Participant Information

Registration is Now Open! Register Now

Deadline to register online is Monday, June 17; on-site registration will be available at UC Davis in the Conference Center.

You may register online, or by mail via a printable form. Go to http://conferences.ucdavis.edu/asle and click either Register Online or Register by Mail links.

The conference registration fees are:

$160 (early bird rate) if received by April 15 and $185 if received after that date.

Student/Independent/Scholars with finanical need $80 (early bird rate) if received by April 15, $105 if received after that date.

Presenters must register for the conference and pay membership fees by May 15 or your name will be removed from the program and you will not be able to present at the conference. The registration fee includes all conference sessions, program materials, receptions, and cultural crawl. You may also wish to register for optional workshops, residence hall lodging, field trips, closing picnic dinner, t-shirts and donations.

Please Note: ASLE policy is currently to discourage virtual participation at our biennial conferences except in extraordinary circumstances. These would include medical emergencies or physical barriers to attendance, but not lack of funding or scheduling conflicts. If you wish to request and exception to the policy, please write us at asleconference2019@gmail.com.

Confirmation: If you register online, you will receive a receipt for payment at the email address you provide. If you mail registration, an email will be sent to you to confirm receipt once received.

Additions to your registration: The email receipt you receive for your original registration will read: “To add something to your registration, please go to https://ces.ucdavis.edu/confreg/reg_login/?confid=1047. You will need the registration number from this receipt, located in the upper right corner.” Use this information to append items to your registration.

Membership in ASLE: All presenters must be members of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE) and/or one of its international affiliated organizations (see https://www.asle.org/join-our-community/asle-around-the-world/) by May 15. ASLE membership and online registration form can be found here. Membership in ASLE has many benefits beyond conference registration and is non-refundable. To check the status of your membership email info@asle.org.

Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be received in writing no later than May 21, 2019. Cancellations received after this date will not be refunded. Cancellations received prior to this date will be refunded minus a $40 non-refundable administrative processing fee. Cancellation should be e-mailed to events@ucdavis.edu. No changes to residence hall reservations accepted after May 21. Refunds for changes made to reservations that are not full cancellations (for example, field trip tickets) can generally be made in full until May 21. Questions? Email us at asleconference2019@gmail.com.

Lodging:
All lodging is on a first come, first served basis and may fill up. Full information for all housing options is found at: https://www.asle.org/conference/biennial-conference/travel-and-stay/ (click the appropriate tab)

Conference Hotel Blocks: ASLE has small conference blocks at several hotels, and information on reserving those and other nearby hotels is listed on the Travel and Stay page.

On-Campus Housing: Residence hall housing packages are available at UC Davis, and booking is through the conference registration form. For more information about the on-campus accommodations in Segundo and Tercero, please see the link on the Travel and Stay page.

The second page of the registration form has a field where you may request specific people you wish to be housed near.

Options are as follows:
• Package 1: Check in Tuesday, June 25, check out Monday, July 1 (6 nights) COST: $420
(Note: Only 100 rooms are available for late check-out, and only in Segundo Housing)

• Package 2: Check in Tuesday, June 25, check out Sunday, June 30 (5 nights) COST: $350

• Package 3: Check in Wednesday, June 26, check out Sunday, June 30 (4 nights) COST: $280

• Package 4: Check in Wednesday, June 26, check out Saturday, June 29 (3 nights) COST: $210

UC Davis requires ASLE to submit names and packages for residence hall reservations more than a month prior to the conference. Therefore, you must book your room by May 15 to be included on the roster. This also means we CANNOT give refunds for canceled or changed reservations after May 21 as they will bill based on advance reservations.

Workshops/Seminars (Wed, June 26 and Sunday, June 30, 9am-1pm):
Because each session is limited in participants, before registering and paying the $20 fee you must email us at asleconference2019@gmail.com to check availability and confirm your ability to register for workshops and seminars. Several workshops are already full, including Affective Ecocriticism, Graduate Student Writing, Public Environmental Humanities, and Using Maps Paying is the final step in registering for these workshops. Descriptions are found at https://www.asle.org/conference/biennial-conference/schedule-and-events/

Field Trips (Various Dates/Times):
We have moved the longer trips to the end of the conference (Sunday, June 30); however, as not everyone can stay till the end, we are sprinkling some shorter trips in on the other days as well. NOTE: Most trips on June 27-29 overlap slightly with concurrent sessions, though many of them are on campus or very close by—so, please check the program for conflicts before enrolling!

