Feedback from Attendees

The committee did an excellent job in organizing this event, congratulation.

Everybody was very helpful. We have learned and got to know other aquariums and their works. They really inspired us to do better especially in educating conservation, at our humble aquarium. the exhibition was great, congratulation to the exhibitors also.

Ariati Sari Ibrahim, Curator
Underwater World Langkawi
Malaysia

Thank you all the many other people involved for such a great IAC!

I had a wonderful time including an extended visit to Beijing following the IAC.

Thanks again!

All the best,

Bill Mott, Director
The Ocean Project
USA

I would like to commend the IAC 2008 Committee and Shanghai Ocean Aquarium for a job well in organizing and accomplishing a splendid Congress with outstanding hospitality that is a Chinese trademark.

Best regards,

Leonard Sonnenschein, President
World Aquarium and Conservation for the Oceans Foundation
USA

My first feedback is a VERY BIG THANK YOU to you. Your efforts helped make this IAC very smooth and without major problems. Thank you for your personal dedication and efforts.

Dr John Nightingale, President
Vancouver Aquarium
Canada

Thanks to you and all your colleagues at the SOA for your warm hospitality and for a wonderful 7th IAC.

Dr Jerry Schubel, President/CEO
Aquarium of the Pacific
USA

After our return to Berlin I would like to thank you and all the staff of the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium - also on behalf of my European colleagues - for your great hospitality and the excelllent organisation of the 7th IAC. With such a perfect organisation, the success of the congress was almost guaranteed. And indeed, the congress was a full success with many good speakers and many posters of high quality, but also with a number of exhibitors of worldwide known and active firms. Therefore the discussion and exchange of experience and knowledge between the the specialists from different continents was guaranteed. It was your effort to bring all these specialists together. With such a quality as we had it in Shanghai, the IAC is really the Olympics of the aquarium world.

But not only the organisation of the Congress was excellent, even greater was your hospitality. You all guaranteed that nobody of us foreigners was lost or had a problem, even the smallest problems or question were answered immediately, even before we could ask something. They and all the staff of the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium created an atmosphere, which nobody of us will forget so soon again. Many thanks for this. I believe that the next host, Cape Town, has now a real difficult task to organise the next IAC with a similiar quality and friendliness.

Therefore many thanks again for everything which you all have done to us. I am sure, the Shanghai Congress will be also the start for many new contacts or will intensify the already existing contacts between our Chinese colleagues and the colleagues from the other continents. Also in this aspect you all achieved a phantastic goal, because we all have to cooperate together, if we want achieve the success in nature and habitat conservation, but also if we want to be more successful in our Aquariums. For everybody can learn from the experiences, which were made already in other places. And for this personal contacts are important and the IAC offered a lot of chances for this.

So with many thanks for the wonderful, interesting days in Shanghai again and with hope to see you all soon in the future again

I remain with best regards

Jurgen Lange, President
European Union of Aquarium Curators
Germany

You and your team have done a great job. Many thanks.

Matthias Li, Deputy Chief Executive
Ocean Park Hong Kong
China (SAR)

The IAC 2008 was truly both a successful and a memorable conference. A superb job in organizing and managing the conference - from the creative opening ceremony, the thought-provoking presentations to the fantastic Gala dinner, etc.

The Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is as impressive as the conference with its world class exhibitions. The freshwater display is especially wonderful. I am sure all of us have learnt a lot from you, your aquarium and the conference.

Thank you so much!

Ying Zhang, Environmental Laboratory-Manager, ZOE Division
Ocean Park Hong Kong
China (SAR)

Thank you very much! The conference has been very helpful especially for me who is just starting to work with oceanariums. I appreciate it very much to see many people with the same ideals as mine to incorporate science and entertainment to reach out a boarder audience. Kudos to the organizing committee!

Kudos to the organizing committee!

Thanks.

Ma. Leanna M. Manubag, Senior Marine Biologist
Manila Ocean Park
Philippines

Thank-you so much to you and the team for all of your hard work in putting together a great conference. We all thoroughly enjoyed the whole conference and we have learnt a great deal and met many people. It was definitely worth our while to come all the way to China.

