Congresses of Vertebrate Morphology are held every three years in order to allow scientists who work on the morphology, sensu lato, of vertebrates to share research and learn techniques, while perhaps gaining new insight into their own systems. By bringing together leaders and innovators and students of complimentary subdisciplines, new syntheses and integration are likely to occur. Because of the participation of members of the Congress from many different countries, perspectives about research itself, and the styles of conduct of the scientific enterprise in different countries can be shared, increasing understanding of the global enterprise. The 9th Congress will be held in Latin America for the first time, and will facilitate greater participation of colleagues from that part of the world, and new international collaborations may well develop.
The Congress will involve established researchers as well as younger scholars. The plenary lectures and the symposia are structured so that a great diversity and broad scope of approaches, techniques, and taxa are considered. This will encourage exciting discussion, collaborations and syntheses, and integration of formerly separate subfields of biology and the physical sciences, as has occurred in previous such congresses with the initiation of 'evo-devo'. In addition we will provide to the membership a workshop that will introduce organismal biologists to 3-D x-ray techniques. Thus the Congress will have unique intellectual merit in providing excellent science to a wide range of biologists and facilitating extensive discussion among international scientists. Reports on the Congress and research discussions will be posted on the ISVM website, which will be maintained long after the Congress ends in order to allow communication.
Broader impacts - In addition to the broader impacts outlined above relating to (1) integration and communication of research, (2) enhancement of research infrastructure through the encouragement of partnerships and collaborations, and (3) broad dissemination of research, we seek to broaden the participation colleagues from many countries whose participation has been limited at previous Congresses, and to encourage the involvement of young scholars from the US so that their understanding of international science is enhanced. We specifically encourage the participation of younger scholars, and of women, while welcoming an internationally and experientially diverse group of participants, which will expand the US science enterprise of the near future.