Space in trips is limited, and filled on a first come, first served basis. No more than one trip per day please, preferably one per conference to give others a chance to participate. Waitlists will be kept, in the event openings arise. For field trip descriptions, please see the Schedule and Events page. Bus transportation will be provided for all off-campus events. You take part in these trips at your own risk, and you will be required to sign a waiver form to participate.

Closing Picnic Dinner (Saturday, June 29, 7-9pm): This casual outdoor event will feature food trucks and a cash bar. Tickets are $25 for conference participants and their guests, and may be purchased during registration. We plan to include vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.

Conference Shirts: Pre-orders for organic cotton T-shirts will be accepted through May 15; after that date, a limited number will be available at on-site registration; $4 per shirt will be donated to a charity assisting with wildfire damage.

Donations:
California Wildfires Fund: All donations collected will be matched by ASLE and sent to the California Wildfire Reforestation Fund-National Forest Foundation: Every dollar donated plants one tree in a National Forest burned by wildfire in California. This year’s version of carbon offsets.

Scholars in Need Travel Fund: We welcome donations to help fund scholars in need with travel awards.

ASLE Conference Travel Awards

Funding Amount: Ten awards of $500 each will be given.

Deadline to Apply: March 10, 2019

Purpose: The purpose of the travel award is to substantively support members who are in precarious employment or students, who lack institutional funding, and who can reasonably demonstrate that an award will make attending the conference possible. Relatedly, another purpose is to support members whose presence contributes to ASLE’s mission of “promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility on behalf of the membership.”

Eligibility: Eligibility requires that an applicant:
• is a member of ASLE (or an international ASLE affiliate, for example ASLE-Korea, see full list here)
• has not previously received an ASLE Conference Travel Award
• has an official role to play at the conference (in order of priority: presenting an accepted paper or reading, attending a pre-conference workshop, chairing a panel)
• demonstrates financial need
• preference will be given to applicants of international, student, independent, or contingent/adjunct status.

To Apply: To apply, please go to Submittable. The following items will be required:
• Your current status and professional affiliation, the type and title of your presentation, panel or seminar, and contact information
• A brief statement that includes an explanation of your role(s) in the conference program, and whether your paper/panel has been accepted.
• An explanation (250 words maximum) of how your attendance contributes to ASLE’s Strategic Plan, specifically goals 2-5, which explicitly seek to support economic and demographic inclusivity, students, and international members.
• A detailed estimate of the budgeted cost for you of attending the conference, and any other anticipated funding that you expect to receive from other sources.

Applicants will be notified of decisions on the awards by the end of the day on March 31, 2019.

Help Support this Award!
ASLE members who can help us build this fund are encouraged to do so, either by donating during conference registration or at the ASLE website or sending a check made out to ASLE to the address below.

Amy McIntyre, Managing Director
ASLE
P.O. Box 502
Keene, NH 03431

GRADUATE STUDENT PAPER AWARDS

ASLE will once again honor the best work of graduate students with two awards for presentations made at its 2019 conference. The awards will be presented at the Authors’ Reception on June 27.

• Two awardees will be chosen from the submissions of eligible work.
• Both scholarly papers in ecocriticism and environmental creative writing (any genre) by a graduate student presented at the conference are eligible for the awards.
• Those submitting papers must be presenting at the conference, be members of ASLE or an international affiliate, and should have been enrolled as a graduate student at some time within the previous seven months.
• Both awards include a prize of $100 and publication in ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment.

NOTE: The paper that is submitted for the awards must be essentially the same paper that is presented at the conference. Longer works abbreviated for “jam” sessions are eligible, but the complete work should be submitted for consideration. Submissions longer than 12 double-spaced pages (works cited excluded) will not be accepted.

Papers must be submitted as an email attachment in a standard format (doc, docx, or pdf) no later than May 13, 2019.

