May 23–25, 2022
Terlingua Ranch Headquarters, Brewster County, Texas
The objective of the Christmas Mountains Research Symposium is to increase public and scientific understanding of the ecology, geology, culture and history of the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem in the Big Bend region of West Texas and Mexico and to promote interactions among university researchers, agency personnel, and interested private landowners.
Our eighth two-day symposium will feature presentations by students and faculty from universities in the Texas State University System, but welcomes contributions from researchers and interested individuals at other universities, federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and residents of the area who have investigated aspects of the region’s ecology, geology, culture and history. Presenters should plan to give a 12-minute talk followed by three minutes of questions and discussion. Powerpoint presentations will be supported, but are not required.
The symposium will begin with an evening social and optional dinner on Monday, May 23rd. Each of the two following days will have field trips scheduled in the morning and presentations in the afternoon. The symposium will close with a dinner Wednesday evening, May 25th. Participants may wish to depart on Thursday, May 26th, but are welcome to stay and spend more time exploring the area on their own. A modest registration fee will cover the social, dinners on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, daily refreshments, snacks, etc. Other meals can be purchased on site.
The official call for symposium abstracts will be issued in late March and online registration will also open at that time. If you plan to attend the symposium, you may wish to make lodging reservations early to assure availability.
Accommodations at Terlingua Ranch include 32 motel-style cabin rooms (two double beds), RV hookups, and campsites; visit terlinguaranch.com for more information on facilities and rates. A block of rooms has been reserved for the symposium and reservations can be made by contacting the Terlingua Ranch Office (432.371.3146). There are also other motel options, bed-and-breakfast accommodations and house and cabin rentals in the area. The Bad Rabbit Café, a full-service restaurant, is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
For more information, feel free to contact the symposium organizer, David Lemke, by phone (512.245.3364) or email (david.lemke@txstate.edu).