Cal Poly Humboldt, located along California's scenic north coast, is excited to be hosting the California Botanical Society's 29th Graduate Student Symposium and 2023 Annual Banquet! Come and enjoy a full day of botanical research presentations and posters, learn about new areas of study, and share your own explorations with other scientists!

Not yet a member of The California Botanical Society? Join us by clicking here!

Early sign-in begins Friday, March 31st, at 5:00 PM, at the lovely coastal Humboldt Bay Social Club for a fun evening with plant themed games to help break the ice, mingle with your favorite botanists, and get settled in charming Arcata! Check back soon for more info.

The symposium begins Saturday morning, April 1st, at 8:45 AM, with research talks kicking off in the morning and finishing mid-day, followed by an afternoon poster session. A botanical mixer will start the evening, with a keynote speaker and banquet dinner to conclude the day!

Registration costs include the following: admission, all-day refreshments, tours of Cal Poly Humboldt botanical collections, social mixer with hors d'oeuvres, as well as a banquet dinner with keynote speaker Dr. Lucy Kerhoulas.

For an additional cost, multiple field trips will be offered Sunday, April 2nd, from 9 - 2 PM, and consist of a guided hike through a majestic, old-growth redwood forest & lunch at the charming Trinidad State Beach, exploration of the coastal dunes with local botanists, or a visit to the Humboldt Botanical Garden!

On Sunday afternoon from 2 - 5 PM, after field trips have concluded, attendees are welcome to attend a variety of free collection tours, including the Cal Poly Humboldt vascular plant herbarium that houses more than 100,000 different northwestern California taxa, multiple teaching collections including red, green, and brown algae, local lichens, a one-of-a-kind paleo-botanical fossil assemblage, as well as a tour of the largest greenhouse in the entire CSU system, the Dennis K. Walker Greenhouse - home to more than one thousand species from all around the world!

Please refer back to this page frequently for updates regarding additional information, including the itinerary, banquet menu, and local reference guides.

Not yet a member?

Join the California Botanical Society and receive membership perks!

Benefits of joining the society include:

Discounted admission prices

Grant and Travel awards

The Botany Ambassador Program

Madroño - printed + online access , plus 5 free publication page credits

Monthly reminders of the Botany Seminar Series

Become a member of the California Botanical Society here!

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Lucy Kerhoulas is an associate professor at Cal Poly Humboldt in the Department of Forestry, Fire, and Rangeland Management. Dr. Kerhoulas is an alumna of Humboldt and mentors students in research with a focus in forest ecophysiology of coniferous forests, specifically, relationships among water use, growth, physiology, climate, and forest management.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Kerhoulas's research!

Abstract Submissions

To submit an abstract for this event, click here.

Registration

To register for this event, you must purchase a ticket for admission.

Travel Grant Award

Travel grant awards of $100 are available to presenting students!

Prospective students should fill out this form to apply. Applicants must be a current member of the California Botanical Society to qualify. To become a member, click here.

Recipients will be chosen at random and given a check upon sign-in to the symposium on Saturday, April 1st, as a reimbursement for travel costs.

Applications for the Travel Grant must be submitted by Friday, March 24th, 11:59 PM (PST)

Rideshare from SoCal to Humboldt

Need help coordinating for transportation to and from Humboldt for the symposium?

Click here to sign-up for rideshare coordinating with other folks making the trek from SoCal to the north coast!

Deadlines

Registration ends: March 17th, 11:59 PM (PST)

Dietary preferences must be submitted by March 17th, 11:59 PM (PST)

Abstract submission deadline: March 18th, 11:59 PM (PST)

Travel Grant Award application must be submitted by March 24th, 11:59 PM (PST)

Presentations* must be uploaded by March 29th, 11:59 PM (PST)

Field Trips

Sunday, April 2nd

The Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park & Trinidad State Beach field trip will include a guided hike through an old-growth redwood forest, along with a lunch break in the coastal town of Trinidad with the option to purchase a meal from several choice local restaurants; alternatively, bring your own lunch and have extra time to explore Trinidad Head trail! Transportation is included.

The Ma-le'l Dunes field trip includes transportation.

The Humboldt Botanical Garden field trip does not include transportation. A sign up sheet is posted for ride sharing coordination and can be reached here.

For additional details on these field trips, please see below.

*Please note that lunch will not be provided for any field trips offered.

Add-on your field trip at check-out

When purchasing your ticket, scroll down to review the "add-on" options before check-out, to include your field trip with your purchase.

Already purchased a ticket for this event and want to add a field trip?

Please contact Samar El-Abdallah at sre127@humboldt.edu or Caitlyn Allchin at cma135@humboldt.edu with the subject line "Cal Bot Society - Grad Symposium" for support on adding a field trip to your admission!

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park & Trinidad State Beach

Take a guided hike through majestic old growth redwoods, and then enjoy lunch at a scenic coastal beach!

This half day field trip will begin with an old-growth redwood forest walk through the spectacular Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Provided transportation will then take attendees to the charming coastal town of Trinidad for lunch. Several dining options are available for purchasing lunch in town, or a brown-bag lunch can be enjoyed on the beach. The remainder of the field trip will be spent at the pier for attendees to relax or enjoy a short 1.7 mile loop on the Trinidad Head Trail, a coastal cliff hike with amazing views and coastal flora!

Transportation to and from Cal Poly Humboldt will be included. *Please note that lunch is not included; several options for purchasing food will be available.

DEPARTURE: 9 AM

RETURN: 2 PM

$15

Ma-le'l Dunes

Explore the colorful coastal Ma-le’l dunes with a Cal Poly Humboldt Alumnus of Botany to learn more about the local flora and ecology of the dune ecosystems. Transportation to and from Cal Poly Humboldt is included. *Please note that lunch is not included.

DEPARTURE: 9:30 AM

RETURN: NOON

$10

Humboldt Botanical Gardens

Enjoy a docent-led walk through the local botanical gardens, located at the beautiful College of the Redwoods. These gardens are dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your bestie with you for a visit! *Please note: neither lunch nor transportation is included with this field trip; carpooling highly recommended. Click here for ride-share sign-up and coordinating.

DEPARTURE: 9:30 AM

RETURN: NOON

$5

Herbarium + Specimen Revision

Are you studying local flora and would like to revise any taxa for your research?

Sign-up to receive time in the Cal Poly Humboldt Vascular Plant Herbarium with a Professor of Botany on Sunday, April 2nd!

Visit the CPH Vascular Plant Herbarium through Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) here.

Local Favorites

Need inspiration for planning your stay in Humboldt?

Check out our hand-picked local reference guide detailing the best places to stay, beautiful day hikes, choice restaurants, and other activities to enjoy while you are visiting!

Questions or Comments?

Feel free to reach out!

Send us an email with the subject line "Cal Bot Society - Grad Symposium" and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Please contact Samar El-Abdallah at sre127@humboldt.edu or Caitlyn Allchin at cma135@humboldt.edu for inquiries.