KHS Annual Meeting co-hosted with MWPARC, 7 - 9th November!

[Jennifer Lamb]

Register for the 52nd KHS Annual Meeting, co-hosted with MWPARC, in Manhattan, Kansas!

KHS President Kelly Kluthe and the rest of the KHS Executive Council are excited to open registration for the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Kansas Herpetological Society! MWPARC will host pre-conference workshops, a business meeting, and MWPARC Task Team meetings on Friday before the traditional KHS festivities begin! 

This year's meeting will be held 7-9 November at the DoubleTree Hotel in Manhattan, KS. 

Registration: 

Register by midnight (PST) on 9 October to receive a discount. Register here!

Early Student Registration: $20

Early Regular Registration: $45

Full Student Registration: $30

Full Regular Registration: $60

Friday Workshops:

MWPARC is enthusiastically hosting two pre-conference workshops on Friday, 7 November from 2-5pm. Student cost is $25 and Professional cost is $35. Click here for workshop registration. Registration for the full weekend is not required, but we'll be sad if you leave early. 

Workshop 1: Community outreach project development: How to develop and implement conservation projects in your community. 

Led by: Dr. Nicole Palenske Ladner (Department of Natural Sciences, Central College) and Dreux Watermolen (Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources) 

Are you interested in learning more about how to educate your community by studying herps in their natural environment? Join our workshop to explore how you can study live animals in both education and community outreach. We will explore Community Citizen Science development and explore ways that you could try to implement projects in your community. Feel free to bring your laptop – though not required. We’ll provide some worksheets on how you could create a project of your own.

Workshop 2: Getting started with ecological niche modeling/species distribution modeling

Led by: Dr. Mona Papes, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee

The development of GIS tools with applications in ecology and evolution has enabled new research avenues. Ecological niche modeling (ENM) used to investigate species’ geographic distributions has generated much interest in the past couple of decades. This workshop will introduce participants to the theoretical aspects of ENM and data inputs in modeling algorithms and will include a demonstration of one modeling algorithm (Maxent). The workshop will close with a discussion about uses and limitations of model outputs (potential distribution maps) to address questions related to species’ ecology, conservation, and biogeography.

2nd Call for Paper and Poster Presentations:

Effective immediately, the KHS is accepting titles for talks and posters to be presented at the meeting. Herpetologists at all levels of expertise are encouraged and urged to give scientific presentations. Please submit titles here. There are limited spaces available, so submit early. Titles are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and are due by noon (CST) on 20 October, 2025. If spaces fill up, KHS will close submissions early. Abstracts are not required.

There will be two poster sessions. Section A will be held Friday evening before the social, and Section B will be held Saturday evening before the Awards Ceremony and Live Auction. Poster presenters will be assigned to either Friday or Saturday evening. Presenters should contact KHS Editor Travis W. Taggart (twta...@fhsu.edu) AND KHS Treasurer Dexter Mardis (treasu...@gmail.com) if they are unable to attend a session and need to ensure scheduling for the other option. Schedule assignments will be communicated once Title Submissions close on 20 October. See below for more information on timing.

Hotel:

The DoubleTree Manhattan by Hilton is a newly remodeled hotel in town. The hotel has set aside a large block of rooms for us at $119/night for Friday and Saturday nights. They have also reserved a smaller block of room for us that will include Thursday night for anyone coming in early to attend MWPARC events.

To reserve a room for Friday/Saturday nights, click here. 

To reserve a room for Thurs/Fri/Sat nights, click here.

Airport: 

For anyone needing to fly, Manhattan does have a small airport close by. Flights from Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth arrive a few times daily. 

Pre-order Meals:

Saturday lunch and Saturday dinner options are available for anyone who doesn't want to rush across town during meal breaks! Options can be selected in the webstore during (or outside of) registration. Deadline to order is Midnight, 9 October. If you have dietary restrictions and would like to explore other options, please reach out to KHS Treasurer Dexter Mardis (treasu...@gmail.com). The DoubleTree is happy to accommodate special requests.

• Saturday lunch- Fiesta Buffet: Ground beef, fajita chicken, flour tortillas, lettuce, shredded cheese, jalapeño, guacamole, sour cream, queso, seasoned black beans, Spanish rice, tortilla chips & salsa, and sopapillas & honey. $17
• Saturday dinner- Midwestern Buffet: Fresh greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, shredded cheese, croutons, Italian & ranch dressings, macaroni and cheese, roast beef, herb roasted chicken, homestyle mashed potatoes, green beans, buttermilk biscuit, and chocolate cake. $27

Awards:

• KHS has numerous awards administered at the conference. See their Awards page for details.
• MWPARC will be offering a one-time Brodman Student Travel Grant to help offset the costs of attending the conference for a MWPARC student member. Stay tuned for details! 

 

Keynote Speaker:

KHS is proud to host Edward Meyers, PhD, California Academy of Sciences for this year's Keynote Address. Stay tuned for more information!

Tentative Conference Schedule at a glance

Friday:

10am-noon: MWPARC Task Team Meetings

1-1:45pm: MWPARC Business Meeting

2-5pm: Preconference Workshops

6:30-8pm: Poster Session A. Snacks, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks provided. Cash bar available as well.

8-9:30pm: Friday Night Social. The above consumables will remain available.

Saturday:

8am: Registration Open. Pastries and coffee offered.

9am: Opening Remarks

9:15am-4:30ish pm: Paper talks. Light snacks and beverages. Lunch option available for pre-order.

5pm: Dinner option available for pre-order.

6-7:30pm: Poster Session B. Snacks, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks provided. Cash bar available as well.

7:30pm: KHS Awards Ceremony

8pm-10pm: KHS Live Auction

Sunday:

8am: Registration Open. Pastries and coffee.

9am-noonish: Paper talks. Light snacks and beverages. 

Noonish: KHS Business Meeting, Officer Elections, and presentation of final awards.

Shortly thereafter: Close of meeting. Disperse.

Have questions? 

If you have specific questions about accomodations, title submission, or similar details, please contact Dexter Mardis (KHS Treasurer; treasu...@gmail.com). If you have questions about MWPARC events, including workshops, on Friday, please contact MWPARC (parcm...@gmail.com).