It was especially good to be able to meet many colleagues in China as I am sure that there will be more communication between the west and the east now. I know that South Africa has strong ties with China and we can help to strengthen the ties.

Thank-you again.

Judy Mann, Director of Sea World at uShaka Marine World
South African Association for Marine Biological Research
South Africa

Thank you for an excellent congress. I think the delegates will find discussion sessions very helpful. The lecture-style presentations are excellent and should continue, but discussion sessions will provide opportunity to challenge delegates, elicit debate, and stimulate discussion. In this way, delegates can be exposed to a wide range of opinions on certain topics, and form their own ideas. I feel it would be a great addition to the congress.

The Shanghai Ocean Aquarium was a great host – thank you to all involved!!!

Dr Mark Penning, Executive Director
South African Association for Marine Biological Research
South Africa

Dear IAC 2008 Organizing and Working Committee, colleagues and partners!

On behalf of MCo “Planet Neptune” we would like to thank you all for your substantial contribution to the integration of international aquarium community. The Congress gave us an opportunity to make new acquaintances and to discuss future cooperation. Almost all sessions and themes were very useful for us. We would like to mention the most interesting trends for us-manufacturing of acryl panels, delivery and housing of hydrobionts, educational and international programs of working with different types of visitors.

We are looking forward to a long and mutually rewarding association on the base of the

acquaintances we made there.

MCo “Planet Neptune”
St. Petersburg, Russia

Congratulations for conducting such an excellent conference!

To start with the opening ceremony was very vibrant. I missed the reception as was held up in Yu Yuan Gardens.

The sessions are well selected with the topics mixed so that we are not bored of .

And what a gala dinner . It was really GALAA . My children liked it very much to see their manes in chinese done by the craftman you have arranged at the hotel . The selection of performers during the dinner is so good.

MY EYES WERE FEASTING MORE THAN MY MOUTH .

On the negetive side of it I think the number of exhibitors are very few for the prospective buyers to get a competitive price .

Thank you.

P.A.Raju, Proprietor
Recon Industries
India

It was a true pleasure attending this meeting and we had a wonderful time in Shanghai. Thank you for your fenomenal hospitality and professional approach.

If the boys from Cape Town do half of the job you did, we will have a superb time there in 2012.

João Correia & the Flying Sharks Team
Portugal

Thank you for the hospitality you showed when I participated in IAC 2008.

Leu Ming-Yih, Associate Research Fellow
National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium
Taiwan

Well run conference.

Nick Kirby, Head Curator
Melbourne Aquarium
Australia

Thank you for organizing a very well managed Congress. It was obvious that much hard work and careful thought had been given to organizing the event and without doubt it was a success. You and your colleagues must be congratulated on a job well done.

Subash Chandran, Curator (Zoology)
Singapore Zoo
Singapore

Thank you for sponsoring such a wonderful conference. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you.

Sandy Trautwein, Curator of Fish and Invertebrates
Aquarium of the Pacific
USA

You did a nice job with the conference, and for the most part all was great. There were the typical delays with getting the booth set up at opening etc, but we expected that. I am not sure how the problems with software/video during presentations can be solved with so many different versions of computer sofware out there, but next time would be nice not to have those issues, but it may be a long time before you do another like this. I am sure those presenters who relied on video had awkward moments.

Forrest Young, Director
Dynasty Marine Associates, Inc.
Australia

Thank you for all the effort that went into it.

Mike Shakespear, Senior Designer
Thinc Design
USA

POSITIVES

I think the committee did an excellent job putting together this conference. The venue was nice. The audio visuals worked out well. The opening ceremony was wonderful. All of the people there to help out were cheerful and really great! The night at the aquarium was excellent and I'd like to be sure they hear that feed back! We felt so welcome and the food was delicious and the aquarium looked great! I appreciated the transportation to and from the hotels when it was available. The final banquet was also excellent, except that the drinks were so expensive. Having the Internet available was great, since I had problems getting on at my hotel.

