Dear all,
The MRC committee has been in conversation with the Etches Collection and, for numerous logistical reasons, are intending to run the conference in 2024. We had hoped it would be May 2023, but have concluded 2024 would give us the greatest chance of operating the conference at its best. We apologise for any disappointment the delay may cause and hope to see you in 2024!
The Etches Collection: Museum of Jurassic Marine Life, Kimmeridge, Dorset (May 2024, dates TBC)
Registration
Registration for the May 2024 meeting will open in early 2024.
We will keep in touch with those on the mailing list, and update the website as often as possible. If you would like to be added to the mailing list, please contact the committee.
The price of registration will be updated in early 2024. However, there will be a student rate as well as an optional dinner and field trip.
| Category | Registration |
| Regular delegate | £TBC |
| Student delegate | £TBC |
| Conference dinner (inc drinks) | £TBC |
| Fieldtrip | £TBC |
The first ten students to submit an abstract will receive a £30 discount off the registration cost! Due to the way our payment system works, students are required to register at the normal student rate at the outset, once the abstract has been submitted we will be in touch to organise a refund of the £30.
The Meeting
This meeting will consist of two days of oral platform presentations, discussions, and posters. The conference is open to all, and we invite professionals, amateurs and enthusiasts in the field of marine reptiles to attend. The primary focus will be on the fossil record, covering both marine reptiles and other organisms which formed part of their ecosystems, however a session will also take place on modern marine reptiles.
The presentations will take place at the Etches Collection: Museum of Jurassic Marine Life, with an optional conference meal at Springfield Country Hotel and Spa. An optional field trip will be led to the fossiliferous Kimmeridge Bay area either before or after the conference, according to the tides.
The Etches Collection in Dorset, UK holds a world class collection of Jurassic marine material, with numerous holotypes and newly discovered marine reptile species, well worth a visit for any marine reptile enthusiast. It also has a comprehensive range of fossil material that represents the wider marine ecosystem of the Jurassic, including many fascinating specimens showing evidence for predation.
Travel
For those delegates coming by car, there is free parking at the Museum, including parking reserved for the disabled, however space is limited. There is also parking at Kimmeridge Bay, which is a 15 minute walk away. Please be aware that the Smedmore Estate charge a £5 toll (rate correct as of October 2020) to use the car park down at Kimmeridge Bay.
For those delegates coming by public transportation, the conference organisers will put on a minibus to act as a shuttle between the conference venue and Springfield Country Hotel and Spa (approximately a 20 minute walk from the centre of Stoborough Green). The exact logistics are to be confirmed and will depend on how many people require it. The shuttle bus will also serve the main train station in Wareham.
If you require the use of the shuttle bus, you will need to ensure you let the organisers know when you register for the conference.
Accommodation
The conference dinner will take place at Springfield Country Hotel and Spa (located in Stoborough) where delegates are invited to stay. Delegates of the Marine Reptile Conference are being offered discounted room rates (between 10% and 30% off depending on the room type and occupancy) for the nights of the conference. Rates for May 2024 will be updated as soon as possible.
Terms include: Full English breakfast and full use of the Leisure Club & Spa, Ample Free Car Parking and Free Wi-Fi.
The minibus shuttle put on by the conference organisers, for those without their own means of transportation, will run between Springfield Hotel (20 minute walk from the centre of Stoborough Green), and the conference venue (The Etches Collection).
Catering
The registration cost will include lunch, as well as teas and coffees on both conference days, to be hosted at The Etches Collection. If the weather is favourable, teas and coffees may be taken on the veranda, so fingers crossed! You have the option of booking the conference dinner (date TBC), at Springfield Hotel in Stoborough, after which there will be a presentation by our keynote speaker. Please let us know about any dietary requirements at the time of registration. Those staying for the fieldtrip will need to make their own catering arrangements for the day.
Abstracts
Abstracts for platform presentations and posters should be no more than 250 words, and not include references. Please note, by submitting an abstract, you are agreeing to abide by the MRC2020 Code of Conduct.
Session Themes
The conference will have several sessions across the two days. Proposed themes for these sessions are outlined below, however we welcome abstracts covering all aspects of marine reptiles, whether they slot into the following themes or not.
- Recent Discoveries
- Fieldwork, conservation, and preparation projects
- The origins of Mesozoic marine reptiles
- Taxonomy of fossil marine reptiles
- Faunas of the Kimmeridge Clay
- Diet, foodwebs, and predation
- Extant marine reptiles as analogues: The physiology and diets of today’s marine reptiles
- Fleshing out the bones: Palaeoart (2D and 3D)
The Organisers
Nigel Larkin [email protected]
Emma Nicholls [email protected]
Richard Forrest [email protected]
Dean Lomax [email protected]
Mark Evans [email protected]
General contact email: [email protected]
