[log in to unmask]">

https://tiny.utk.edu/GARD22

https://twitter.com/GARD2022

Hello GARD Conference Participants!

Two days and counting to the start of the GARD Conference!

A couple updates and announcements:

1. Airport to Hotel:  There isn’t a hotel shuttle so you will need to take a taxi, Uber or Lift…it’s about a 15-min drive. 
2. Parking:  Conference hotels.  For those not staying in a hotel, you can park in the Locust St Garage and receive a parking voucher at the GARD registration desk.
3. Location:  UT Conference Center (UTCC), 4^th Floor.  It is located directly across the street from (west of) the Hilton Hotel.  The GARD Registration Desk is located on the 4^th floor and will open starting at 7:00 am on 4 Aug.
4. Registration/Check-in: UTCC 4^th Floor Atrium.  You will receive your name tag, COVID comfort-level sticker, purchased merchandise, and travel grant (for recipients).  Also, if you have an outstanding balance, it will be due (U.S. currency, U.S. bank check, or credit card).
5. Workshops (on 4 Aug):  Please see schedule and locations here.
6. Welcome Social:  Occurring at Zoo Knoxville on 4 Aug.  Buses will begin departing at 5:30 from in front of the UT Conference Center (Locust St).  If you checked-in with GARD prior to the social, please wear your name badge. If you did not check-in or you are bringing a guest, we will provide adhesive GARD name tags for the social that will allow you to gain entry to the zoo. Food and beverages will be located in the ARC (each adult participant will be given two drink tickets as you enter Zoo Knoxville). 
7. Student-Professional Mixer and Poster Session: In the 4^th floor atrium from 6:30-8:30 pm on Monday, 8 August.  Heavy hors d'oeuvres and open bar.  An online version in Gather Town will occur simultaneously (see #16 below).
8. Other Student Activities:  See other activities here (website updated shortly with details). 
9. Hilton Hospitality Suite:  Room 319.  Stop by after the last session on 5, 6, and 7 Aug for a drink and chat with friends and colleagues!
10. In-Person Oral Presentations:  You will upload to a laptop in Room 413.  Please bring presentation file on a USB drive. If no one is present to help upload, please find your session folder on the desktop, which is labeled by date and AM or PM.  Please see the Program-At-Glance for when you are presenting and follow the file naming convention described here.  Please upload no later than 15 minutes before your session begins!
11. Virtual Oral Presentations:  Please upload a recording (MP4) of your presentation before 4 August to the links that were shared previously by UT Conference Center.
12. In-person Poster Presentation:  Please hang (using push-pins) on the wall in the 4^th floor atrium on 8 Aug before 12 pm next to your poster number (as indicated in the schedule).  Also, upload an image of your poster before 4 August to the Google drive that was shared, so virtual participants will be able to view.
13. Virtual Posters:  Upload an image of your poster before 4 August to the Google Drive that was shared. 
14. COVID Precautions:  Please review.  In addition to the comfort-level colors, you can request red paper at the registration desk to put on the chair(s) next to you if you prefer that someone does not sit adjacent to you.  A second room (406) was added to increase opportunities for social distancing (note: maximum seating between both rooms is 350 with ca. 150 in-person participants). 
15. CEU Forms and Certificate of Attendance: You can get these at the registration desk if needed. Virtual participants that want continuing education credit should contact Deb Miller ([log in to unmask]).
16. Virtual Participation:
• Workshops: Occurring using OnAIR Conference app – UT Conference Center will send links before 4 Aug. EXCEPTION: Molecular Mythbusters is using an individualized Zoom link that was shared with its participants.
• Regular Sessions: Occurring using OnAIR Conference app – UT Conference Center will share the link with ALL registrants before 4 Aug.
• Poster Session and Mixer (8 Aug, 6:30-8:30 pm):  Occurring using Gather Town.  The link is:  https://app.gather.town/invite?token=K1ewkQ_7G99OdNYpXe5aFAQ2XB5XeLQK .  All virtual participants and virtual poster presenters should read these instructions and watch this Gather Town tutorial video.
• Recordings: For virtual participants in disparate time zones, presentation recordings will be uploaded at the end of each day and available for viewing in the Conference app. 
17. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workshop:  Room 413 and virtual from 4-6 pm on 8 Aug.  Led by Craig Pickett of the UT Institute of Agriculture.
18. Generating Disease System Models:  Room 413 (in-person participation only) from 9 am – 3 pm on 9 Aug. Workshop led by Drs. Molly Bletz and Evan Grant. Participants will be divided into groups representing four major herp diseases (Bd, Bsal, Rv, SFD) to discuss the commonalities and differences among these host-pathogen systems.
19. GRC Meeting & GARD Presentation Awards Ceremony: Will occur from 3-4 and 4-5 pm, respectively, on 9 August. All travel grant recipients should attend the awards ceremony. There will be an open bar during these events.  Group photo taken!!
20. Schedule and Book of Abstracts:  Posted here.  NOTE: Some adjustments may occur if travel plans of participants change.
21. Online Conference Program:  In construction and will be shared prior to 4 August.
22. Family Care Room:  Room 417 at the conference center is reserved for childcare.  You are welcome to bring toys, games, crafts, etc.  One adult must be present at all times.
23. Maternity Privacy Room:  Room 419 is reserved for any maternity needs.  Please do not enter without knocking. 
24. Local Restaurants & Events:  See this site.
25. Post-conference Survey:  To be distributed.

