The official languages of the conference are English, Spanish and Portuguese. All abstracts should be submitted in English. Oral presentations can be in any of the three (3) official languages provided that the PowerPoint slides are in English. Posters should be written in English but could be explained to the audience in any of the three (3) official languages.
The official currency of the conference and the United States is the US dollar. Currency exchange is available at the airport in the first port of entry. Most businesses accept major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) and cash.
USA operates on a 120V supply voltage and 60Hz and outlets are compatible only with two flat parallel pins (with or without a round grounding pin). Please remember to bring an adaptor and/or converter for all your electronics if needed.
A US tourist or business visa might be needed for citizens of certain countries to enter the US. In those cases, the event organizers can provide letters of support to include with the visa application. Attendees are fully responsible for applying and obtaining a proper visa before travelling to the conference. Please visit the Department of State Visa and Travel information page for assistance: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html
Smoking is prohibited on the main Garden grounds and inside all buildings. In St. Louis, smoking is prohibited inside restaurants as well.
Free, public Wi-Fi is available in all areas of the Bayer Event Center where the main scientific program of the conference would be conducted. Other areas of the Garden might not have Wi-Fi capability.
The last month of the summer, August, is also a hot month in St. Louis, Missouri, with average temperature ranging between 69.4°F (20.8°C) and 88°F (31.1°C), with an average heat index at a very hot 100.2°F (37.9°C) and average relative humidity of 70%. Take extra precautions, as heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible.
The status of the current COVID-19 pandemic is hard to predict, but if we need to completely cancel the conference, registration fees will be reimbursed.
We are currently trying to figure out the best way to accommodate all our attendees, whether in-person or online. Within the coming months we would make a decision regarding the availability of the scientific program online.
Requests for registration fee refunds will be honored if received before August 1, 2023 via e-mail to the organizing committee at xivaroidconference@mobot.org. All refunds are subject to a $50.00 processing fee. Refunds will be issued AFTER the conference.
Yes, scientific use of the collections in the Garden’s herbarium, DNA Bank, library and aroid greenhouses before, during and after the conference is allowed and should be arranged well in advance by contacting the organizing committee at xivaroidconference@mobot.org.
For any other questions not answered here, please e-mail the organizing committee at xivaroidconference@mobot.org.