NEGATIVES

1. VISAS - Getting a visa was a hassle. I don't know why we needed a (to do) "business" (in China) visa, when we were only attending a conference. It took three trips to New York to deal with miserable people at the consulate to finally have the paperwork accepted. Each time it was a different person and they seemed to not accept things on a whim. The first one said the application is okay as was my photo, but the guest photo had to be replaced. She also demanded business cards, which we didn't have with us. The second trip, the person didn't like using an ink that wasn't black and demanded that I redo the applications and that I change my photo (that was okay the first time).. Also, this time they wanted a letter from the employer promising to cover my costs so I won't become a charge of the PRC. How ridiculous! My employer didn't pay a cent for me! I paid it all myself, and you can be sure he wouldn't write such a letter either. The third time it was finally accepted, this time WITHOUT the business card and letter. With the travel costs and visa costs it cost me over $1,000 just to get the visas! I would have canceled my trip, but I had already had to pay for the registration, flights and hotel to get the visa. All this was telling me, "China DOES NOT want you to visit!"
2. INVITATION LETTER - This was the most expensive meeting I ever attended - more than twice the cost of most meetings I attend. Even with all that expense, I was insulted to have to pay for a "letter of invitation." That should have been covered in the expensive registration fee, which was already higher for anyone coming from outside China.
3. BUSES - I think it would have been nice to have more bus service to and from the hotels, since it was difficult to get a cab at the end of the day.

Prof. Donald Stremme, Veterinarian
Adventure Aquarium
USA

Thank you for a wonderful Congress! I had a wonderful time and it was a successful trip for me.

Thank you

Elena Kazlas, Principal
ConsultEcon, Inc.
USA

And a big thank you back to you. You did a great job. Thank you and everyone for the hard work.

Ilze Berzins, PhD, DVM, Vice President of Biological Operations
The Florida Aquarium
USA

Thank you very much for a great conference.

Chow Poh Soon, Curatorial Director
Andover Leisure

The IAC 2008 was such an excellent experience.

To see many aquarium related people from all around the world is just fascinating. The events prepared by the working committee were fantastic. I am looking forward to see better in 2012.

I would appreciate if there was more chance to get to know people up close. And seeing people getting together, usually people they already know, sometimes made small group like myself felt left out.

Phillip Kim, Curator
Hanwha 63 City
Korea

I must congratulate you for organizing IAC 2008 in such a wonderful manner. It could not have been better. Thanks for all the hospitality and immaculate show.

Mahesh Mohatta, Technical Director
Matsyam Aquatic Garden
India

The conference was wonderful, very informative, and very enjoyable. It was a great opportunity to enjoy Shanghai and the friendliness of everyone. Thank you for all you did to make it such a success.

Sandra Gilbert
Van H. Gilbert Architect PC
USA

I would like to thank you and the IAC team for a wonderfully organised Congress. You all have done a wonderful job, especially considering all the language barrier problems you had to deal with.

Thanks again

Mike Murphy, Managing Director
M.J. MURPHY LTD
USA

It was a wonderful and exciting experience for me. I have attended many conferences and none of those were grand as IAC 2008.It was really good. The quality of the papers were also of high standard. I was really sorry that I don’t know Chinese to communicate with Chinese people.

Thank you for the all the assistance and I enjoyed the comfortable stay in Shanghai.

Renuka Bandaranayake, Assistant Director
Department of National Zoological Gardens
Sri Lanka

Participating in this IAC was a great pleasure.

With many thanks and best regards,

Prof. Jean Jaubert, CEO
Bio-Eco Sciences & Technologies Ltd
France

I feel very honoured to participant in IAC 2008. The overall conference was of high quality and I was able to communicate with experts from other countries.

Thank you to Shanghai Ocean Aquarium for the hard work and effort in organizing this congress.

Chen Hong, Director
South China Sea Tropical Marine Biology and Disease Institute
China