If you have any questions, please let us know.  We are looking forward to your arrival!!

All the Best,

The Local Committee

(Matt Gray, Mark Wilber, Deb Miller, Davis Carter, Joe DeMarchi, Ana Towe, and Wesley Sheley)

From: Matt Gray <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 12:44 PM
Subject: GARD Conference Welcome Social RSVP

Dear GARD Conference Participant:

A reminder to please fill out the survey below if you plan to attend the GARD Conference Welcome Social on 4 August from 6-9 pm at Zoo Knoxville.  We need to provide final numbers to Zoo Knoxville by Tuesday, so please submit your RSVP by Monday, 25 July, if you plan to participate.   We currently have 40 participants that responded “yes.”

Description:

There will be a Welcome Social on 4 August at Zoo Knoxville.  Two motor coach busses will transport everyone to the Zoo between 5:30-6:30 pm (meeting location is outside of the UT Conference Center).  If you are planning to participate in the Welcome Social, please fill out the following form so we can plan accordingly (heavy hors d'oeuvres and cash bar provided).  Vans will return to the UT Conference Center between 8:30-9:30 pm.  Participants will have free access to all of Zoo Knoxville (note: hors d'oeuvres and bar will be located in the ARC).

WELCOME SOCIAL RSVP: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBDWH9V

All the Best, Matt

From: Matt Gray <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, July 18, 2022 at 8:32 PM
Cc: "Easterday, Jeremy Keith" <[log in to unmask]>, "Russell, Mark Evan (Russell)" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: New GARD Announcements and Website Updates

[log in to unmask]">

Dear GARD Conference Participant:

Only 16 days remain before the start of the 2022 GARD Conference!!  A couple quick announcements for participants and presenters:

1. Continuing Education:  The GARD Conference was approved for veterinary, TWS, and ESA CEUs for professional development and certification.  Please see details here.
2. Late Virtual Registration until 1 August:  If you know of students or colleagues that still want to participate, a late registration option was added for the virtual participation.
3. Program-at-Glance Updated
4. Program Schedule Updated
5. Presenter Guidelines Available
6. COVID Precautions Posted

If you are a presenter, please verify that your presentation type (in-person vs. virtual – “V” indicated for the latter) and duration (5-, 15- or 30-min) are correct.  Posters are listed at the end of the Program Schedule (#4 link above).  If you are a student, please verify that “S” is next to your name.  If there are errors, please respond to me – if there are no errors, no response is needed.

