Invitation to RPW International Symposium with ESA,
Reno, Nevada, USA, Nov. 16 – 19, 2008

Please forward it to anyone interested in RPW
All reply to: redpalmweevil@...
Please Copy to: aajlan@...
Red Palm Weevil Home Page (http://www.redpalmweevil.com)

Hello Everyone,

We would like to inform you that we are writing to present you with a
rather unique opportunity to participate in the next ESA
(Entomological Society of America) Annual Meeting to be held in Reno,
Nevada, USA, Nov. 16 – 19, 2008. Specifically, as organizers from the
Red Palm Weevil (RPW) Home Page (http://www.redpalmweevil.com/) to
coordinate the RPW International Symposium (The Global Threat of Red
Palm Weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, (Olivier) To Major Palm
Species) with Grayson Brown, one of the Program Chairs of ESA.

As you know that ESA has used a variety of systems for such
presentations but the one that ESA used the most is WebEx – perhaps
you have heard of it or used it yourself. It is extremely easy to
use – the presenter simply sits at his/her computer, runs the
PowerPoint presentation and speaks as if they were at the podium.
The audience can ask questions and the speaker can hear them and
reply in real time. The remote speaker can also watch other
presentations and interact with other speakers and is a fully
participating member of the audience. Speakers only need a high-
speed internet connection although a web cam is very highly
recommended.

As RPW Investigators are scattered throughout the world and may not
have the opportunity to meet very often in spite of the economic
significance of this pest. ESA and RPW Home Page can use the
infrastructure of the technology to allow you to meet, free of
charge, virtually over the internet.

We are wondering if you are willing to speak about 20 minutes. If so,
please submit your title and abstract no later than May 15, 2008.
(Time is 3.5 hours for 10 speakers only).

However, each speaker's presentation would be a regular ESA symposium
presentation and each speaker must agree to allow his or her
presentation to be recorded for later access via the web (ESA use a
process that prevents theft of intellectual property). All speakers
will have the opportunity to practice their presentations over the
system to confirm that everything is OK.

As organizers with the help of the Program Chair, we can schedule it
at any time of the day/night. Please inform us about your best time
as GMT.

Any speaker who wishes to re-present his talk from the ICE
(International Congress of Entomology) meeting this summer in Durbin,
South Africa probably not be a problem.

This is an opportunity to participate in a historically significant
entomological event. We would like to see the global entomological
community eventually able to meet virtually as necessary and this
would be the first real implementation of that capability. We hope
that you be able to participate.

We hope to hear from you soon.
Aziz Ajlan & Khalid Alhudaib (aajlan@...)