Each year some ECN members make charitable donations. These charitable donations, along with our corporate sponsors, have made it possible for the organizing committee to meet the ever-rising cost associated with the meeting. In fact, for the last two years, ECN’s “nest egg” has grown so much that it is now possible to consider several exciting new options for the meeting.
Suggestions made at last year’s meeting for using these funds included: – Reducing attendance fees for graduate students – Sponsoring the attendance of colleagues at foreign institutions to attend – Sponsoring an ECN outreach symposium at other venues (Ecological Society America, Evolution Meetings, International Congress, etc.) – Sponsoring an ECN summer event at a smaller, field-oriented location – Creating a committee to “review” and “audit” entomological collections – Providing external review of our institutions for upper administration – Purchasing media equipment to broadcast ECN meetings live online etc.
These are all EXCELLENT ideas — which all require leadership and the funds to accomplish them. If you like any of these ideas and would like to help make them a reality let the organizers at this year’s meeting know — if on the other hand, you are short on time, but still like the idea of a vibrant, improving ECN, consider a tax-deductible contribution in excess of your registration fees.
If you would rather contribute your time and effort to ECN, please feel free to contact us and let us know how you would like to help.
