The PI of this project requests support to pay part of the cost for participants attending the 8th Cyanobacterial Molecular Biology Workshop. This workshop is to be held in Ste. Adele, Quebec, August 25-29, 2004. Funds are to be used to cover partial expenses for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and other junior scientists whose roles as session chairs and speakers comprise the majority of the program. Additionally, travel cost for four invited seminar speakers are requested. This workshop is the main conference in North America focused on molecular aspects of physiology, photosynthesis nitrogen fixation, and ecology in cyanobactera. This conference traditionally attracts up to 120 participants from the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The 2004 Workshop will be held as a satellite meeting to the International Photosynthesis Congress in Montreal, which commences immediately following the Workshop. A factor in scheduling the conference at this time was to help keep conference cost affordable rather than holding it at its previous location in Asilomar State Park California. The workshop will be divided into session focuses on: Nitrogen Fixation and Heterocyst Differentiation, Photosynthesis and Photosynthetic Complexes, Carbon Fixation & Concentration Mechanisms, Stress Responses and Ecological Aspects. Four invited speakers will provide overview of many of the chosen areas. The program, however, relies largely on junior scientists as the main participants. A goal of the project is to attract their attendance by lowering their financial burden. The program is to be assembled to allow maximum participation by women and underrepresented minorities.
