December 2005

2006 Ocean Sciences Meeting: Abstracts now online

1. Abstracts and Sessions Now Online and Searchable 2. News Media Registration Information 3. News Media Registration Form

Note: For background information on 2006 Ocean Sciences Meeting and important information on booking hotels at preferred rates (deadline: 20 January 2006), see Media Advisory 1: http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/prrl/prrl0541.html

1. Abstracts and Sessions Now Online and Searchable

All 372 sessions and 3,460 abstracts for 2006 Ocean Sciences Meeting have been posted on the AGU web site.

A. Searching for Abstracts of Interest to You

Abstracts may be accessed by a search tool:
http://www.agu.org/meetings/os06/waisos06adv.html

Reporters and public information officers may search for abstracts of particular interest to them, by looking up any the following parameters on the search tool above:

Name of a scientist
Name of an institution (e.g., university, government agency)
Geographic location (e.g., city, state, province, or country)
Topic (e.g., whale, thermohaline, climate)

Up to three search parameters may be combined. Full instructions are available from the search page.

Hint: In searching for abstracts from an institution, it is often more effective to search by e-mail address than by the name of the institution. The latter may be written in different ways by various authors (e.g., UCLA; University of California, Los Angeles; Univ. of Cal. at Los Angeles; etc.), but all of their e-mail addresses will presumably include "ucla." The search category "Affiliation" covers names of institutions, their locations, and e-mail domains (e.g., look under Affiliation for Columbia, New York, or @columbia.edu).

The CD of abstracts and the program of the meeting will be available in the Press Room, but not in advance of the meeting. A print volume of the program will be available, but there will not be a print version of the abstracts.

B. Finding Sessions at Ocean Sciences

The names, numerical designations, dates, times, and room numbers of all sessions may be seen at: http://www.agu.org/cgi-bin/sessions5?meeting=os06&sec=OS

Clicking on any session will open a list of oral presentations or posters associated with that session. Clicking on the name of a particular presentation will open its abstract, including name and contact information for the lead author.

In the room listings, "HCC" simply refers to Hawaii Convention Center. Presentations in Hall 3 are posters; all other room assignments are oral sessions.

2. News Media Registration Information

International reporters: If you are neither a citizen nor a permanent resident of the United States, you need a visa to cover meetings in the U.S. This applies also to reporters from countries in the Visa Waiver Program, who do not need visas to visit the U.S. as tourists. For current information, see the official State Department web site: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1276.html. Please apply for your visa early.

News Media registrants receive a badge that provides access to any of the scientific sessions of the meeting, as well as to the Press Room. Press conferences on some of the newsworthy presentations at the meeting will take place in the Press Room. No one will be admitted without a valid badge.

News Media registrants who have preregistered will pick up their badges at a special window or kiosk in the main registration area on the street level, not in the Press Room, as in the past. Be prepared to show identification (see below).

If you have not preregistered, you may fill out a News Media Registration Form, available at the News Media window, presenting appropriate identification. Your badge will be made on site.

No one will be allowed into the Exhibition Hall or up the escalators or elevator to meeting rooms or the Press Room without a badge.

Eligibility for press registration is limited to the following persons:

Working press employed by bona fide news media: must present a press card, business card, or letter of introduction from an editor of a recognized publication.
Freelance science writers: must present a current membership card from NASW, a regional affiliate of NASW, CSWA, ISWA, or SEJ; or evidence of by-lined work pertaining to science intended for the general public and published in 2005 or 2006; or a letter from the editor of a recognized publication assigning you to cover 2006 Ocean Sciences Meeting.
Public information officers of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies: must present a business card.

Note: Representatives of publishing houses, for-profit corporations, and the business side of news media must register at the main registration desk at the meeting and pay the appropriate fees, regardless of possession of any of the above documents. They are not accredited as News Media at the meeting.

Scientists who are also reporters and who are presenting at this meeting (oral or poster session) may receive News Media credentials if they qualify (see above), but must also register for the meeting and pay the appropriate fee as a presenter.

3. News Media Registration Form

The News Media Registration Form is set up for online submission, but includes a link to a version that can be printed out and faxed or mailed. Go to: http://www.agu.org/meetings/os06/?content=media&show=pressReg_online

The last day for advance News Media registration, assuring that your badge will be waiting for you when you arrive, is Friday, 10 February 2006. You may also register onsite at the News Media window in the Registration area on the street level.