I need your feedback!

["Richard L Whitman" <richard_whitman@usgs.gov>]

Please comment.

I've talked to several people about the proposed meeting of the Great Lakes
Recreational Water Quality Association.  Many people feel that the meeting
would be best on Tuesday, October 15 rather than Friday.  One of the
concerns is that Tuesday overlaps with the meeting of the Great Lakes
Commission and that many of the Commissioners might be interested in beach
water quality presentations.  A second concern is that there may be more
presentations than time allows.

At this point, we are considering splitting the meeting into two sessions:
1) scientific, emerging issues and technology on Tuesday afternoon and 2)
management and program development or status on Wednesday morning.  This
would allow managers and Commissioners to at least attend some of the
meeting.  Many people want to present a poster.  A poster session would be
very helpful in reaching a wider audience, allowing alternatives to oral
presentations if time becomes limiting and affording the poster presenter
more exposure and time to interactive with conference attendees.  Ideally,
the poster session could be associated with the SOLEC reception Tuesday
evening.

We could invite national level keynote speakers as an opening presentation
for each session.  For instance, we might have someone from the US EPA
and/or Environment Canada discuss their national recreational water quality
programs (e.g. Beach Act) on Wednesday and someone from EPA ORD or OST talk
about national scientific initiatives (rapid testing or epidemiological
studies) on Tuesday afternoon.   Several people have suggested that state
and Great Lakes coordinators should report in on the status of their beach
programs.  Perhaps this work well in a panelist format so that the audience
could ask the state/national coordinators questions and make suggestions
for future direction.

Here's a proposed agenda outline.

Tuesday afternoon 1 ? 5 pm

Welcome and overview
Opening talk ? broad, national initiatives in science and technology
(invited speaker)
Offered and solicited scientific/technical presentations.

Tuesday evening Poster Session concurrent with SOLEC reception

Wednesday morning 8 ? 11:30 am

Opening talk-overview of national or binational initiatives (invited
speaker)
State and national coordinators presentations, panel questions
Presentations by local and regional beach managers on ongoing or planned
programs

Association business meeting 11:30 to 12:30 pm
Old business, new business, announcements, organizational issues, selection
of  year's advisory board

I really need your input before we announce this meeting outside the
Association. Please forward your feedback as soon as possible!

Richard Whitman
Chief, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station
1100 North Mineral Springs Road
Porter, IN 46304

219-926-8336 ext. 424
219-929-5792 fax




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