Archives: Events

April 17-19, 2026

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We have an exciting meeting planned for 2026 in Frisco (Dallas), Texas. Join us for 3 days of thought-provoking presentations and discussions!

Thursday evening (optional): April 16, 2026
A low-key get-together for those who come in early enough to say hi! Let’s gather at Hideaway Pizza in Plano, TX (5410 State Hwy 121, Plano, TX 75024) around 6:30 pm. The restaurant is only a 5-minute drive or 18-minute walk from the hotel. If it’s nice enough, we can hang out outside; if not, there’s plenty of room indoors. Stop by when you can.

Friday: April 17, 2026
Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the hotel followed by a morning of introductions and presentations, conference-provided lunch, more presentations, and snacks in the afternoon. Discussions throughout and plenty of short breaks to enjoy the horticulture garden.

Either Friday or Saturday night will likely offer an optional group outing, such as box seats to see a local sports team!

Saturday: April 18, 2026
Breakfast on your own followed by a morning of presentations with conference-provided lunch, more presentations, and snacks in the afternoon. Discussions throughout.

Sunday: April 19, 2026
Breakfast on your own followed by a short morning of presentations, discussions, and an early afternoon wrap-up with discussion about next year’s meeting. Boxed lunches will be provided.

Sunday afternoon: For those not in a hurry to leave the DFW metroplex, join us for a tour of the new Stephens Greth Foundation Campus at the SPCA of Texas. The new addition may not be completely finished, but you can see and learn about some of the exciting new things going on at the SPCA of Texas. For example, Last year the SPCA adopted or transferred almost 7000 animals, spayed and neutered 10,000 animals in the community, and donated more than 190,000 pounds of pet food to those in need.

Transportation is “on your own” but a few attendees will have vehicles, and we can plan to take as many people in them as we reasonably can. Just let an IFAAB representative know if you want to go before Sunday so we can collect a head count.

Otherwise, following the meeting’s conclusion on Sunday, there are many fun things to do in Frisco, TX if you plan to stick around!
https://www.visitfrisco.com/

April 4-6, 2025

Regular Attendee: Early Bird Registration (on or before February 28) $125*, March 1-31: $150* (register here)
Student Attendee: $100* (register here)
*Includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks during the meeting

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Meeting Schedule

We have an exciting meeting planned for 2025 in Blacksburg, Virginia. This year’s meeting will be on the Virginia Tech campus at the Pavilion of the Hahn Horticultural Garden (200 Garden Lane). Join us for 3 days of thought-provoking presentations and discussions!

Thursday evening (optional): April 3, 2025
A low-key get-together for those who come in early enough to say hi! Let’s gather at the Cellar (302 N Main Street, Blacksburg, VA 24060) around 6:30 pm. The Cellar is a Blacksburg institution. If it’s nice enough, we can hang out outside; if not, there’s plenty of room indoors. Stop by when you can.

Friday: April 4, 2025
A light breakfast at the Pavilion followed by a morning of introductions and presentations with lunch, more presentations, and snacks in the afternoon. Discussions throughout and plenty of short breaks to enjoy the horticulture garden.

Join us for an optional adventure on Friday night. We’ll head down to Floyd, VA (40-minute drive) shortly after the meeting concludes for their absolutely charming town-wide Friday Night Jamboree. The center of the Jamboree is the Floyd Country Store, but there is plenty of music and dancing on the sidewalks of Locust Street.

Dinner is on your own with many restaurants that are easily walkable in downtown Blacksburg. Our favorites include Not Your Mama’s Pasta, Gillie’s (vegetarian), Hamro Kitchen, and Hefun. If you’re joining us in Floyd, we can have dinner there.

Saturday: April 5, 2025
We’ll get started a bit later in the morning to allow folks to stop by the Blacksburg Farmers Market (108 W Roanoke Street) on the way to the meeting. Another Blacksburg must. Don’t miss the epic baked goods at Big Indian Farm Bakery.

A light breakfast at the Pavilion followed by a shorter morning of presentations with lunch, more presentations, and snacks in the afternoon. Discussions throughout.

Our site host, Lisa Gunter, will be hosting this year’s IFAAB dinner at her home in Blacksburg. More details will be provided at the meeting.

Sunday: April 6, 2025
A light breakfast at the Pavilion followed by a short morning of presentations, discussions, and an early afternoon wrap-up with discussion about next year’s meeting. Boxed lunches will be provided.

Following the meeting’s conclusion, join us for an optional hike at Cascade Falls (2068 Cascade Dr, Pembroke, VA 24136). It’s a 3.7-mile hike, about 2-hours long, with scenic views and a waterfall!

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Travel and Hotel Info

Nearest Airport: Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport

Travel from airport to hotel: ~40 minutes. Options: Uber/Lyft, car rental agencies are on-site at the airport. Attendees will need to arrange or coordinate a ride to/from airport. Recommended transportation services are Anderson Transportation or Uber/Lyft.

Hotel Info: The conference hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn Blacksburg University (900 Plantation Rd, Blacksburg, VA). Conference rates are $122/night (+tax/fees) for a 1-king bed or a 2-queen bed room room. To confirm this rate, you must register by March 20th. There should be a mix of singles and doubles room, but this is based on availability.

The 2022 IFAAB was held in Tucson, AZ on Feb 24-26

IFAAB 2023 will be held in beautiful, sunny Austin, TX on February 25-26. 

We are planning an exciting in-person conference, and we hope you will join us for a weekend of thought-provoking discussions

Friday evening (optional): We will likely have an optional, low-key get-together on Friday night for those who come in early enough to say hi!

Saturday: Saturday breakfast is at the hotel (included) followed by a day of talks with lunch and snacks provided. Dinner is on your own with many restaurants nearby.  

Sunday: Sunday breakfast is again at the hotel followed by a day of talks with lunch and snacks provided. 

* All attendees are requested to be fully vaccinated prior to arriving in Austin. Thank you for understanding.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, IFAAB 2021 will be virtual.  Virtual IFAAB will be held May 1st, 2021.  Check back for more information, call for abstracts will go out soon.

 

Twenty-eighth Annual Meeting  Phoenix, AZ
Friday, February 8th – Sunday February 10th
NOTE THE DATE CHANGE TO EARLIER IN FEBRUARY!

We will meet at the ASU Psychology Department 2nd Floor Library on the ASU Campus  
950 S McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ.

Thank you to Mr. Mark Hines and the KONG Company for their generous support of IFAAB.  Please thank Mark when you see him!

PRE-CONFERENCE EXCURSION:  Dr. Lisa Gunter has arranged for a behind the scenes tour, just for IFAAB attendees of the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center  on Thursday, February 7th at 2:30pm.   We’ll tour their medical facility and then spend most of the time seeing the animals in their various enclosures.  So make your travel plans accordingly!

Please see recommendations for nearby hotels below. Discount codes will be provided on the registration page.

The Forum is limited to the first 25 registrants with acceptable abstracts. This meeting is for people who are experienced in the field, not for those wanting assistance, mentoring, or guidance to enter the field. Everyone who attends must present. Space is limited so we regret we cannot accommodate visitors and onlookers.