Send entries to Award Coordinator Nicholas Bradley at nbradley@uvic.ca

BOOK AWARDS

The Association for the Study of Literature and Environment will present its biennial book awards at its 2019 conference. Two awards are given, one for creative and one for ecocriticism titles, and include a prize of $500. The awards will be presented at the Authors’ Reception on June 27. Deadline to submit was January 7, 2019.

Read more: Book and Paper Awards Page

The host committee is offering local, regional and national businesses who might want to participate various sponsorship opportunities at the conference. If you or an organization you know would be interested in benefitting from a sponsorship opportunity, please contact Nicole Seymour and Kristin George Bagdanov, at nicole.elizabeth.seymour@gmail.com

Mentoring Sessions:

For many years the generosity of ASLE members who’ve worked with junior scholars has enriched their intellectual and creative lives. The program needs volunteers for Individual Mentoring Sessions during the conference. These one-hour meetings offer mentees an opportunity to ask specific questions of mentors: preparing for the job market, working conditions at small and large institutions, the relationship between scholarship and teaching, non-academic work options. If you can serve as, or want to meet with, a mentor please contact ASLE Mentoring Program co-coordinators Elizabeth Dodd (edodd@ksu.edu) and Erin James (ejames@uidaho.edu) with the following information: Your name, institution, rank, your areas of expertise, and when you are available at the conference to schedule a time to meet.

There is also a mentoring social mixer on June 27 from 6:30 – 8pm at Bistro 33, 226 F St.

Child Care and Nursing:

While ASLE cannot provide formal conference child care, we have gathered the following information.

Daycare for Preschoolers
The LaRue Park Child Development Center and Russell Park Child Development Center, Operated by Campus Child Care Inc may have availability. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Please contact Tanya Chordas, Director, directly at tdchordas@ucdavis.edu or 530-753-2487. She has indicated that she should have several openings for the week of the conference.

Day Camps
For older children, the City of Davis has a number of summer day camps that week, and there is still availability for some of them. See their website for details.

Lactation Facilities
UC Davis does have lactation rooms that can be utilized by conference guests; individuals need to register in advance to receive access to the rooms. Please visit https://worklife-wellness.ucdavis.edu/departments/worklife-wellness/breastfeeding for more information and for the link to register to use these facilities.

Please email us at info@asle.org if you have questions.

Many of your questions can be answered by consulting this conference website, so please look here first! If that does not do the trick:

Please direct questions about registration to UC Davis Conferences, events@ucdavis.edu.

Please direct all conference program inquiries to asleconference2019@gmail.com

For UC Davis site-related queries, please contact conference site host Mike Ziser at mgziser@ucdavis.edu

For ASLE membership inquiries, please contact Amy McIntyre, ASLE Managing Director, at info@asle.org

2019 Conference Social Media:
We will post some updates and events to ASLE’s main Facebook page , but we also have an ASLE 2019 Conference Event Page, a more focused place to post and communicate with people attending, so we encourage you to RSVP to follow it. Twitter hashtag for the conference is #asle2019.

Do I need to become a member of ASLE to attend the conference?
You need to become a member if you are a presenter or appear on the program, but do not if you are just planning on attending.

Are remote or virtual presentations allowed?
ASLE policy is currently to discourage virtual participation at our biennial conferences except in extraordinary circumstances. These would include medical emergencies or physical barriers to attendance, but not lack of funding or scheduling conflicts. If you wish to request and exception to the policy, please write us at asleconference2019@gmail.com.

Sustainability

UC Davis is third in the world and first in the US for campus sustainability. UC Davis is known for its commitment to the environment, locally and globally. This is reflected in the teaching, research and dedication to sustainability on campus. See the 2018 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings

Accessibility

ASLE recognizes that sustainability relies on three pillars: ecological, economic, and social justice. We are therefore committed to creating a conference in which all people can participate, and which disrupts the social construction of dis/ability along with other social injustices. In accordance with our Access Guidelines the following are some of the ways in which ASLE will support access at the 2019 conference in Davis:

1. Fully ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible accommodations will be available at:

Hyatt Place UC Davis
Aggie Inn
Best Western Palm Court Hotel
University Park Inn and Suites
Best Western University Lodge
The Vine Inn
Days Inn Davis
Hallmark Inn

2. All plenary sessions, concurrent sessions, receptions, seminars, workshops, and film screenings will be wheelchair accessible. Accessible washrooms will be available near to all plenary sessions and receptions, and we are endeavoring to schedule all other sessions in buildings that also have these facilities.

