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| Continuing Education Courses for the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska The Continuing Education Committee (CEC) has developed a slate of 15 courses to be delivered at the 2005 Annual Meeting. Courses range from developing interpersonal and leadership skills to increasing one's ability to analyze complex biological datasets. The slate of CE opportunities to be offered at the AFS Annual Meeting in Anchorage is one of the best and most diverse ever assembled. When you register for the meeting, consider taking one of the courses below. Some are even free! With the slate of courses that have been developed for this meeting, we know that you will return to your job with new insights and increased professionalism, whether it be a managerial, technical, or field-oriented position. Using MCMC in WinBUGS ... has been CANCELLED Radio Telemetry for Freshwater Fisheries Studies Instructors: Larry Kuechle (763) 444-9267, Dr. Niels Jepsen and John Eiler Time & Day: 8:00AM-5:30PM Saturday, September 10, 2005 CEUs: 0.85 Tuition: $60 (students), $80 (members), $100 (non-members) Radio telemetry is a unique tool with many advantages for quantifying fish movements and studying habitat use and/or preference. Furthermore, radio telemetry provides a way to monitor the activity of fish (which are not readily visible) and collect data with minimal influence on behavior and health. This workshop has been planned in response to the growing needs of freshwater fishery biologists to identify habitat requirements and movement patterns of a variety of fish species. Since the 1990s, there have been several advances in radio telemetry technology. The purpose of this course is to enable participants to determine the suitability of radio telemetry as a research method, to plan a radio telemetry study addressing various management or research questions, and to use telemetry correctly and efficiently. Hydroacoustic Tools for Fish and Habitat Assessment Instructors: Jim Dawson and Bob McClure, (206) 782-2211 Time & Day: 8:00AM-5:00PM Saturday, September 10, 2005 and 8:00AM-12:30PM Sunday,, September 11, 2005 (field trip) CEUs: 1.2 Tuition: $145 (students), $165 (members), $185 (non-members) This course will provide background in hydroacoustic theory for use in fisheries and aquatic habitat applications. State-of-the-art techniques for assessing the distribution and abundance of fish and aquatic plants, classifying sediments, and monitoring fish behavior will be introduced. Interface with GIS applications will also be discussed. Examples of applications include fish counting, fish behavior, fish response to anthropogenic and natural environmental variables, analysis of submersed aquatic vegetation, classification of bottom sediments, and utilization of hydroacoustic data with GIS. A field demonstration is planned for the second day. Thrive, not just survive, a HOT public meeting Instructor: Michael Fraidenburg, (360) 867-1140 Time & Day: 1:00PM- 5:00PM Saturday, September 10, 2005 CEUs: 0.4 Tuition: $40 (students), $60 (members), $80 (non-members) Do meetings cost you time and credibility? End these problems now! Have you been to public meetings that don’t work—even leave you worse off? Public meetings can build relationships and make you more effective! In this highly interactive workshop, you will learn how to get the results you want in less time. Participants will learn public meeting success principles and easy-to-use tools to create a more collaborative environment; advance ideas and reach better decisions in less time; ensure that meetings actually result in action; eliminate the drain, drudgery, and damage of poor meetings; and help you help your organization deliver the best results. Participants will learn (1) principles and techniques for turning your next HOT meeting into a positive event—one that gets done what you want and builds positive relationships, (2) the needs you must provide if participants are to feel satisfied with your meeting, and (3) techniques for setting up success and handling bad behavior. Conflict Resolution Skills for Natural Resource Professionals Instructor: Michael Fraidenburg, (360) 867-1140 Time & Day: 8AM-12PM Saturday, September 10, 2005 CEUs: 0.4 Tuition: $40 (students), $60 (members), $80 (non-members) Course participants will learn how to shift disagreement from a “me-against-you” to an “us-against-the-problem” dialog. This workshop will use self-assessment tools, discussion, lecture, and role-play to teach professionals how to apply mediation principles and techniques in their every-day jobs and, thereby, improve their chances for conservation success. This workshop teaches how to recognize different conflict management styles and how to work with these differences. This introduction acquaints learners with the philosophy, concepts, processes, and behavioral skills used to resolve disputes in third-party mediations, including: suspending judgment and diagnosing the different worldviews in conflict; facilitating quality, respectful communications; engaging disputants in a search for common values; distinguishing between issues and interests and how to use these; analyzing conflict styles and the anger arousal cycle; performing a constructive, third party role; balancing power differences; applying a simple, but effective eight-step conflict resolution model; understanding and using the three features of durable agreements; knowing when to bring in a professional mediator; and using personal conflict survival attitudes and skills. Use