ADVANCES IN PALEOBOTANY--RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF DAVID L. DILCHER AND JACK A. WOLFE ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR 70TH BIRTHDAY
Paramount Plaza Hotel, Gainesville, Florida, USA, March 12-15, 2006
Organizing committee
Steven Manchester, Robert Spicer, Hongshan Wang, David Jarzen, Terry Lott
Cosponsors
Florida Museum of Natural History; Paleobotanical Section, Botanical Society
of America; University of Florida
VIEW ABSTRACTS | VIEW PROGRAM | REGISTRATION | ABSTRACT INSTRUCTIONS | HOTELS | PARKING | TRANSPORTATION | DRIVING DIRECTIONS
A three-day program of symposia, contributed papers and posters and social events, celebrating the achievements of Jack A. Wolfe* and David L. Dilcher, will be held in Gainesville, Florida, USA, March 12-15, 2006. These two paleobotanists, born on the same day in 1936, have greatly influenced Cretaceous and Cenozoic paleobotany through the introduction of new methods and approaches for investigation of floristic and climatic change and the evolution of various groups of pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Sessions will be held at the conference facilities of the Paramount Plaza Hotel in Gainesville overlooking Bivens Lake, with a diversity of shore birds and abundant alligators.
The celebration begins with a wine and cheese reception at the exhibition building of the Florida Museum of Natural History on Sunday evening, followed by three days of scientific sessions, Monday morning through Wednesday late afternoon. The scientific program includes lectures and posters on varied topics, with particular emphasis on: "Mesozoic and Cenozoic floristic, Vegetational and Climatic Change;" and "Angiosperm Paleobotany: Recognizing Phytogeographic and Evolutionary Patterns." Two evening banquets with special programs are included: "Remembering Jack A. Wolfe" on Monday evening, and "Celebrating David L. Dilcher" on Tuesday evening.
The schedule of events and program are available here in html, PDF or word format.
Regular registration, $145, Student registration, $100. These fees cover: abstract and program volume, receptions, Monday and Tuesday evening banquets, meeting hall rental, and local transportation.
Payment should be presented in the form of a check or money order in US dollars made out to GAINESVILLE PALEOFEST. (IF YOU ARE ALSO ATTENDING MPC, YOU MAY SUBMIT A SINGLE CHECK WITH THE COMBINED REGISTRATION TOTAL FOR BOTH EVENTS).
Please download the registration form here in PDF or word format and send the form and your payment to:
Hongshan Wang
PO 117800
FLMNH, Dickinson Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611-7800
Abstract due on January 15, 2006. Please use this format to compose your abstract. Please send your abstract to Terry Lott as email attachment.
Lodging costs will be $79 plus tax per night at the host hotel, Paramount Plaza Hotel. The guaranteed (discounted) room rate is $79 for both single and double occupancy. They do not have a way for registering for group discount on line. Please call the hotel directly to reserve your room at 877-992-9229 (Toll free in the US; e-mail: reservations@paramountplaza.com). Be sure to mention "Paleofest" and the guaranteed rate mentioned above.
Hotels in the range of $49-59 are also within walking distance. Guests are responsible for their own reservations. Please reserve directly with the hotels:
- Paramount Plaza Hotel Phone: 877-992-9229 or 352-377-4000
Fax: 352-371-1159.- Comfort Inn, 13th St.: 352-373-6500. 10 minutes Walking distance to Paramount conference center.
- Florida Motel: 352-376-3742. Older small motel with less expensive rooms. 5 minutes walking distance to Paramount conference center.
- Rush Lake Motel. Ten minutes walking distance to the Museum (Dickinson Hall). Phone: 1-888-787-4525 or 352-373-5000. 15 minutes walking distance to Paramount Conference Center.
- Bambi Motel: 1-800-342-2624 or 352-376-2622. Older small motel with less expensive rooms. 15 minutes walking distance to Paramount Conference Center and the Museum.
If you can arrive early, please join us for the 23rd "Midcontinent Paleobotanical Colloquium" which will be held immediately beforehand, at the University of Florida, Gainesville, March, 10-12, 2006. This meeting emphasizes student participation in a relaxed and relatively informal setting and will include social receptions, oral and poster presentations, workshops. Further information on registration, sessions and accommodations for MPC may be found here. For background and historical overview of the MPC, including its occasional drift to the extreme margins of the North American "midcontinent", see http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~rothwell/MPC/index.htm.
Free Parking will be available at the host hotel.
The Florida Museum of Natural History is situated on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, a few miles east from Interstate Highway 75. Gainesville regional airport is served by Delta and US Air airlines. The closest larger airport hub is Jacksonville, Florida (JAX), about 1.5 hours driving from Gainesville.
If you arrive to the Gainesville airport (GNV), we will arrange free transportation to and from the airport (please let us know your arrival date and time). Those arriving to Jacksonville or Orlando are requested to cover the additional expense of ground transportation to Gainesville. We are prepared to make two or three round trips to JAX with the museum van for pickups in the late morning and afternoon of Friday, March 12. If you desire to be included in this informal shuttle service please let us know as soon as possible your flight number and arrival time.
Those considering car rental from JAX or Orlando may wish to consider AVIS, which has a drop off and pick up counter conveniently situated at our host hotel, the Gainesville Paramount Plaza. [When making reservations, request the State of Florida--University of Florida rate for a significant discount].
Shuttle service from Jacksonville or Orlando airport may also be arranged directly with the service providers by the participants. For example Runways Transportation Company provide one way ($35/passenger and $52/two passengers) or round trip ($60/passenger and $90/two passengers) service between Jacksonville and Gainesville.
From Gainesville Regional Airport: Drive about 1 mile on NE 39TH avenue, then turn left on Waldo Road (about 3 miles of driving), Turn right on University Avenue (about 2 miles), then turn left on 13th Street (about 2 miles).
From I-75: Take exit #384/FL-24 toward Gainesville. Drive about 2 miles on SW Archer Road. Stay right on SW 16TH for about 1 mile, then turn right on SW 13th Street.
* During the planning of this conference, we were saddened to learn that Dr. Wolfe died when he fell off a precipice while in the field collecting fossil plants on August 12, 2005.
Paleobotany Division | Florida Museum of Natural History | University of Florida