Dear Friends:
On behalf of the ICGI steering committee, I am writing to update you on the status of our biennial research conference. Originally, our ICGI International Research Conference was scheduled for fall 2020 in Rehovot, Israel with Professor Yehoshua (Shuki) Saranga graciously agreeing to lead the local organizing committee. In January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and we were forced to postpone the conference to a later date. Since that time, the steering committee and Prof. Saranga's team has been in continual contact to discuss how to best navigate the ongoing situation.
During 2021, at the beginning of the Delta variant surge and prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant, we decided to tentatively re-schedule the conference for May/June 2022. Very recently, although the pandemic is easing in most parts of the world, we determined that all of the direct (health and safety) and indirect (travel restrictions) impacts of the current situation prohibit ICGI from holding the conference in 2022.
As such, this is our plan moving forward.
1. We will tentatively plan to hold the ICGI research conference in 2024. Prof. Saranga and his team will be given the opportunity to host the conference in 2024. The steering committee, in consultation with Prof. Saranga, will make a decision about Israel hosting in 2024 by the end of 2022.
2.
3. In the absence of our biennial research conference, the steering committee is tentatively planning to expand our annual ICGI workshop at PAG in January 2023. The tentative plan is to hold an ICGI business meeting and social/networking event in addition to the traditional scientific program.
Please forward this information to any of your colleagues who might be interested to know about these updates.
On behalf of the steering committee, I want to thank you for your patience during these trying times. We are in unchartered water and learning how to navigate without any prior experience doing so. Please let me know if you have any questions, and be on the lookout for future updates during the remainder of 2022.
Regards,
Todd
___________________________________
B. Todd Campbell, Ph.D.
Research Geneticist
Chair, International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI)
USDA-ARS, Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center
2611 West Lucas St.
Florence, SC 29501
Phone: 1-843-496-3751
___________________________________
This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
Dear ICGI members and friends:
Greetings and Happy New Year! As a result of the Omicron variant, spike in COVID-19 cases worldwide, and associated travel difficulties, the 2022 ICGI workshop at PAG has been postponed until 2023.
On behalf of your ICGI leadership, I would like to thank you once again for your patience during these challenging times. Although the last two years have been extremely difficult for us to get together, I am optimistic that 2022 will become more 'normal' and we will once again be able to meet again in person to share recent advances in cotton genetics, genomics, and improvement.
Best wishes for success and good health in 2022! Be on the lookout for updates regarding the 2022 ICGI Research conference coming soon.
Regards,
Todd
___________________________________
B. Todd Campbell, Ph.D.
Research Geneticist
Chair, ICGI
USDA-ARS, Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center
2611 West Lucas St.
Florence, SC 29501
Phone: 1-843-496-3751
___________________________________
This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
Dear ICGI members and colleagues:
Due to the continued global COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on travel, the ICGI Research Conference scheduled for February 2022 will be postponed. Please note that we hope to reschedule the Israel conference for a later date in 2022.
The ICGI Steering Committee, in coordination with Prof. Saranga in Israel, will re-assess plans for the conference in early 2022. Please be on the lookout for updated information as soon as an alternate date has been selected.
In the meantime, if you are able, please plan to attend the 2022 ICGI workshop at PAG. Please see the official PAG 2022 website (https://www.intlpag.org/2022/) for registration information, attendee safety/well-being plans, and preliminary schedules.
On behalf of your ICGI steering committee, I want to thank you for your patience and understanding. We have certainly faced challenges and uncertainties over the last two years. We will continue to update you as decisions are made regarding our international research conference. I wish you continued good health and productive cotton research!!
Regards,
Todd
___________________________________
B. Todd Campbell, Ph.D.
Research Geneticist
Chair, ICGI
USDA-ARS, Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center
2611 West Lucas St.
Florence, SC 29501
Phone: 1-843-496-3751
___________________________________
This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
Greetings to all ICGI members!
This is the call for those who desire to present a talk (or nominate a speaker) at the upcoming PAG-ICGI Workshop being held in January, 2022, at Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California, USA (The exact time not yet available). For information on PAG 2022 COVID-19 policies and procedures, please visit https://intlpag.org/2022/attend/covid-policy .
At this time, we solicit volunteers and nominations for PAG-ICGI Workshop Speakers. The speakers will be selected from the submitted and nominated talks if the request is received by Friday, October 15, 2021. Please email xlzhang(a)mail.hzau.edu.cn<mailto:xlzhang@mail.hzau.edu.cn> your request (or nomination) to present at the PAG-ICGI Workshop by October 15, 2021! Each selected workshop speaker will receive an email, after acceptance, with instructions regarding submission of their workshop abstract.
This year we anticipate 5-6 regular speaking slots (20 minutes each).
Please follow the instructions below for volunteering yourself or nominating a possible speaker.