of the Fishery Analysis Simulation Tool (FAST) to model the dynamics of exploited fish populations Instructor: Mike Maceina, (334) 844-9319 Time & Day: 8:00AM-5:00PM Sunday, September 11, 2005 CEUs: 0.8 Tuition: $80 (students), $100 (members), $120 (non-members) This course will provide participants with an overview of the FAST 2.1 software program used to evaluate length and bag limits on fisheries. The FAST program is a user-friendly Windows-based program that conducts simulation modeling using Beverton-Holt equilibrium yield and dynamic pool models. Designed for professional level fishery biologists who have some basic knowledge of fundamental statistics and fish population processes, the analytical procedures of the course will focus on estimating recruitment, growth, and mortality. The integration of these processes will be presented through modeling population dynamics from actual case histories. Participants should bring along a laptop computer to install and run the FAST program. Choosing the Appropriate Biotelemetry Technology for Aquatic Research: A Detailed Examination of Available Technologies, their Characteristics and Their Use. Instructor: Mitchell M. Sisak, (905) 836-6680 Time & Day: 8AM-5PM Sunday, September 11, 2005 CEUs: 0.8 Tuition: $60 (students), $80 (members), $100 (non-members) The field of microelectronics has seen an explosive growth over the last decade. With this growth in electronics comes an attendant increase in the variety of technologies being applied to the field of wildlife telemetry. Faced with the ever-widening range of technologies available to remotely monitor animal movement and behavior, researchers tasked with selecting an appropriate technology often find themselves with too many choices and too few tools to make an informed decision. This often results in the selection of inappropriate technology or its misuse. In other instances, lack of knowledge of the existence of a particular technology results in the erroneous decision not to pursue a particular study as it is deemed technically unfeasible. A further benefit common to most evolving telemetry technologies is the promise of increased data volume but an unfortunate impact is the increased time required for data verification, reduction, and analysis. Once again, new tools and techniques are available to assist with data analysis, but many are not commonly employed by the telemetry community. This course will present researchers and their managers with an overview of the technologies currently available, as well as technologies under development which show promise in the field of aquatic research. The course will also explore currently available data management tools. Writing for Publication: The Dos and Don'ts for Successful Publishing Instructor: David H. Bennett and Vaughn Paragamian, (208) 683-3851 Time & Day: 8:00AM-5:00PM Sunday, September 11, 2005 CEUs: 0.8 Tuition: $80 (students), $100 (members), $120 (non-members) This workshop is aimed at enhancing technical writing skills in research and management personnel. We attempt to remove the “mystique” associated with publishing in refereed journals. Few professionals have had the opportunity to go through the various components of a publishable paper from organization through the final step of examining page proofs. This workshop proceeds step by step through the publication process. Skills such as identifying publishable datasets, organizing manuscripts, corresponding and negotiating with editors, avoiding basic writing problems, correctly applying commonly used words and their scientifically accepted meanings, and selecting which publication outlets are best suited for one’s information will be stressed. An introduction to ecological modeling and programming using AD Model Builder Instructor: Mark Maunder and Simon Hoyle, (858) 546-7027 Time & Day: 9:00AM-5:00PM Saturday, September 10, 2005 and 9AM-5PM Sunday, September 11, 2005 (2 days) CEUs: 1.2 Tuition: $155 (students), $175 (members), $195 (non-members) This course targets practicing fisheries stock assessment scientists, quantitative ecologists, and students who need a tool for estimating the parameters of complex nonlinear statistical models in either a frequentist or Bayesian framework. These types of models are required to represent fisheries systems and integrate all the available information in modern fisheries stock assessments. There is a shortage of scientists able to develop the statistical stock assessment models necessary to provide advice to fisheries managers. A key impediment to developing these statistical stock assessment models is learning the skills to use a tool that will estimate their parameters. AD Model Builder (ADMB) is a commercially available software programming language that aids in the development of these models. Many of the modern statistical stock assessment models have been developed using this software. Therefore, understanding ADMB is also useful for scientists who only wish to use or modify these existing stock assessment models. Laptop required. Leadership Regardless of Position: You Don't Have to be a Chief to Have Influence Instructor: Steve L. McMullin, (540) 231-8847 Time & Day: 8AM-12PM Sunday, September 11, 2005 CEUs: 0.35 Tuition: $60 (students), $80 (members), $100 (non-members) Recent studies suggest that at least one-half and perhaps as many as 75% of fisheries professionals in positions of leadership within their organizations will retire in the next several years. The domino effect caused by these retirements should create opportunities for younger or