhibit Hall
  • 8-pm Awards Presentation in Charter Oak A/B/E
  • On-time attendees get a raffle ticket upon entry for a few grand door prizes

Enjoy a casual, relaxing evening reconnecting with your colleagues and friends while making new connections over heavy snacks at the annual meeting Members Awards Ceremony & Raffle Reception.  We are trying something new this year, and will be holding our awards ceremony in a more casual format that we hope will be more appealing to our new members as well as to our old-timers.  To encourage attendance with this new format, we’ll be giving out raffle tickets for a few grand door prizes to those who arrive on time!  Help us celebrate the best of our profession at our annual Awards Ceremony.  The raffle drawings will take place immediately after the awards presentations.

After Hours Wildlife Trivia, 9:00pm to 11:00pm

Join us for some fun (and fierce!) competition. It will all be wildlife biology and management…or at least “wildlife adjacent.”  Teams of 4, ok to self-organize that night!  With prizes! AND beverages available nearly.  Please be on time if you want to compete and join a team.  We’re going to try something new (but optional) this year.  In coordination with the Student and Early Career Professional Working Group, we want to try and include a new aspect of mentorship and professional mixing into Trivia Night…         

You will have the option of forming a “traditional” team (up to four members, any assortment — but all must be registered meeting participants.  Hint: it’s generally not a great idea for all four of your team members to be herpetologists…or all specialists regarding any other faunal group).

But the exciting, new and (again) optional plan is, that if your team consists of exactly two professionals and either two students or early career professionals (or one of each), your team will earn a bonus of five points toward your total score!  Don’t worry, you can ASK for and GET help from the SCEP representatives on site to meet potential teammates!
 

Thursday

Poster Session and Reception, 6:00-8:00pm 

  • Hors d’ouevres will be served, along with a no-host bar

An in-person poster session and reception will be held on Thursday evening.  Authors will be available at their poster display to answer your questions about their research. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided to all meeting registrants along with a no-host bar.  Posters will be available for viewing starting Wednesday morning through Thursday end of day.  For more information on poster presenter guidelines, click here.

Chapter Meetings, 8:00pm to 9:30pm

Join your local TWS Chapter and get to know local wildlifers in your area.  Find ways to get involved locally!  Students, please attend your local geographical chapter group.

After Hours Karaoke, 9:30pm to 11:45pm 

Back by popular demand!  We’ll be singing and having fun into the night!  Come participate, or just come to watch.  It will be a hoot!  Led by Laura Coatney.

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