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Welcome to ISEI 6
Dear Colleagues and Fellow Students,
It is our great pleasure to invite you to the 6th International Conference on Ecological Informatics ISEI6 in Cancun at the Mexican coast of the Caribbean Sea. After holding the previous biennial ISEI conferences in Toulouse (France), Adelaide (Australia), Rome (Italy), Pusan (South Korea) and Santa Barbara (USA), ISEI6 is first time hosted by Central America, and continues the tradition to provide state-of-the-art and scope of the young discipline Ecological Informatics.
Ecological Informatics emphasises on information processing from genomes to ecosystems, meta-information concepts for ecological data management, computational ordination, clustering and forecasting of complex ecological interactions, and facilitating informed decision making for sustainable ecosystem management. It promotes both novel concepts and techniques for the most efficient exploitation and integration of ecological data and knowledge by means of state-of-the-art computer technology. Ecological Informatics also focuses at object-oriented approaches for ecological data and model libraries, remote sensing and GIS for ecological data acquisition and visualisation, bio-inspired soft- and hardware solutions for advanced quantitative ecology, micro image identification and computer design, as well as semantic webs for sharing ecological information and models.
The conference theme of ISEI6 will be ‘Data and Software Sharing: Key to Sustainable Ecological Solutions’. The ISEI6 organisers feel committed to overcome the current fragmentation and incompatibility of ecological data and information, and promote local and global networking, sharing and exploration of ecological information by means of advanced computer technology.
Selected papers of the conference will be published in special issues of the international journal Ecological Informatics (www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolinf) that is published by Elsevier B.V. since 2006. We are grateful to the publisher Elsevier B.V. that provides valuable support to promote ISEI6.
We are sure this conference will be another milestone towards the consolidation and advance of the discipline of Ecological Informatics.
Yours sincerely,
Michel Dreyfus
Friedrich Recknagel
Venue and Accommodation
The conference will be held at the Hotel GRAND OASIS in Cancun, Mexico (see below for room reservation forms).
US $135 single (all included*)
US $220 double (all included*), US $110 per person
US $270 triple (all included*), US $90 per person
*Bookings after May 15th wiil be charged $25.00 additional.
*all inclusive (all meals and beverages)
Please download the hotel reservation form and Fax it to the hotel at the number provided or send to email address: (PDF format|Word format)
Information about Cancun
About Cancún
Once home to the awe-inspiring Mayan civilization, is today one of the most exciting resorts in the world, internationally renowned for its magnificent location, luxurious tourist facilities and its incomparable beauty.
Located in the Yucatán Peninsula, in the State of Quintana Roo, this land of contrasts offers its visitor’s unique natural setting such as: The white sand, sets off the seascape of turquoise warm waters and coconut palms. Above, a clear blue sky is decorated with gorgeous bellowing white clouds, and there is an average of 240 sunny days a year.
Even for the most sophisticated traveler, Cancun is a unique, beautiful, rich experience: beaches and climate with no equal, a vast tropical jungle hiding ancient treasures, surrounded by endless interesting places to enjoy nature at, and a superb infrastructure of hotels and service, to feel comfortable and pampered.
Cancun is divided in two sections;
Hotel Zone – Is an island in a form of a “ 7 “, united by two bridges Punta Nizuc by the south and Playa Linda by the north. The island consists of 22 kilometers long, Kukulcan Boulevard the only highway access and a natural Lagoon named Nichupte that extends all most the entire island.
City of Cancun – With over half million residents, where the majority of the natives have their homes, with many local markets, restaurants, it is a “must” that you visit this section of Cancun.
We recommend the Market 28, for purchasing handcrafts and souvenirs to take back home.
Arrival Cancun International Airport
“BIENVENIDOS” Airline staff will direct you to the Cancun Airport Terminal, where Immigration Officer´s will check your documentation, please have your passport handy and the immigration form filled out (in some cases is not required) after your passport is stamped they will give you a copy of the immigration form (that will be needed for your departure) then proceed to the correct area number that the airline informed you where the luggage will be placed. Then form a line with your luggage to be inspected by Mexican Customs (Free luggage carts are available if needed). After Customs you have to go through 2 doors, the first one leads you to a closed area where is many Information Desks that will just take your time with NO NEED, they are TIME SHARE INVITATIONS then you will go thru the second door that leads you to the exterior where you will see a VI-Travel staff holding a sign with the name of your group or with your personal name. They will transport you to the Host Hotel, by vans or motor coaches according to the number of participants in each flight.
