GUWAHATI, Dec 7 � Young Ecologist Talk and Interact (YETI) � the largest students� scientific conference in the country on ecology, evolution, animal behaviour and conservation � will be held this year at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G) on December 13-15.
Organized entirely by student volunteers from across the country with support from several organizations, YETI is a unique conference providing a platform for students to interact amongst themselves and with national and international scientists.
The supporting organizations include WWF-India, Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Dakshin Foundation, Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy and Learning (FERAL), and Aaranyak.
Originating out of a student conference at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore, in 2008, YETI has since grown into a national platform for student researchers. YETI 2009 and 2010 were both held at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
YETI 2011 will be held in Guwahati, primarily to focus upon the unique yet understudied rich biodiversity of the North-east region of the country.
The conference this year has been organized in partnership with the Centre for the Environment of IIT-G. The Centre for the Environment of IIT-G has been supporting interdisciplinary research in several emerging areas of environmental and ecological studies since its inception. Besides IIT, Guwahati, YETI 2011 is being supported by 20 universities, 38 institutes and NGOs, and 40 colleges from North-east India, in addition to several independent researchers.
YETI provides a friendly and inspiring platform for young ecologists and conservation biologists, early in their career, to present and discuss their work, exchange ideas, and establish collaborations with their peers and contemporaries across the country.
With an expected turnout of 500 students and researchers, YETI 2011 will feature a series of plenary lectures, popular talks, documentary screenings, workshops and interactive sessions by prominent national and international scientists as well as more than 100 presentations by research students alone.
Among other issues, this year's conference will highlight topics as varied as the most important biodiversity issues from the North-east, understanding of the social dynamics of bonnet macaque societies, and will emphasize the need for increased data sharing to enhance the growth of ecological studies and conservation science in India. A series of workshops has been organized to provide students with exposure to key tools and techniques in the frontier areas of ecological science.
YETI is open to all researchers and students in the country who are interested in the broad discipline of ecology and conservation. Students are welcome to participate by submitting abstracts of their current or proposed work.
More information about the event can be found on the website www.meetyeti.com.
