Before you arrive in Tampa for the 2019 Meeting…
We hope you are as excited as we are about the 2019 In Vitro Biology Meeting. Before you land in Sunny Florida, we wanted to make sure you had everything you needed to know, so take a moment to read up on what to expect during this year’s SIVB Annual Meeting. Then, when you get here you can just enjoy the program and events.
The final scientific program is now available online. 
SIVB is pleased to offer a mobile app for those attending the meeting which will offer attendees opportunities to download the speaker presentations to take notes, network with other attendees, set your schedule, review abstracts, and more, all in the palm of your hand! The app is available through both Android and iTunes. Those who have preregistered will be receiving an email before the meeting with details on how to log in and download the app before you arrive. If you are registering on site, you will be provided with directions on how to log in to access the content once you register. In the meantime, you can use your desktop or laptop to make your plans by visiting our Itinerary Planner.
Remember, if you didn’t register in advance, onsite registration will be available at SIVB’s Registration Desk found at the Grand Salons A-D Foyer of the Tampa Marriott Water Street, 700 South Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida beginning on Saturday, June 8 at 7:00 am. In case you plan on registering once you arrive in Tampa, check out the onsite registration rates.
Printing Needs for the Meeting? There is a UPS store in the Tampa Marriott Water Street which can assist you with all your business needs including poster printing. The center is conveniently located on the 2nd floor of the hotel by the Grand Salons. Their hours are Monday – Friday from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Their phone number is (813) 204-6372. This office also functions as the Marriott’s Business Center and offers computer rental, copying, printing, including large format printing, shipping, binding, and faxing services. For more information, visit their website.
REMINDER: All students, post docs, and research technicians attending the meeting, both pre-registered and those who are registering onsite, are required to provide proof of your student, Post Doc or Research Technician status upon check in to guarantee you receive the discounted rates. Proof of student status can be one (1) of the following: student ID, letter from your supervisor stating your current status, or current class schedule. Proof of Post-Doctoral or Research Technician status would be a letter from your supervisor stating your current status as a Post Doc or research technician. If you do not bring this proof, you may be required to pay the full registration rate to attend the meeting.
CALLING ALL STUDENTS! Special Events during the Meeting. We are happy to invite all students at the meeting to come to the Governor’s Suite on Saturday, June 8 from at 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm for our first ever Student Reception and Pizza Party. Use this opportunity to meet SIVB’s Board of Directors and officers and learn more about this organization of which you are becoming part.
In addition, throughout the meeting, there will be opportunities for your participation in a variety of symposia and workshops focusing on your professional growth. We encourage all students to participate in these events and sessions:
- Sunday, Student Symposium: Hands-On RNA-Seq Workshop Using the Cyverse Computational Infrastructure. It’s recommended that you establish a free CyVerse account at www.cyverse.org prior to the workshop and bring a networked laptop with you to the session.
- Monday, Student Networking Luncheon: Employer Engagement
- Monday, Student and Post Doctoral Oral Presentation Competitions for both Plant Biotechnology and In Vitro Animal Cell Sciences
- Monday, Student Non-Competitive Oral Presentation Session
- Student Poster Competition occurring throughout the meeting
If your plans aren’t set in stone yet, we encourage you to take advantage of the special events and workshops being offered during the meeting. On Saturday, June 8, you can participate in the “Flow Cytometry: Cell Characterization, Sorting, and Data Analysis Techniques” workshop from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, which will focus on various advanced areas in flow cytometry and fluidics for targeting and gene editing with specific biological applications. The cost is $30 for the full-day workshop. Registration is limited. Please see the registration desk when you arrive to see if there is space availability in the session.
Should you want to explore Tampa’s offerings in a more relaxed setting, then you will want to join us at the Florida Aquarium on June 11 from 5:45 pm – 9:00 pm. You will be able to participate in a self-guided tour of the aquarium followed by a dinner for our private group. The regular price for this special evening event is $99 and a limited number of discounted tickets have been made available to student registrants at the rate of $45.00, Your ticket will include round trip transportation, tour, and dinner. You can purchase your spot when you check in at the registration desk in Grand Salons A-D Foyer, but only while supplies last!
Want to stay and enjoy the warm weather for as long as possible? Well then, you can join us for a special tour on Wednesday, June 12: Gulf Coast Research and Education Center Tour from 1:00 pm to 5:45 pm which will visit the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. The cost for the tour is $35 and will include bus transportation, boxed lunch, and tours of the various labs at the Center. Space is limited and tickets are still available at the registration desk while supplies last. Details about the special events can be found here.
SIVB is thrilled to be holding our 19th silent auction fundraiser at the meeting to support the SIVB and its Student Initiatives. If you have something you would like to donate to support the SIVB, just email [email protected] to let us know what you are bringing and its approximate value. You can drop it off at the SIVB Registration Desk in the Grand Salons A-D Foyer when you arrive. We will happily include it in The Big Guava Silent Auction which runs from Saturday night through Tuesday at 10:30 am. The auction will have interesting pieces for everyone with values ranging from a few dollars to priceless. Everyone is encouraged to participate.
Time to Explore? Tampa is fun and energetic city with many opportunities for non-science related fun. We do hope you will explore the city when you are not in sessions. Read about opportunities available at Florida’s Conventions and Visitor’s Bureau Website.
Weather in Tampa is hot and humid with highs in the low 90’s to lows around 72 Fahrenheit (22-33 Celsius) the entire time of the meeting. For more details, please visit: https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/tampa-fl/33602/june-weather/347937?monyr=6/1/2019
We can’t want to see you in June!
Submitted by The Business Office
