GENERAL INFORMATION:  The TSM meeting offers the perfect setting for students to present research efforts, whether the findings reported are preliminary or from a completed study. The setting is informal, and the audience simultaneously offers encouragement and constructive criticism. Our members represent considerable expertise covering a broad array of mammalian biology, providing a wonderful opportunity for students to discuss their projects with established mammalogists.

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The TSM meetings allow students two types of opportunities for presenting their research, oral presentations and poster presentations. 

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THIS YEAR TSM will be held in person. Due to the ongoing pandemic we are limiting the number of posters so both the poster session and the oral talks will be limited to 20 abstracts. Abstracts will be accepted on a first come first serve basis based on category (see below).

 

ABSTRACTS AND REGISTRATION:  All abstracts will be reviewed and chosen on a first come, first served basis, with priority given to the first 5 abstracts for each of our judging categories. After the submission deadline if any of the categories does not have 5 submissions then then those slots will be filled based on submission time and date regardless of category. Please submit your abstract early to ensure the ability to present. Abstracts for oral presentations that are not in the first 20 received will be moved to the poster session if there is space. Primary presenters get the following waived for the meeting: student registration fee ($15) and t-shirt fee ($10). Primary presenters must still pay the $10 membership fee. Secondary presenters get the t-shirt fee waived ($10). If a presenter registers late, all waivers are forfeited. Please submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations using the abstract submission form. 

 

PRESENTATION INFORMATION:  For more developed research presentations, students may choose to provide an oral presentation. These presentations are given via PowerPoint (or similar programs). Each student has 15 minutes per presentation and should plan for 12 minutes of speaking and 3 minutes for questions. Oral presentations are limited to 20 speakers.

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For research that is still in development, students may choose to present using a poster. Poster presentations are given Friday night. This year poster presentations are limited to 20 abstracts. 

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AWARDS:  Students are strongly encouraged to compete for one of the many award categories. All student presenters are eligible to compete for awards (unless they have already won that award). For more information on awards visit our award page. Please note that you can compete for only one award.  All competing oral presentations automatically compete for the Robert Packard Award.

Oral Presentations

All Students (automatic eligibility for all oral presentations)

 Robert Packard Award ($500 award) – given for the overall outstanding oral presentation

Graduate Students – each with $400 award

 William B. Davis Award – best oral presentation pertaining to classical mammalogy with study conducted at the organismal level

 TSM Award – best oral presentation on studies pertaining to molecular biology, evolution, and systematics

Undergraduate Students – each with $400 award

 Rollin H. Baker Award – best oral presentation in classical mammalogy at the organismal level

 Bobby Baker Award – best oral presentation in molecular biology, evolution, and systematics

Poster presentations

All Categories – each with $400 award

 Vernon Bailey Award – separated into two separate categories for undergraduate and graduate students, this is for the best poster presentation pertaining to classical mammalogy conducted at the organismal level

 Clyde Jones Award – separated into two separate categories for undergraduate and graduate students, this is for the best poster presentation pertaining to molecular biology, evolution, and systematics 

 

Judging of the presentations, by a committee of TSM members, is based on the quality of the science (e.g., methods, design, interpretation) and of the presentation (e.g., oral presentation, visual aids, handling of questions), however, this does not include "production value" of recorded talks.  Students are not eligible to receive the same award more than once.