The Department of Rural Development and the Rural Development Graduate Students Association (RDGSA) invites you to attend and participate in the third biennial RURAL ISSUES AND INSIGHTS CONFERENCE to be held on March 7-8, 2008 at Brandon University. The conference is being held in conjunction with Brandon University's Rural Tourism Week. Paper and poster presentations are open to any graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty, and professionals that are interested in presenting. Also feel free to pass this along to any other interested individuals in your department or organization. A number of paper and poster sessions are planned. This message constitutes the first call for papers.

We are also pleased to announce that our keynote speaker will be
Dr. Dallen Timothy
Professor of Geography, Brigham Young University

He received his MA at the University of Western Ontario and his PhD at the University of Waterloo. He has written extensively on the subject of tourism in rural areas throughout the world.

ABSTRACTS:
It is planned to have a number of paper sessions along with a poster session. When submitting your abstract, please note whether it is for an oral paper presentation or for a poster. Paper presentations will be 20 minutes in length including time for questions after. Poster presentations will start Saturday morning and be available for viewing throughout the conference.
Titles and abstracts (not to exceed 200 words) are due by Friday, February 22, 2008. Abstracts can be submitted by email attachment (preferably MS Word, though other formats acceptable) or on disk by post. If presenting via PowerPoint please bring an extra copy of your presentation on CD or USB memory stick so that it can be loaded prior to each session.
Included is a registration form that you are free to distribute to others.

POSTERS:
Please bring poster presentations to the registration desk. From here you will be directed to the room where you may hang your poster.

SEND ABSTRACTS TO:
Email: ruralconference@brandonu.ca
Post: Rural Issues and Insights Conference
Department of Rural Development
Brandon University
270 - 18th Street
Brandon, MB
R7A 6A9
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to e-mail.


RURAL ISSUES AND INSIGHTS CONFERENCE
Registration Form
Name:
Affiliation:
Address:

E-mail: Please check Appropriate:
I will be making a presentation:
Yes_______ No________

My Presentation will be:
Oral______ Poster________
If you are using PowerPoint, please bring your PowerPoint presentation on a CD or USB memory stick to the registration desk on Friday evening so that it may be loaded on the computer to verify that it works with our hardware. If you prefer you may e-mail it to ruralconference@brandonu.ca by March 5, 2008.

ACCOMMODATIONS:
Accommodations for March 7 and 8, 2008 are available through the Brandon University Residence at a cost of $25 per person. Other accommodations are also available throughout Brandon at standard hotels. Booking these rooms is the responsibility of the conference participant, although a list of Brandon accommodations will be available upon request.

REGISTRATION COSTS:
Student (includes 1 Banquet ticket) $35.00
Faculty/Professional (includes 1 Banquet ticket) $55.00
BU Residence Accommodations
(will be booked by Conference staff) $25.00 per night # of nights:
Additional Banquet Tickets: $20.00 Total

Cheque: Mail this completed form along with payment to:
Rural Tourism Conference Credit Card: Fax: 1-204-725-0364 or Department of Rural Development e-mail: rdi@brandonu.ca Brandon University
270 - 18th Street Name:_____________________________ Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9 Card #:____________________________ Exp Date:___/___