Welcome

Saint Louis University invites you to the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) to be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, July 11-16, 2007. The JMIH includes the 23rd annual meeting of the American Elasmobranch Society, the 87th annual meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, the 65th annual meeting of the Herpetologists' League and the 50th annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

We look forward to you joining us in the city that is known as the Gateway to the West, also known as the location of Lewis and Clark's famous launching of their expedition, and most recently the "Home of the World Series Champion St. Louis baseball Cardinals!" St. Louis is a great city positioned on the west bank of the Mississippi River and surrounded by glaciated lowlands, natural prairies, and the uplands of the Ozarks! We are confident that you will find the Metro area and our meeting venue to be an outstanding location to enjoy a collegial atmosphere for the meetings, pleasant weather, and many activities for you and your family and friends. The St. Louis area has many things to offer those attending the meetings, as well as accompanying persons. You will not want to miss the fabulous and world-famous Missouri Botanical Garden and St. Louis Zoo, as well as the Gateway Arch, Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Cardinals baseball, Forest Park, Science Center, areas of famous and unique French and Spanish architecture, and a destination for world-renowned cuisine.

Our meeting location is in the beautiful and luxurious Hyatt Regency St. Louis, located conveniently in the downtown area, a nice walk to the riverfront region of the City, and adjacent to the St. Louis Union Station, an historic landmark with many shops and dining options. Also close to the hotel are many other sites of interest associated with the famous sports teams in St. Louis (Cardinals baseball, Blues Hockey, Rams football), museums, exquisite cuisine, shopping, and parks. In this year's venue we have arranged for our reception to be held in the amazing City Museum and our BBQ to be in the St. Louis Zoo. In both areas you will have the freedom to explore the facilities and enjoy great food and drinks. The City Museum is a large restored shoe factory designed by entrepreneurial artists using only recycled materials and is an amazing place as either an observer or a participant in the many activities and sights. The City Museum is also the location of the new World Aquarium, recreated Bat Caves, and metal sculpturing reminiscent of something from Beyond Thunderdome; we think you will have an amazing time in this unique attraction. The St. Louis Zoo hosts an amazing array of diverse exhibits and excellent facilities; an evening at the Zoo should be most entertaining!

Within a short drive or ride one can find excellent entertainment. Check out Laclede's Landing, a restored area of the city along the riverfront, gambling boats on the river, the riverway and Katie Trails (former RR tracks), the Butterfly House, the Boat House, Jewel Box, and biking and hiking trails in Forest Park. We hope you will be able to enjoy some of these sights and will participate in some of the local flavor of food and drinks!

We expect a large turnout of members and their families for the Joint Meetings in 2007. We expect that the quality of scientific presentations and your interactions will match the level of social interactions and experiences in the Gateway to the West.

On behalf of Saint Louis University, our local sponsors, and the people of the St. Louis area, we welcome you to join us in the Midwest and in the Show Me state, adjacent to The Land of Lincoln -- St. Louis.

Richard Mayden

Saint Louis University
College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Biology
Richard L. Mayden, Chairman
Nevin Aspinwall
Robert Aldridge
Jason Knouft
Robert Wood