All student presentations will be evaluated and awards provided during a ceremony on the afternoon of 9 August. Davis Carter will be reaching out shortly to those that volunteered to evaluate student presentations.  For in-person presentations, you should upload your presentation file to the computer in Room 413 (UT Conference Center) ideally one day prior to your presentation, but no later than 15 minutes before the start of your session.  For virtual presenters, online uploading instructions will be shared separately. 

We are in the process of compiling an online program that will have additional information about the conference. There will be a conference app that we will share later, where conference information can be retrieved electronically, and will have participant communications capabilities. All in-person and virtual participants will have real-time online access to the presentations, as well as recordings of presentations afterwards (for those in disparate time zones).  Online access instructions will be shared with participants no later than 2 August.    

There will be a Welcome Social on 4 August at Zoo Knoxville.  Two motor coach busses will transport everyone to the Zoo between 5:30-6:30 pm (meeting location is outside of the UT Conference Center).  If you are planning to participate in the Welcome Social, please fill out the following form so we can plan accordingly (heavy hors d'oeuvres and cash bar provided).  Vans will return to the UT Conference Center between 8:30-9:30 pm.  Participants will have free access to all of Zoo Knoxville (hors d'oeuvres and bar will be located in the ARC).

WELCOME SOCIAL RSVP: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBDWH9V

Lastly, for students, Davis Carter ([log in to unmask]) will be reaching out to you with invitations to several “student only” activities.  There also will be a student-professional mixer during the Poster Session on the evening of 8 August with heavy hors d'oeuvres and open bar. 

We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to Knoxville and having a professionally rewarding experience!!!

All the Best, Matt

From: Matt Gray <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, July 11, 2022 at 2:36 PM
Subject: Additional GARD Conference Accommodations (Marriott)

Dear GARD Conference Participant:

Twenty additional rooms at the Marriott in downtown Knoxville are available for $159/night.  This rate is only guaranteed through this Friday, 15 July, and by using the link available on the website below.  Also, once these rooms are booked, participants will need to find accommodations elsewhere at regular rates.  Some suggestions for other hotels within walking distance of the UT Conference Center are provided on the website below. 

https://utconferences.eventsair.com/gard-conference/accommodations

We are looking forward to your participation!!

All the Best, Matt

From: Matt Gray <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at 1:29 PM
Subject: GARD Conference Accommodations

Dear GARD Conference Participant:

If you are receiving this email, you are registered for the GARD Conference. 

As of 29 June, all of the blocked rooms at the Hilton Hotel ($102/night) have been booked for 4, 5, and 6 August.  Rooms remain for days outside of these dates, and the link for Hilton accommodations on the GARD Conference website can used.

UT Conference Center is working on getting 20 additional rooms at the Marriott (also nearby) for 4-10 August at a discounted rate (yet it will be more than the CONUS $102 rate at the Hilton).  Once we have the link for booking the Marriott rooms, we will share it with the group.  Once the Marriott rooms are booked, you will need to find rooms at regular rates in downtown Knoxville.  There are several hotels within walking distance of UT Conference Center; however, regular rates at most hotels during summer are generally >$200/night.  Another option is to search for Airbnb or Vrbo rentals in the area.  Because the GARD Conference is close to the start of fall semester, unfortunately there is no university housing available. 

If you have any questions about hotels, please contact Jeremy Easterday (copied here) of the UT Conference Center.

All the Best, Matt

[log in to unmask]">

https://tiny.utk.edu/GARD22

https://twitter.com/GARD2022

==================================

Matthew J. Gray, Ph.D., Professor

Associate Director, UTIA Center for Wildlife Health 

Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries

University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) 

UTIA Amphibian Disease Laboratory

427 Plant Biotechnology Building

2505 E. J. Chapman Drive

Knoxville, TN 37996-4563 USA

865-974-2740 Office (232 Third Creek Building)

[log in to unmask] | https://wildlifehealth.tennessee.edu/