A. Instructions for submitting your volunteered topic and draft abstract:
Send an email with the following SUBJECT LINE: 2022 PAG-ICGI Workshop candidate abstract, to xlzhang(a)mail.hzau.edu.cn<mailto:xlzhang@mail.hzau.edu.cn>
In your email, please include the following components:
1. Presenter (Your name): Family name, First name
Institutional affiliation: ______
2. Email address(es), separated by a comma.
3. List of co-authors (draft):
4. Abstract (draft) -- follow guidelines for PAG, please
5. Prioritize the ICGI workgroups to which your work relates most closely (top)
Applied Genomics and Breeding
Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics
Functional Genomics
Germplasm & Genetic Stocks
Structural Genomics
B. Instructions for nominating someone else as a prospective speaker:
[1] Confer with the person you think would be an appropriate speaker about availability, their desire to speak (20 minutes) at the workshop, prospective topic title, and willingness if selected to provide a finalized abstract to PAG. It would be important to inform that individual that PAG provides no support for travel or any other expenses for workshop speakers. Speakers must register for the conference and confirm the travel plan. International travelers requiring a visa should allow sufficient time to obtain one.
[2] If the person you wish to nominate confirms their interest, send an email containing with the following SUBJECT LINE: 2022 PAG-ICGI Workshop speaker nomination, to xlzhang(a)mail.hzau.edu.cn<mailto:xlzhang@mail.hzau.edu.cn>
In your email, please explain why this person and topic are well suited to the ICGI workshop.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM PAG TO PROSPECTIVE WORKSHOP SPEAKERS:
Once speakers are added to the workshop, each speaker will be sent an automated email with instructions how to login and post their individual workshop abstract. This form will include an option and instructions for submitting a poster abstract as well. All speakers must register for the conference.
--------------------------------------------
ANTICIPATED TIMELINE FOR CHOOSING WORKSHOP SPEAKERS
We will attempt to arrive at decisions by October 25, 2022, for everyone to finalize and submit their abstract.
Thanks,
Xianlong Zhang
Organizer
2022 PAG-ICGI Workshop
Dear ICGI members and friends:
As a result of the ongoing global, COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 ICGI Research Conference will be postponed with a plan to hold a blended (in person and virtual) ICGI conference from February 27-March 4, 2022 in Rehovot, Israel.
We will consult with Prof Saranga and the local organizers who will provide an update on the status of the COVID-19 situation in Israel by the last week of October 2021. We will also consider the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on international travel.
No later than October 31, 2021, the ICGI steering committee will make a decision to: 1) proceed with the conference as planned (February 27 - March 4, 2022) or 2) organize a virtual ICGI conference to be held sometime in 2022.
Regards,
Todd
___________________________________
B. Todd Campbell, Ph.D.
Overall Chair, ICGI 2021-2023
Research Geneticist
USDA-ARS, Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center
2611 West Lucas St.
Florence, SC 29501
Phone: 1-843-496-3751
___________________________________
This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
Dear ICGI members,
Election for ICGI co-chairs has been completed and election report is attached. The current co-chairs ascend to the Chair positions (see attached ICGI office, 2021-2023).
Thank you for your nomination, voting and support for ICGI work. Thank Jing Yu for her to conduct many hard works in this election.
Congratulation for newly elected ICGI co-chairs.
We all believe ICGI will make greater success in the future under the leadership of new ICGI Steering Committee.
Tianzhen Zhang, Chair, ICGI
Dr.Tianzhen Zhang
Distinguished Professor
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University
Hanzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
Tel./Fax: +86 571 88982971
E.mail: cotton(a)zju.edu.cn
Dear all ICGI members,
Because the membership has voted for the ICGI Overall and Workgroup Co-Chairs is less than 50% by 1 March, Per ICGI CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS, the voting will be extended by two weeks and closed at midnight (12 AM) of March 14 PST time. At the end of this additional period, the election will be declared valid.
I urge you TO VOTE as soon as possible.
Thank you in advance.
Tianzhen Zhang, Chair, ICGI
Dr.Tianzhen Zhang
Distinguished Professor
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University
Hanzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
Tel./Fax: +86 571 88982971
E.mail: cotton(a)zju.edu.cn
Dear all ICGI members,
Our biennial elections for the ICGI Overall and Workgroup Co-Chairs have started since February 10 and will be closed at midnight (12 AM) of March 1 PST time. Per ICGI CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS, “the election is determined to be valid when 50% of the membership has voted. In the event that less than 50% of the membership has voted by 1 March, the voting will be extended by two weeks”. Therefore, I remind you again TO VOTE as soon as possible.
Thank you in advance.
Chair, ICGI
Dr.Tianzhen Zhang
Distinguished Professor
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University
Hanzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
Tel./Fax: +86 571 88982971
E.mail: cotton(a)zju.edu.cn
Dear all ICGI members,
Our biennial elections for the ICGI Overall and Workgroup Co-Chairs have started since February 10 and will be closed at midnight (12 AM) of March 1 PST time. Per ICGI CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS, “the election is determined to be valid when 50% of the membership has voted. In the event that less than 50% of the membership has voted by 1 March, the voting will be extended by two weeks”. Therefore, I remind you TO VOTE as soon as possible.
Thank you in advance.
Chair, ICGI
Dr.Tianzhen Zhang
Distinguished Professor
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University
Hanzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
Tel./Fax: +86 571 88982971
E.mail: cotton(a)zju.edu.cn