General Information

Meetings will be held at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.
During presentations, please turn off all cell phones or set them to vibrate.

Use the Roommate Finder to get in contact with other JMIH attendees that are looking to share a room and reduce costs! It is an excellent way to network, save money, and add value to the overall conference. We do not automatically assign roommates. After you have found a suitable roommate, you will then need to make reservations on your own.

*Note: Neither Burk & Associates Meetings nor its representatives nor the organizers for the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists are vetting anyone that adds themselves to the roommate finder list. This is simply a vehicle for individuals to communicate with each other. Room sharing is solely the responsibility and risk of those that choose to participate.*

At the 1997 meetings in Seattle, it was decided that the Environmental Quality Committee (now the Conservation Committee) would develop recommendations to minimize the environmental impact of the Society’s activities. The committee has developed a list of possible actions relating to the annual meeting that can be implemented with minimal inconvenience to the organizing committee and to the membership at large. Many of these suggested actions are dependent on a decision by the Society as to whether and how much members are willing to trade off convenience for cost in the process of reducing environmental impacts (fortunately, many proposed actions are actually money-savers). Our objective in these “greening” efforts is to fulfill the general mission of the annual meeting in the most efficient, environmentally sound, and economic manner possible. For additional information about the ASIH Conservation Committee, contact Frank McCormick.

This year’s efforts in greening the meeting will include:

• Eliminate disposable plastic products to every extent possible.
• Use clip-on name tags that can be recycled. The name tag will be clipped to a recycled lanyard.
• Eliminate the meeting bag.

Casual dress is appropriate throughout the meeting. For comfort in the air-conditioned meeting rooms, a light jacket or sweater is suggested.

The JMIH Registration Desk is staffed to check in attendees and exhibitors and answer any questions you have regarding the meeting.

Coffee will be served during designated break times.

• St. Paul Restaurants & Bars

As curators at the Bell Museum, Minnesota's state natural history museum, we welcome visits from scientists and researchers attending JMIH 2025 in St. Paul. If you are interested in a collections tour or gaining access to the collections for research or curiosity, please reach out to the relevant curator to schedule a visit. Please keep in mind that the curators will also be attending the meeting and may have more availability outside of the conference dates. You can find collections records through the Arctos database or through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas. An important note: the collections themselves are separated from the public-facing Bell Museum. You will not be able to request or gain access to the collections by going to the Larpenteur Ave. building.

The email addresses are:

• Dr. Kasandra Ford (Curator of Ichthyology & Malacology)
  ford0411@umn.edu
• Dr. Ken Kozak (Curator of Herpetology)
  kozak016@umn.edu

If you intend to do any sampling or collection of amphibians or reptiles in Minnesota, you will need to obtain state permits. Plan to apply for these permits at least 3 - 6 weeks in advance of your activities.

You will need to obtain a research permit for non-game species (download the application from the MN DNR website). You will also need additional permits depending on where you plan to sample (see below).

• State Parks and Trails?
• Scientific and Natural Areas?
• Wildlife Management Areas or Aquatic Management Areas? You’ll need to contact the fisheries or wildlife office responsible for that WMA.
• MN State Forest, or other MN DNR Forestry-administered lands?

If you aren’t sure who manages the area where you plan to work, you can find additional information via the MN DNR’s Scientific Research website.

A message or job board will be located near registration.

A room will be available Wednesday-Sunday at the Convention Center for your use. There will be a small fridge and microwave available.

Review information about dates and locations for future meetings.

23-26 July 2026
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel
New Orleans, LA