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The
sea at your feet, the astonishing beauty of Crete and the great
hospitality of the Cretan people framed this event. The VI EAFE
Meeting wasn’t just a meeting, it was a truly international
conference. Scientists from 24 countries, accounting a total of
seventy-six fellows from 5 continents relaxingly joined a busy scientific
agenda following the Greek tradition of the “symposium”
in the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC), Kolymbari, between the 20th
and the 24th of May 2008.
Members from Australia, America (USA and Canada), Africa (Cameroon
and South Africa) and Europe (Bulgaria, Lithuania, Czech Republic,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Italy,
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Greece and the United Kingdom
(Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England)) presented original
research and new developments in a wide range of areas linked to
forensic entomology. An intensive program combined 9 scientific
sessions (30 oral presentations), 2 poster sessions (a total of
28 posters), 2 workshops, 2 invited talks on developing disciplines,
the application of carbohydrates in forensic entomology and promises
of forensic mycology, 1 keynote talk and two interactive sessions
on microscopy kindly supported by Leica, prepared and guided by
Michael Doppler. Students were attracted by a 75 % discount on registration
fees and reduced prices for accommodation and board. To close the
meeting there was also opportunity to consider and discuss future
topics and developments in a special session about News and Open
Discussion, especially the gradual widening of the EAFE to encompass
forensic biology, the continuation and extension of hands-on workshops
and the centralization of data and protocols of forensic importance.
From biochemistry of decomposition, through molecular and microscopical
tools to characterise post-feeding fly immature stages to ecology
and diversity of carcasses fauna, the participants communicated
modern forensic entomology. A workshop on statistics organised by
Elena Ieno of Highland Statistics (Scotland) explained and offered
solutions to the pitfalls of the so common application in forensic
entomology of linear regression by analyzing forensic entomological
data using mixed modelling and extensions. The forensic acarology
workshop went on to capturing living mites from human clothing (particularly
from one of the organizers) in the demonstration room. Most participants
took advantage of the benefits of having access to the state of
the art microscopy exhibition observing, analysing and recording
their own samples (including maggots) by playing with modern, high
magnification and resolution stereo and fluorescent microscopes.
Particular thanks go to the Prefecture of Chania for the gifts of
wine, oil and honey to all participants and the shuttle-bus services
from and to the airport. The Prefecture kindly organized our guided
tour to the city of Chania. The trip included visits to archeological
sites, museums and a walk downtown, closing with an unforgettable
lunch of traditional delicacies served in one of the most popular
restaurants of the Venetian Port.
We very much thank Dr. Alexandros Papaderos who leads the OAC and
all OAC people, the administrators, the people in maintenance, the
members of the kitchen - who fed us with exquisite Cretan cuisine,
healthy and freshly prepared.
We cannot forget yet the intense sensation of peace that constantly
surrounded the meeting.
Thanks
to all participants for coming to the meeting.
Alejandra
Perotti.
Organiser (Scientific Committee) of EAFE Meeting 2008
University
of Reading School of Biological Sciences Plant Science Laboratories
Whiteknights, Reading Berkshire RG6 6AS UK
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