3. Participants requesting ASL or visual aids at workshops, seminars, interest groups, and/or concurrent sessions are asked to contact asleconference2019@gmail.com a month prior to the conference.

4. All presenters are asked to bring a copy of their presentation (or slides, notes, script, or précis, as appropriate to the form of presentation) to the conference in electronic form. If, with advance notice, a participant requests a copy of the presentation for visual support, we ask that you either provide a USB to that participant or print a copy of the presentation for use during the session (participants must return the hard copy and/or erase the file if requested by the presenter). A designated printer will be available at the conference registration desk for this purpose.

5. Participants with food allergies and sensitivities should contact events@ucdavis.edu at least one month prior to the conference.

6. Leading up to the conference, all panel chairs will be sent guidelines about running sessions to facilitate access, including such issues as chair placement (leaving space for wheelchairs, aisle access) and protocols for presenters to facilitate inclusion of participants requiring visual and other support.

7. There will be accessible field trip options; please contact the ASLE 2019 local organizers for further details at asleconference2019@gmail.com

To request ASL or other support at ASLE 2019, to inquire about food allergies and sensitivities, and for other specific requests concerning support at the conference, please contact events@ucdavis.edu and info@asle.org.

UC Davis takes proactive measures to ensure that structural barriers do not limit program access. All new University buildings or facilities are built in accordance with applicable campus standards, California state building codes and ADA design standards.

See https://accessibility.ucdavis.edu/facilities.html https://www.asle.org/wp-content/uploads/Access-and-Accommodation-ASLE-2019.pdf

A map of gender-neutral, accessible washrooms at UC Davis is available here:
https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/support/restroom

If you have questions or comments about ASLE access policies, please contact Amy McIntyre at info@asle.org.

For all participants:

As you are preparing your panel or presentation, please consider the following recommendations from the ASLE Access Guidelines:

• Speak as clearly and distinctly as possible, but do not shout.

• Use regular speed unless asked to slow down by members of the audience, sign interpreters, or persons using real-time captioning.

• Make eye contact with the audience (as possible) and avoid monotone and/or rushed speech, which can make it difficult for many people to absorb the ideas in a presentation.

• Use a microphone when provided. Microphones should be held (as possible) at a distance from the mouth such that it will pick up your voice while not muffling the sound.

• Do not communicate key information solely in gesture or visual reference.

• Avoid speaking from a darkened area of the room.

• Avoid turning away from the audience while speaking.

• Some people read lips, so the audience should have a direct and clear view of the speaker’s mouth and face.

• Eye contact and comments should be directed to the person who is deaf and not to the sign language interpreter.

• Comments should be addressed directly to participants with disabilities and not to their companions.

• Allow ample time for questions and answers.

• Because microphones often fail to pick up voices in the audience, the chair should always repeat questions or statements made by members of the audience.

• In Q&A or discussions, only one person should speak at a time, and speakers should identify themselves so that audience members will know who is talking.

• ASLE permits the taping/recording of presentations for reasons of accessibility. Those presenters who wish to not be recorded/taped must communicate this to the audience ahead of time.

• Conference participants should refrain from wearing perfumes or scented products as scented products may contain chemicals that can cause problems for people with asthma, allergies, and environmental illness.

Code of Conduct (PDF)

ASLE 2019 Code of Conduct

Please join us in ensuring that the 2019 ASLE biennial conference is a supportive, inclusive, and equitable space for all. We believe that the best problem-solving and critical thinking happens when people with a wide array of experiences and perspectives come together to engage in dialogue, and hold space in these conversations for a diversity of needs and perspectives. We therefore expect participants in the ASLE community to help create thoughtful and respectful environments where that interaction can take place.

Everyone at ASLE has a right to a safe, harassment-free experience. Please let it be known that the conference organizers will not tolerate harassment in any form.

Harassment includes but is not limited to:

● Verbal comments that reinforce damaging social structures of domination (e.g., related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, or religion);
● Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following;
● Sexual pursuit or pressure of intoxicated individuals;
● Unwanted photography or recording;
● Sustained disruption of talks or other events;
● Inappropriate physical contact;
● Unwelcome sexual attention, verbal or physical;
● Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.

