Chemistry and the Biosphere
The New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC) , New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB) and the New Zealand Society of Plant Biologists (NZSPB) combined conference being held November 30 - December 4, 2008, St David Street Complex, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Welcome
On behalf of the joint organising committee for NZIC, NZSBMB and NZSPB, I would like to extend a warm invitation to you all to attend our conference "Chemistry and the Biosphere" to be held here in Dunedin, "Edinburgh of the South". We have a number of distinguished plenary speakers, and also a workshop commemorating the centenary of the award in 1908 of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Ernest Rutherford, at which a number of recipients of the Rutherford Medal will present. I am sure that you will find both the scientific activities and the Deep South hospitality will combine to make this a memorable experience for you.
Professor Keith A Hunter, MSc(Hons), PhD, FNZIC, FRSNZ
Convenor Organising Committee
Sustainability
To capture the theme of the conference the conference organising committee is committed to reducing the carbon footprint for this conference.
In order to do this we will:
- Offer online registration only communicating via electronic formats & offering online banking facilities.
- Use an energy efficient venue
- Provide 'manned' recycling stations to ensure correct recycling techniques and prevent contamination of recycling items
- Provide reusable delegate bags
- Print only the required numbers of abstract handbooks which will be printed on paper from a sustainable resource, double sided page printing and also provide abstracts online. CD's will not be produced. In all circumstances we will limit the amount of print material produced.
- Use an exhibition company known for its reuse of materials
- Provide catering from locally sourced food products, wherever possible.
- During the registration process we will ask each delegate to donate $10.00 to the conference fund which will be forwarded to the Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust to assist in their coastal replanting projects.
- Request delegates fly on direct flights where possible, or if driving then ride share with other delegates from the same area.
- Request sponsors and exhibitors limit the amount of literature they provide and request they send this electronically to delegates.
- Reuse name tags after the event