The 2022 SMEP Annual Meeting will be held October 12-15, 2022 in beautiful Monterey, CA at the Hyatt Regency.

Attending Via Zoom?

SMEP members who wish to attend via Zoom, please see the program in the FileDepot section of this website for Zoom link. Also, please ensure your name is displayed on your Zoom account so we know who you are and can let you into the meeting.

Information for Presenters

Regular presentations should be 15 minutes + 10 minutes for questions.

Awards talks should be 45-50 minutes + 10-15 minutes for questions.

Given the complexity of audio/video connection required by this year's hybrid conference format, presenters should plan to have their talk available electronically (e.g., by depositing it in FileDepot) and use the common presentation laptop to be provided.

Conference Details

Presenters, please upload a pdf file of your talk to FileDepot (when logged into this site) to be shared with the membership. Students may email jonathan-templin@uiowa.edu a pdf file of their posters for upload.

Given the meeting’s hybrid format, we recommend bringing a device by which you can access zoom even while attending the conference in person. This will allow you to better see the screen and to also participate in the chat (which will also be used to collect questions about the presentations).

Masks and rapid tests for Covid will be available at the conference registration desk. Attendees should plan to test each morning and to wear a mask when indoors (and not actively presenting or eating/drinking). Although food will be set up inside, there should also be some outdoor space available for gathering and eating.

The first event is on Wednesday, October 12th, from 5pm-7pm and will be a reception with drinks and snacks. The last event is on Saturday, October 15th which is the banquet (cocktail hour at 5:30pm; dinner at 6:30pm)

Breakfast (7:30–9:00) and lunch (11:45–12:45) will be provided Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Dinner on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday is on your own.

Water, coffee, and tea should be available all day long. No additional food will be served during the morning breaks (10:00–10:30), but snacks will be provided at the afternoon poster sessions (Thursday 3:30-4:30; Friday 3:00-4:00).

We have asked the hotel to provide (and label) food options that are vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free, but attendees with dietary restrictions may want to bring their own options as a back-up.

Hotel Details

Hotel Website: Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course

The SMEP banquet will be held outdoors (weather permitting). Additionally, there are places outside where guests can eat any meals they bring outdoors.

Travel to Monterey, California

Getting Here (from See Monterey): https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/getting-here/

Please note, the hotel offers transportation to/from the Monterey Airport. To reserve space on the shuttle, please contact the hotel at +1-831-372-1234 and provide your name, air carrier, and flight number.

COVID Mitigation Policy

To help provide a relatively safe environment for SMEP members and guests, masks and rapid tests will be provided to all participants when they pick up their registration materials at the meeting information table. In-person participants in the 2022 SMEP annual meeting agree to:

1. Take a rapid COVID test daily and not attend the meeting or events in person if the test result is positive
2. Wear KN-95/N95/FFP2/KF-94 face masks (covering the mouth and nose) during all conference events that are indoors, including the main meeting room, poster and reception rooms, and adjoining hallways to the meeting room. There are two exceptions to this policy:

• While speaking when providing a presentation
• When eating or drinking

2022 SMEP Annual Conference Format

Due to uncertainties regarding COVID and travel, SMEP will feature a hybrid format this year. SMEP members can choose to attend in person or virtually.