Creating a supportive conference environment goes beyond avoiding detrimental actions. To actively enhance the communal nature of ASLE, we suggest:

● Listening as much as you speak;
● Encouraging and yielding the floor to those whose viewpoints may be under-represented in a group;
● Using welcoming language, for instance by honoring pronoun preferences and favoring gender-neutral collective nouns (“people” and “folks” and “y’all” rather than “guys”);
● Accepting critique graciously and offering it constructively;
● Seeking concrete ways to make physical spaces and online resources more universally accessible (e.g. printing access copies, using a microphone, signalling potential triggers to the audience before beginning your talk, asking at the beginning of a session if anyone in the audience needs any visuals to be described);
● Staying alert, as Active Bystanders, to the welfare of those around you.

Freedom of Expression
These policies delineated above are not intended to constrain responsible scholarly or professional discourse and debate. Creative and scholarly exchange can be frank, passionate, and even discomforting. ASLE’s intellectual richness stems from our willingness to engage in contentious conversations, tackle stubborn assumptions, discuss uncomfortable facts, and explore sharp differences in values and visions. We are committed to free and open debate, and recognize each participant’s right to freedom of expression. ASLE is also known for its personal closeness, warm friendships, and humor within and beyond academic dialogue. We do not want this to change, and believe that fostering greater awareness of others will only increase these characteristics.

We believe strongly that creating generative spaces for difficult conversations is contingent upon the respect and wellbeing of all. Words and actions that harm ASLE’s collegiality have no place here.

How to Report Harassment
For the 2019 Biennial Conference, ASLE will primarily rely on the support services provided by UC Davis, and reminds all participants that as visitors on the campus we are guided by their policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment, which can be found here.

In addition, ASLE-appointed advocates are available if you wish to report an incident internally and request assistance at any point during the conference. The advocates will assist by helping connect complainants with desired services and support, helping them feel safe, and listening. Please note that ASLE advocates will not advise or investigate on their own. They will facilitate bringing the matter to the Executive Council if the complainant wishes.

The advocates for the 2019 conference are: Lilace Mellin Guignard, Anthony Lioi, and Andrea Casals. They can be reached by calling or texting 570-230-7906.

RESOURCES
In case of emergency phone 911 or campus police emergency line 530-752-1230
Campus police non-emergency line: 530-752-1727

UC Davis Police Safe Rides (it’s free!) 530-754-COPS (2677)
• 7 days a week 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on campus to another on campus location
• 7 Days a week 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on campus location pick up to any location in the city of Davis (Unitrans not running during this time period)
• Wheelchair transportation 24/7 between campus locations

24 Hour on-call victim advocate: 866-515-0155
Center for Advocacy, Resources, and Education (CARE); 1 Shields Avenue, UC Davis campus
• trained victim advocates for those sexually assaulted within the past 5 days

Anonymous Call Line 530-747-3865 or Main Line 530 747-3864
Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program
207 Third Street, #210, Davis, CA 95616
• assisting individuals and campus units to resolve conflicts and complaints related to harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence and hate and bias.
• serving as the central office for receiving reports and maintaining records of these types of complaints.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual Resources Center
(530) 752-2452

UC Davis Online Reporting Option: http://reporthateandbias.ucdavis.edu

If you would prefer to wait until after the conference, or not to contact ASLE staff and leadership in person or by phone, you may write to Amy McIntyre, Managing Director, ASLE, P.O. Box 502, Keene, NH 03431. All reports and inquiries will be handled in confidence.

ASLE participants who are approached about harassing or intimidating behaviors are expected to listen non-defensively and cease those actions immediately. Those who continue to violate our code of conduct may be warned, sanctioned, or expelled at the discretion of the organizers.
We value your presence and constructive participation in our shared community, and thank you for your attention to the comfort, safety, and well-being of everyone at ASLE.

ASLE’s code of conduct was created in conversation with, and borrows phrases with permission from, the Babel 17 Code of Conduct, the DLF Code of Conduct, and the UBC Freedom of Expression Draft Statement.