If you arrive in the Domestic Terminal, coming from a flight from any point of Mexico, you will not go through customs, or immigration, the only procedure will be picking up your luggage. Then walk through the sliding door where you will see a VI-Travel staff holding a sign with the group name or your personal name. They will transport you to the Host Hotel, by vans or motor coaches according to the number of participants in each flight.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Dress Code - Casual resort wear is popular for day. At night, more elegant resort wear is expected. In some establishments they do not allow shorts, tank tops or tennis shoes. We suggest a lightweight sweater, wind jackets, or shawls for cool winter evenings.
Climate – The average daytime temperature in Cancun is 80 degrees Fahrenheit year round, with only about a ten-degree variation. The summer is hot, but normally quite dry with only a few brief showers.
Currency & Credit Cards – The currency used in Mexico is called (PESO). Pesos can be obtained at money exchange houses located all around the city, at banks and at Hotels. Traveler´s checks are easily cashed at any Bank. American dollars are accepted anywhere (shops,restaurants, bars, etc.) either in cash or in traveler checks. Major credit cards accepted in Mexico are: American Express, Master Card and Visa.
Electricity – Same as United States and Canada. Mexico´s electric current is 110 volts. There will be no problem connecting appliances. Europeans will need an adaptor.
Tax – Government tax in the state of Quintana Roo is 10% hotels tax, plus a 2% lodging tax. There is an airport charge to be paid in cash upon departure or in many cases the airline will have it already included in your ticket
Water – A water purification system processes water in the hotel zone in addition, the majority of hotels have their own built-in purification system, thus it is perfectly safe to drink it. Outside the Hotel Zone, it is prudent to ask for bottled water, available everywhere.
Tipping – At most restaurants a service charge of 15% is added to the bill: if this charge is not made, a tip of 10% to 15% would be appropriate, depending on the service received. Airport and Hotel porters expect $1.00 usd per piece of luggage. Consider tipping taxi drivers or letting them keep small change, although it is not mandatory.
Night Life – Few other destinations in the world can compete with its variety. It is old and new, ancient and modern. It is Mexico and Caribbean all rolled into one. Cancun has many faces but the one it wears at night just may be the most exciting of all. You will find samplings of all sorts of music from Mariachi, marimbas, folk/guitar music to today´s live band and DJ´s. The salsa bars are the real thing; the discos, live band, and the in thing known as “lounges” with very good local DJ´s.
The list is endless, so when the sun goes down and the city heats up.
Local Transportation - The local city buses run daily, 24 hrs.(during midnight not as frequent but service is available for less than $1 usd). Taxis are available all day and the fares are posted in hotel lobbies next to the bell boy’s desk.
From Hotel Gran Oasis to City of Cancun $16.00 usd / Convention Center $11.00 usd/ Hilton Golf $ 9.00 usd/ Pok-Ta-Pok Golf $13.00 usd/ International Airport $25.00 usd.
Golf – Cancun
Pok-Ta-Pok – The first golf club opened, 18 holes designed by Robert Trent Jr. Located in Blvd.Kukulcan in 7.5 km. Opened Daily; 6 am – 7 p.m. Green Fees and Electric Cart (shared) $105.00 usd and $75.00 usd (after 2pm).
Hilton Golf – Designed by Aoki Corporation, 18 holes, with a Restaurant located in hole 19. This golf club is part of the Hilton Hotel and located in km.17, and is opened daily; 6a.m.-6p.m. Green Fees and Electric Cart (shared) $149.00/ $99.00 after 2p.m.
Recommend to make reservations in advance or the first day of arrival in Cancun.
Mexican Visas
Citizens of a foreign country who wish to enter the Mexico States must first obtain a visa. Is is vital that you do this as soon as possible. To assist you, information on how to apply for a Visitors Visa can be found here:
http://www.sre.gob.mx/english/services/visasforeigners.htm
If you are a citizen of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finaland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Island, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America, Uruguay, or Venezuela, you don't need a visa to enter Mexico, although you must present a valid passport and fill out an immigration form for tourists and business trips, which can be obtained in travel agencies, airlines or at the point where you enter Mexico. Once your paper has been accepted as an oral or poster presentation and/or you have decided to attend as a delegate and require a letter of invitation, please contact the Conference directly (dreyfus@cicese.mx).
Invited Speakers
Professor N.J.Ouborg, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
"'State of the art in ecogenomics and
implications for ecoinformatics"
and
Giles Foody, University of Nottingham, UK.
"From large-scale patterns to small-scale ecology: Ecoinformatics based
on remote sensing and GIS"
Excursion
On the 5th of December as it is already a tradition by ISEI conferences, all participants are welcomed to visit the Maya ruins of Chichen Itza (called recently one of the new “seven wonders of the world”).
This day trip will start early in the morning by bus (a few hours to the ruins) we will have a guided visit and lunch, returning to Cancun by the evening.
This trip is free for all registered participants.
Program
The Conference Program includes listings of all oral paper and poster sessions and their times during ISEI6.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.