2010 President-elect's story

NAME: Kartik Shanker

LOCATION: Bangalore, India

BACKGROUND: Indian Institute of Science & Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

1. Which sea turtle symposium did you last go to?
Loreto, Mexico was the last one. Mazatlan, Mexico was the first. Been to most of them in between except 1999.

2. Were you nervous about going?
No, but they lost my baggage and i was in the president's pants for 3 days. They were loose, so i was a little nervous about that.

3. How did you enjoy the experience?
Loreto is a lovely little town. The auditorium was the towns basketball court. And newly painted too. And the speed sessions were great.

4. What were the most important/significant things that you gained from attending?
Network, network, network

5. Why are these things significant?
Because they change the way people work with sea turtles and their habitats. Happened to me 10 years ago, and to (almost) everyone I know who has attended a sea turtle symposium.

6. Who would you tell to come and check out a symposium?
Oh, everyone I know. Thats why we're doing it in India in 2010

7. Are you hoping to attend the 2009 symposium in Brisbane?
Yes.