May 19, 2018 | Noel Ford, M.A., ISNR Conference Chair
I am having tons of fun working with our new conference planning company, The Special Events Company, while we plan this year’s conference. In the next week, we’ll send out a detailed update for the conference, but I am too excited not to give you some highlights!
Sponsors
The conference would not be possible without our generous sponsors. I’d like to give a quick acknowledgement of those sponsors that have already stepped up and committed this year. All of these companies have remained a sponsor for ISNR for many years. We are lucky to have such reliable sponsors.
Platinum Sponsor
BrainMaster Technologies continues to be our biggest supporter for the fifth consecutive year. Be sure to check them out in the exhibit hall and at the welcome reception.
Gold Sponsor
Applied Neuroscience is our new gold sponsor this year! They have been a constant source of support, having been a sponsor over the last 4+ years and we are thrilled that they increased their sponsorship this year.
Silver Sponsors
Thought Technology was the first of all the sponsors to commit to this year’s conference.
Stens Corporation has also pledged its support for our organization and we look forward to seeing them in the exhibit hall.
Sponsorship Opportunities
This year we wanted to increase the number of smaller, individual sponsorship opportunities in an effort to increase the presence of multiple businesses within our field. If full sponsorship isn’t within your budget for 2018, please consider a smaller opportunity like the conference bag logos, coffee station within exhibit hall, conference Wi-Fi and key cards, to name a few. You can check out all the sponsorship opportunities here.
Exhibitors
The registration process for the exhibitors has also moved to an online format and it will be open at the end of this week. We are happy to say that ISNR has reserved the majority of the hotel space, giving us ample room for our exhibit hall.
Conference Schedule
The official conference schedule will be posted in July, but I am happy to announce that we have six Keynote and Invited speakers confirmed to present on a wide range of relevant material. There are lots of pre-conference and conference workshops as well as oral presentations, and we are happy to squeeze in even more high-quality content into this year’s conference. Submissions are no longer being accepted, however, notifications will be made on July 2nd.
Home Town Advantage
This year, I am very excited about the location of the conference. Phoenix offers an easy to reach destination with ample transportation options and wide variety of activities beyond the conference halls. The weather in October will finally start to cool down and it will be pleasant for attendees to mingle at the outdoor welcome reception in the beautiful courtyard.
Personally, I am admittedly partial to the location this year since it is in my own backyard, relatively. I have enjoyed the amenities near the Renaissance Hotel frequently, from sporting events, like Cardinal’s football and Coyote’s hockey, to shopping and fine dining to pampering salons, this area has a lot to offer. If you’re a football fan, you should note that there is a Cardinals home game on Thursday night. This may impact your travel on Thursday and hotel rooms will go fast in the area. As the conference approaches, you can check out all the events happening at or near Westgate Entertainment District here.
Engaging Inclusivity
As Conference Chair, I feel my job is two-fold, first and foremost, to organize and promote the dissemination of scientific work being done in our field in the most engaging way possible. I want our attendees to walk away from the conference feeling empowered, motivated, and connected to this field. I hope to do this through thought-provoking academic material followed by interactions that inspire collaboration and knowledge sharing in comfortable settings.
My next goal is to expand the reach of ISNR as widely as possible through inclusion. Specifically, I intend to bring back any contributors to this field that have fissured and the ISNR Board is fully supportive. If it’s been a while since you’ve attended ISNR, this is your year to join in the fun. Registration opens this week!
Noel Ford, M.A.
Chair, ISNR Conference Committee