newly-hired fisheries professionals. Few young fisheries professionals receive formal training to develop leadership skills, but those skills will be needed to maintain the vitality of natural resource organizations. This course is designed to introduce fisheries professionals to attributes of effective leaders that are unrelated to the positions they hold, i.e., to develop the ability to exert leadership regardless of one’s position in an organization. Basic GIS Techniques for Fisheries Biologists Instructor: Michael Porter and Joanna Whittier, (505) 462-3596 Time & Day: Saturday 7:30 a.m. depart from Hilton by bus, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. CEUs: 0.8 Tuition: $100 (students), $150 (members), $200 (non-members) The course will teach participants basic GIS skills using examples common to fisheries problems. These skills include importing a base map and other map layers; creating data tables and importing data from other sources; creating point, line, and polygon themes; and learning an overview of map projections and map coordinate systems. Advanced GIS Techniques for Fisheries Biologists Instructor: Michael Porter and Joanna Whittier, (505) 462-3596 Time & Day: Sunday 7:30 a.m. depart from Hilton by bus, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. CEUs: 0.8 Tuition: $150 (students), $200 (members), $250 (non-members) For those who are comfortable in their basic skills in GIS or for those who have taken “Basic GIS Techniques for Fisheries Biologist” the previous day, this course will build on basic skills to include advanced techniques such as: manipulating themes using intersect, union, and merge; converting vector and raster formats; creating spatial analyses; importing aerial/satellite photos; and learning about overlay DEMs. Instructor: Polly Wheeler, (907) 786-3645 Time & Day: Saturday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. CEUs: NA Tuition: $80 (students), $100 (members), $120 (non-members) This course is designed to provide participants with a general understanding of the traditional and contemporary cultures of Alaska’s indigenous people. Each of the large cultural areas will be reviewed along with additional thematic topics about economics, and political and social organization. A special emphasis of the class is on participants gaining an understanding of the historic and political context of subsistence and how this affects fisheries management. AFS Leadership Principles Workshop – It's Not Just for Officers! Instructor: Carl Burger, (207) 469-2803 Time & Day: 12:30PM-3:30PM Sunday, September 11, 2005 CEUs: None Tuition: FREE! Leadership training is critically important to achieving success, both within and beyond the AFS circle. While past workshops have targeted AFS unit officers and officers-elect, members are also invited to attend! The agenda includes presentations by past presidents on ethics and policies, Society leadership tips, and a wealth of skills-related information relevant to your regular job (team building and communication principles, visioning and delegating skills, and traits of effective leaders). Executive Director Gus Rassam will cover core values and AFS structures and functions, Barb Knuth will address strategic planning, Joe Margraf will discuss tips on running a successful business meeting, and Jim Martin will talk about mentoring principles. Agenda subject to change. Our members expect AFS leaders to respond to their concerns and needs. This workshop will show you shortcuts in meeting those challenges. Moreover, effective leadership is crucial to the professional development of all members, to our stature and visibility as reliable sources of science-based conservation and management information, and to our success as stewards of sustainable aquatic resources. This session will give each of you a unique opportunity to meet, connect with, and share ideas with other leaders from Divisions, Sections, Chapters, and the parent Society. The workshop’s goal is to enhance your leadership skills and to give you, the member or unit officer, "Lessons Learned" Student Colloquium: A workshop for students attending professional conferences Instructor: Michael Fraidenburg, (360) 867-1140 Time & Day: Tuesday, in association with the and prior to the Student Social. CEUs: None Tuition: FREE! This is an hour-long session that covers the results that will be appearing in a book being written by Michael Freedenberg for this audience. The book is about the lessons learned by professionals that the next cohort of professionals (i.e., current students) should know as they embark on their careers. This project is supported by grants from two AFS sections, who see it as part of their responsibility to prepare this next wave of professionals for successful stewardship careers. The one-hour "colloquium" with students, professors, and any one else who wants to attend, illustrates the advice and the people interviewed for the book for students. If you want to know more about the book project and its suitability for student participants at your professional meeting visit the website at: www.GoLessonsLearned.com "Addressing issues of diversity in fisheries science" student collogquium Instructor: Todd Christenson, (410) 651-7846 Time & Day: Tuesday, in association with the and prior to the Student Social. CEUs: None Tuition: FREE! Continuing Education Coordinator Carolina Franco |
American Fisheries Society
135th Annual Meeting
URL: http://www.wdafs.org/Anchorage2005/cont_ed.htm
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Last Updated:
August 25, 2005