Program Outline—RNA 2012

The 17^th Annual Meeting of the RNA Society
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
May 29–June 2, 2012

Brenda Bass

Olke Uhlenbeck

Jonathan Weissman

Session Keynote: Fritz Roth

Session Chair: Mihaela Zavolan

Session Keynote: Doug Black

Session Chair: Guillaume Chanfreau

Session Keynote: Tom Gingeras

Session Chair: Wade Winkler

Session Keynote: Harry Noller

Session Chair: Kurt Frederick

Session Keynote: Adrian Ferré-D’Amaré

Session Chair: Peter Unrau

Session Keynote: Bruce Sullenger

Session Chair: Jorgen Kjems

Session Keynote: Barbara Golden

Session Chair: Carl Correll

Session Keynote: Jamie Williamson

Session Chair: Eric Phizicky

Session Keynote: Carol Fierke

Session Chair: Scott Blanchard

Session Keynote: Joel Belasco

Session Chair: Oliver Mühlemann

Session Keynote: Tom Tuschl

Session Chair: Javier Martinez

Session Keynote: Kristen Lynch

Session Chair: Tracy Johnson

Additional Scheduled Events at RNA 2012

• Open to all graduate students and post docs
• No additional charge, no registration required

This is an informal gathering for graduate students and post docs to meet and socialize. It will be a great way to glimpse a part of Ann Arbor and catch up with colleagues before the meeting starts. The tour will start on campus then extend out to the Nichols Arboretum and Kerrytown, and finally finishing at Ashley’s bar and grill.

Campus Walking Tours – Tuesday, May 29
14:00-16:00 at the Power Center (Lobby)

• Open to all attendees
• No additional charge, but prior registration is required before May 1

Take a walking tour of the University of Michigan campus, enjoy the weather and meet fellow RNA 2012 attendees. These tours are scheduled before the official start of the meeting, so get here early and stretch your legs! The tours will be in groups of 20-30 people and will be hosted by the University of Michigan Office of Undergraduate Admissions; the same folks who give the tours to prospective students.

Meetings Committee Meeting – Wednesday, May 30
18:30-20:30 in the Michigan Union (Anderson Room D)

• Open to the Meetings Committee, the Board of Directors, meeting sponsors, and (due to space constraints) a small number of additional observers

This meeting is where the venues for future RNA Society meetings are reviewed and selected. Any member of the RNA Society is welcome to attend, but due to space constraints one should request participation in advance by sending an email to the Meetings Committee Chair, David Lilley (d.m.j.lilley@dundee.ac.uk).

Junior Scientists Social – Wednesday, May 30
19:30-20:30 in the Michigan Union (Patio)

• Open to all graduate students and post docs
• No additional charge, no registration required

The social is a nice setting to socialize with your fellow colleagues and talk some science over drinks.

Beer Hall and Poster Sessions – Wednesday-Friday, May 30-June 1
20:00-22:30 in the Michigan League (2^nd Floor)

• Open to all attendees
• Traditional poster sessions with the addition of a beer hall

Wednesday sponsor:  OSU Center for RNA Biology
Thursday sponsor:  PTC Therapeutics
Friday sponsor:  UM Chemistry Department

Mentor/Mentee Lunch – Thursday, May 31
12:30-14:00 in the Michigan Union (Rogel Ballroom)

• Open to all attendees
• No additional charge, but registration is required before May 1

This lunch is an informal gathering that brings together 6-7 graduate students and post docs with one to two academic and industry mentors to answer student questions about careers. Topics include the pros and cons of academic vs industry careers, finding jobs, grant applications, and of course lots of interesting science. These lunches are fun for the mentors and hopefully fun and useful for the mentees as well. To the extent possible, mentors and mentees with common career and geographical objectives or experiences are grouped together.

RNA & Society Dinner – Thursday, May 31 (currently on “waitlist” basis only)
18:30-20:30 in the Michigan Union (Rogel Ballroom)

• Open to all attendees
• No additional charge, but registration is required due to space constraints

Laurie Zoloth (Northwestern Univ)
“Making Good: Ethical Issues in Synthetic Biology
The RNA & Society dinners are an opportunity for RNA scientists to hear and to think about the impacts of science on society as well as the impacts of society on science.

Career Development Workshop – Friday, June 1
17:30-19:30 in Rackham Auditorium

• Open to all attendees, but especially junior scientists

This is an opportunity for junior scientists to hear and discuss the issues around developing a career in science. The goal of this specific workshop is to demystify the interview process, and provide a forum in which young scientists can draw on the insights of established members of academia and industry.  This workshop should be particularly relevant to young members who will be interviewing for the next step in their careers. The workshop will feature a panel of speakers with diverse experiences. The focus will be on members who recently have been through the interview process, be it for a faculty position, tenure, or a job in industry.

Board of Directors Meeting – Friday, June 1
17:30-20:00 in the Michigan Union (Anderson Room D)

• Open to the Board of Directors and (due to space constraints) a small number of additional observers

This is the business meeting of the RNA Society. Topics include an RNA journal update, results of the Meetings Committee deliberations, a report on finances and a vote on the next year’s budget, and new initiatives. Any member of the RNA Society is welcome to attend, but due to space constraints one should request participation in advance by sending an email to the CEO, Jim McSwiggen (mcswigj@comcast.net).

Awards ceremony – Saturday, June 2
16:15-17:15 at the Power Center

• Open to all attendees

This is our opportunity to honor the people who have made significant contributions to RNA science. This year’s awardees include:

• Okle Uhlenbeck; RNA Society Lifetime Achievement Award
• Brenda Peculis; RNA Society Service Award
• RNA Society/Scaringe Award winners
  • Chenguang Gong
  • Tatjana Trcek Pulisic
  • Kotaro Nakanishi
  • Dipali Sashital
  • Poster prize winners

Conference Banquet – Saturday, June 2
17:45 – 18:15 Shuttles depart University of Michigan for The Henry Ford Museum
18:30-23:00 Banquet and Dance at The Henry Ford Museum

• Open to all attendees
• Registration required for planning purposes before May 15

The banquet will take place at the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.  The museum is an American treasure, and we’ll have access to exhibits along with food, drink and dancing under an airplane suspended from the ceiling.  This year, for the first time, we will have a scientist band playing for the dance. The band CTP from PTC Therapeutics will be playing a mixture of rock, blues, R&B. It will be great!

We have chartered buses to transport attendees to the Ford Museum, which is located approximately 1/2 hour drive from Ann Arbor.  Please let us know if you are attending the banquet, and whether you will ride the bus or provide your own transportation.  Ford Museum offers plenty of free parking and maps will be provided for those who drive themselves.  Guests are welcome!  You may purchase additional banquet tickets for guests, or add back in if you originally opted out, by contacting registration@rnasociety.org before May 15.