Background
1.1 History and General Information
The International Dioxin Symposia have been held annually since 1980, except in 1983 when there was no conference. With increasing numbers of participants, oral and poster presentations, exhibitors, and topics present at the Dioxin Symposia, the conferences have become a relative large event and this requires more lead time for preparation by future organizers. Therefore, the International Advisory Board (IAB) decided that the location of a symposium (including the symposium chair, the host country and organization) will be selected four years in advance of the date of the meeting and be decision based on a review of applications received. Decisions on future symposia take place at IAB meetings that occur during the annual Dioxin Symposia. Details of the past symposia can be viewed at dioxin20xx.org/history.htm
1.2 General Information about the Symposia and Its Organization
The International Dioxin Symposia are independent conferences with no institutional arrangements or societal memberships and they do not have a financial support mechanism in place. The symposia series was initiated by Dr. Otto Hutzinger in 1980 and for more than a decade, the conferences have now been coordinated by the International Advisory Board (IAB). The members of the International Board are organizers of past symposia and/or experts in persistent organic pollutants and related scientific disciplines. Presently, the two IAB chairs are: Dr. Heidelore Fiedler and Dr. Michael S. Denison (contact information below). The IAB assists the Chair of an annual Dioxin Symposium in administrative, programmatic, and technical, scientific issues.
Over the past fifteen years attendance has steadily increased with peaks during the last two years of ~1200 attendees at DIOXIN‘2005 (Toronto) and ~1100 at DIOXIN‘2004 (Berlin). While earlier conferences typically had 600-800 people, given recent attendance, it seems to be fair to assume that a future organizer may count on 1000 or more participants when considering an appropriate venue for the Symposium.
From a meeting logistics perspective, typically, each morning session has started with a plenary presentation from an invited keynote speaker (a room for 600 or more people is required). After a coffee break that follows the keynote presentation, participants split into topical platform sessions (there are typically 3-6 concurrent sessions that will require lecture rooms that accommodate 80-300 people, depending on the expected attendance for a specific topic). The venue should also have sufficient space available for ~300 or more posters. It is preferred that all posters will be on display during the entire meeting (at least until Thursday evening). However, if space is limited, it is suggested that posters be displayed for at least two full days with an exchange of posters on Wednesday.
Typically, no scientific sessions are scheduled for Wednesday afternoon and organizers have generally made arrangements for local sightseeing tours for all participants (the cost of which is included in the registration fees). However, the organizer may also include special sessions for Wednesday afternoon if they desire. Finally, an informal "get-together" is typically held on Sunday prior to the meeting, an official welcome reception on Monday evening and a meeting banquet on Thursday evening.
Financial support for the Symposia is primarily from registration fee of the participants. And continued support from corporate, exhibitors, and governmental (primarily the host country) sponsors. Major expenses for meeting organizers include: personnel to assist in the organization, registration, and running of the Dioxin Symposium, rental of the venue and audio visual equipment and support, printing of the program and other brochures, CD ROM containing the short papers of the meeting, lunches (possibly breakfasts-see comment below) and coffee breaks, tour and transportation, and food and venue costs for social events, i.e., informal and official welcome receptions. A table of registration and banquet costs for participants of three meetings (DIOXIN’2004-2006) are included in a table below.
Typically, the conference package for full and student registration includes: access to all scientific sessions, exhibition, CD ROM with presentations, informal get-together on Sunday, official welcome reception on Monday, coffee breaks (eight total: two on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and on eon Wednesday and Friday mornings), 3 or 4 lunches (described in the paragraph below), and a sightseeing tour on Wednesday afternoon (if planned). The conference package for accompanying persons typically includes access to the informal get-together on Sunday, the official welcome reception on Monday, lunches, an additional sightseeing tour or event for accompanying persons has often been included and the sightseeing tour on Wednesday (if planned). The costs for the Symposium banquet are not included in the registration fees and participants pay for this as a separate cost. Lunches should be included for all participants on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and possibly Wednesday depending on the program events. If Wednesday afternoon is social program (i.e. a sightseeing tour either included in registration fee or an open afternoon with no organized tours) then lunch may not be provided. However, if special sessions are planned, the organizers are strongly encouraged to provide sandwiches or boxed lunches for meeting attendees. However, this level of detail is not needed when submitting the first application proposal.
One additional consideration with regards to meeting costs occurs when Symposia are in the United States (or countries with similar provisions) and breakfast is not commonly included in the room rates at hotels and accommodations for the meeting participants. In this instance, organizer should provide a continental breakfast at the venue for all participants prior to the keynote address each morning and this should be included as part of the registration fee. For European-type arrangements, participants will have breakfast in their hotels and not at the venue.
For general reference, approximate registration fees for participant for the past three year in US dollars and Euros are shown below.
1.3 Application
If you are interested in hosting one of the future Dioxin Symposia, please provide the meeting proposal application information indicated below.
Please send your application to the chairs of the International Advisory Board, preferentially by e-mail: