The National Wheat Improvement Committee (NWIC) Wheat Genomics Subcommittee is organizing the second annual National Wheat Genomics Conference (NWGC), which will be held December 4-6 in Indianapolis, IN, following the 2008 National Fusarium Head Blight Forum. The purpose of the meeting is to establish wheat genomics research priorities, provide a venue for wheat workers to learn of recent, current, and future endeavors in U.S. wheat genomics and related research, and to provide a forum to foster interaction, discussion, and collaboration among U.S. wheat scientists. Although the main theme of the conference is wheat genomics, the session topics and presentations are intended to be broad and encompass aspects of other research disciplines that may be indirectly related to genomics. Therefore, all U.S. wheat workers are invited and encouraged to attend regardless of their area of research expertise.

NWGC PROGRAM This year's session topics will include Wheat Structural Genomics and Bioinformatics, Genomics of Abiotic Stress, Genomics of Wheat Quality, and Genomics of Wheat Development. There will also be a session devoted to graduate students and postdocs who will be invited on a competitive basis (see below). Click here to see the conference agenda and list of speakers.

SPONSORSHIP We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the sponsors of the 2008 NWGC, which include Monsanto, ConAgra Mills, General Mills, National Association of Wheat Growers, and AgriPro. If your company or organization is interested in sponsoring a portion of the NWGC (i.e. Conference Materials, Reception, Meals, Refreshment breaks, etc.), please contact Janet Lewis (lewisja6@msu.edu). Recognition will be given both during the Conference and in the Conference Program.

REGISTRATION NWGC participants must register online in advance of the meeting. Registration will be closed after November 21, 2008. The standard registration fee is $225 before October 31, 2008, and $275 after that date. The registration fee for students is $100 before October 31 and $125 afterwards. Registration fees include the following: Thursday and Friday evening receptions Friday and Saturday breakfast All refreshment breaks Conference materials Click here to register online. Payment can be made by credit card, check, money order, or wire transfer. If paying by credit card for the registration of multiple attendees, you must log in and register each person individually.

HOTEL AND TRAVEL INFORMATION The Conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The Crowne Plaza is a smoke-free facility. Participants are responsible for making (and paying for) their own reservations directly with the hotel using a credit card, and are guaranteed special room rates (see rates below) between the dates of November 26 - December 9. $97.00+tax/night for singles (King and Crowne Plaza King) and doubles $107.00+tax/night for a Train Car $169.00+tax/night for a Master King Suite For more information on the room types and amenities, click here.

These low room rates are based upon the expectation that NWGC participants will stay at this hotel. To reserve a hotel room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at one of the special rates, please click here to make your reservations on-line. Once you have opened the Hotel's Website, enter your arrival and departure dates. In the 'Group Code' box enter USW. Reservations may also be made by calling the hotel directly at 317-631-2221. Please inform the reservation agent that you wish to make the reservation under the '2008 National FHB Forum' group. This will ensure that your reservation is booked under our group with the special room rate.

Hotel reservations must be made by Wednesday, November 12th. After November 12th, the rooms that have been held for the NWGC participants will be released (including special rate), and sold on a first come first serve basis.

TRAVELING TO THE CONFERENCE Traveling by Air: Conference participants should fly into the Indianapolis International Airport (IND). To get to the Crowne Plaza (8 miles from airport), there are several options (taxi, rental car, etc.). Click here for more information.

Traveling by Car: There is a link on the Hotel's reservation page to obtain driving instructions from various points of direction (click here).

POSTER SESSION An open poster session will be held in conjunction with the conference. Poster abstracts must be emailed as a Microsoft Word document to Gina Brown-Guedira (Gina.Brown-Guedira@ARS.USDA.GOV) by October 31, 2008. Abstracts should be no longer than one page. Titles should be in bold letters. Authors and corresponding addresses should be listed with the presenting author indicated with an asterisk. Click here for an example abstract. Poster size is limited to 48 inches x 48 inches and must be attached by Velcro strips.

GRADUATE STUDENT/POSTDOC ORAL PRESENTATIONS The first session on Saturday morning will be devoted to presentations by graduate students and postdocs working in wheat genomics, genetics, or a related discipline. Students and postdocs conducting wheat research in these areas are invited to submit an abstract of their research. The abstracts will be reviewed by the NWGC organizing committee, and approximately six students and/or postdocs will be formally invited to present their work at the NWGC. The registration fees for invited student/postdoc speakers will be waived.

The student/postdoc presentations will be judged by the NWGC organizing committee. The presentation judged to be the best will receive $300, and $150 will be awarded for second place. Graduate students and postdocs interested in giving an oral presentation at the NWGC should send a one-page abstract with title and list of authors to Justin Faris (justin.faris@ars.usda.gov) by October 15, 2008.

CONTACTS For more information or questions regarding the 2008 NWGC, contact Justin Faris (Justin.faris@ars.usda.gov) or Scot Hulbert (scot_hulbert@wsu.edu), Co-Chairs, NWGC organizing committee.