It is my honor and privilege to invite you to participate in the 8th International Weed Science Congress (IWSC 2021), which will be hosted by the Weed Science Society of Thailand (WSST) and the International Weed Science Society (IWSS) in Bangkok, from 6-11 December 2020. Every four years this event brings more than 650 weed scientists from 55 countries together and promotes an international exchange of the latest research, innovative techniques and development ideas in weed science. The theme of the IWSC 2020 will be “Weed Science in a Climate of Change”.
The congress will consist of outstanding plenary lectures, concurrent lecture and poster sessions on 14 main topics, namely, herbicide resistance, weed biology and ecology, integrated weed management, climate aspects of weed science, non-chemical weed control, application technology, economic and social aspects of weed management, invasive and parasitic plant species, environmental fate of herbicides, physiology of plants and herbicide interaction, weed issues in Asia, new technology of weed management, weed “omics” and modeling. Besides the scientific program, five different excursions are also provided according to personal interest of participants.
Bangkok is always among the world’s top tourist destinations. The city is a true tourist paradise, proved by the growing number of travelers coming each year. There are a great variety of tourist places in Bangkok, mostly historical attractions and temples with elaborate architecture and art. There are also palaces, museums, parks, and a big array of shopping places, from luxury malls to flea and street markets. Bangkok nightlife is another highlight that has attracted many of tourists from all over the world.
The venue for the Congress, Bangkok Marriot Marquis Queen’s Park Hotel, is ideally located within a short walk from the BTS Skytrain and MRT subway and is surrounded by Benjasiri Park (Queen’s Park), department stores and popular attractions. It is a world-class venue providing superb flexibility and versatility with an impressive portfolio of meeting rooms and event spaces for up to 1,500 guests. The Prospectus outlines marketing opportunities to suit every budget and marketing objective. We encourage you to explore the benefits of participating as a sponsor and/or exhibitor.
On behalf of the local organizing committee, I hope you will enjoy the IWSC 2021 and look forward to welcoming you to Bangkok in December 2021.
Dr. Chanya Maneechote
President of WSST
Greetings! As 2020 closes, we are very excited to open the web portal to our International Weed Science Congress 2021 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Scientific Program Committee, led by Dr. Luis Avila of UFPEL, Brazil; the Local Organizing Committee led by Dr. Chanya Maneechote, President of the Weed Science Society of Thailand; and the IWSS Board are working hard to offer the IWSS membership and the general public an impactful and memorable Congress. Slated to occur in Southeast Asia, Congress participants are bound to experience and witness firsthand the progress that has been occurring in the region as well as the multitude of challenges that confront farmers, scientists, and other agriculture practitioners alike.
Southeast Asia is continuing to gain importance in global trade for agriculture and is an important player in issues concerning global economy and environmental and societal sustainability. It is among the most populous region in the world and will be among the areas expected to be impacted the most as climate change becomes broadly evident. Resource limitation is acute in many places and this drives what can be done practically to improve and sustain agricultural productivity.
Participating in the 2020 International Weed Science Congress is not just an opportunity to present research to an international audience, learn about scientific developments and challenges in other countries, nor just an opportunity to see and experience the beautiful country and rich culture of Thailand. Being at the 2020 IWSC is participating in introspective discussion of where we are today and how we can make our work and ourselves MATTER in the big scheme of helping humanity prevail over the challenges we face.
So mark your calendars, prepare to send your students to the Congress, and accompany them. Support them and nurture them so that we can leave our posts knowing that we have done everything we could to leave the forthcoming generation in capable hands.
Together with Drs. Samunder Singh (Vice-President), Do-Soon Kim (Secretary), Ian Burke (Treasurer), Albert Fischer (Immediate Past-President), and Baruch Rubin (Ex-Officio Board member) we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Bangkok at the IWSC 2020!
In your service,
NILDA ROMA-BURGOS
President, IWSS
