2026 ANNUAL MEETING 

AFS Meetings Code of Conduct

AFS Code of Conduct Reporting Form

We are excited to welcome you to the upcoming Michigan TWS and AFS Joint Annual Meeting, taking place February 25–27 at the UM–Flint Riverfront Conference Center. With the conference quickly approaching, we wanted to share some important logistics, guidelines, and highlights to help you plan your time in Flint. A more detailed agenda will be shared on both society websites within a week of the conference.

We don’t have an official closing date for registration, but we are getting close to our venue’s maximum capacity, so registration today!

2026 Michigan AFS-TWS Annual Conference Registration

Flint Visitors Guide

2026 Joint Meeting Agenda

Thanks to our sponsors, we were able to continue our early bird rate of:

Professional Member: $175

Student: $75

Non-member Professional: $225 (or join the chapter for $10 and receive our member rate!)

Lodging

The Hilton Inn block is SOLD OUT! We are so excited to have such a great turnout for this conference, but we know this can be a bummer. We are working to get more rooms added, but recommend students explore the suites option and others look into the Holiday Inn Express up the road as an alternative.

Hotel Block: Hilton Garden Inn (110 W Kearsley St., Flint, MI 48502)

                              Cost: $129.00/night (+$5/night for parking)

Booking: https://group.hiltongardeninn.com/w2yvsu or call and book under “TWSAFS Conference” with the group code “TWSAFS”.

                              Deadline: February 3, 2026

 Student Suites: UM Flint Riverfront Conference Center

         Cost: $55/person/night

Booking: Complete this form UM Flint Student Suites and a representative will be in touch to complete the booking process. When completing the form select “UM Flint Sponsored Guest” and include “MI AFS/TWS Conference” for the last question in the form. If you are traveling in a group, please only complete one form. A representative will reach out and confirm details and billing.

Suite Details: Suite Layouts & Dimensions | University of Michigan-Flint Housing & Residential Life – SCROLL DOWN TO RIVERFRONT. All suites are same gender with private bedrooms.

Workshops – Wednesday, February 25

• We are offering two workshops on Wednesday at the conference center. Space is limited, so be sure to register soon to secure your spot.
• Cost: Free for students and society members; $25 for non-member professionals
• Registration deadline: February 4
• AFS: Fisheries Survey Gear Repair Workshop
• TWS: Camera Trap Utilization Workshop

Michigan Mussel ID Certification Test

• The Michigan Mussel ID certification test will also be held on Wednesday at the conference center. Additional details can be found here Michigan Mussel Identification Test
• If you have any questions, please contact:
• Kesiree O’Brien (OBrienK7@michigan.gov)
• John Buszkiewicz (BuszkiewiczJ@michigan.gov)

Wednesday Evening Social

• We will be hosting a private social event at The Market Tap (Flint Farmers’ Market) from 6:30–10:00 PM. The Market Tap is open for all ages offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic Michigan-made beverages. This will be a cash bar and you are welcome to come and go as you please. Additionally, Sallie’s Sweet Treats will be on site with “build-your-own” personal cakes.

Parking

• Free parking is available at the University Pavilion Ramp (300 Harrison St., Flint, MI). No permit is required. A parking map is attached for your convenience.

Presentation Guidelines

• Oral Presentations: 20-minute time slots total including 15 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for questions
• Poster Presentations: 48” wide × 36” tall (landscape orientation). Easels, poster boards, and clips will be provided
• Additional details regarding upload, set up, and tear down will be shared closer to the meeting.

Conference T-Shirts

• We are so excited to offer conference t-shirts and hoodies this year! Swag is available for purchase at https://thirdcoastprintco.com/pages/tws .
• Select “pick up” to collect your shirt at on-site registration (order by February 13)
• Select “delivery” to have your shirt shipped directly to you (arrival before the meeting cannot be guaranteed)
• This link may not work if you are using a state issued computer. It should be accessible on your phone.

Book Exchange

• Michigan TWS will be hosting a book exchange table throughout the conference—open to both professional and leisure reading. Attendees are encouraged to bring books they no longer need and swap them for something new to read. Field guides, technical references, fisheries and wildlife texts, outdoor writing, and just-for-fun reads are all welcome. Feel free to browse, trade, or simply take inspiration—no formal exchange required.

We’re looking forward to a great meeting and hope you’re as excited as we are. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions as the conference approaches. As always, thank you to our sponsors (UM Flint, DNR, Jay’s Sporting Goods, Michigan Tech FRES) for helping us keep registration low and workshops free for members/students (UM Flint Wildlife Biology).

Best regards,
The Joint Planning Committee

April Morey (MI AFS President-Elect)

Emily Martin (MI AFS Secretary/Treasurer)

Stacey Ireland (MI AFS Continuing Ed Chair)

Paul Keenlance (MI TWS President-Elect)

Gael Sanchez (MI TWS)

Melissa Starking (MI TWS)