The World Association of Copepodologists (WAC) is a non-profit organization created to promote research on copepods by facilitating communication among interested specialists.[1]
WAC has about 130 members worldwide. Although the World Association of Copepodologists is composed primarily of university professors and professional researchers, "any person interested in any aspect of the study of Copepoda is eligible for membership."[2]
The business of the WAC is conducted primarily at a business meeting held every three years at the International Conference on Copepoda (ICOC). Since 1987, conferences have been held at venues in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. The 13th conference was held in July 2017 at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, California, United States. The 14th conference is to be held in July 2020 in Kruger National Park in South Africa. Recent conferences have attracted about 250-350 participants.
The WAC assists the local organizers of the ICOCs in sponsoring and organizing workshops associated with these conferences. Most workshops train students in identification and other practical aspects of copepod studies.
Between conferences, communication between members takes place through the society newsletter Monoculus and via such on-line resources as the society website hosted by the [Senckenberg Research Institute] in [Wilhelmshaven] Germany and Internet forums hosted by academic bodies such as the Asociación Latinoamericana de Carcinología and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Monoculus, the name of the newsletter, is Latin for "one-eyed" and refers to a shared feature of many members of subclass Copepoda.
- ^ "Welcome ..." World Association of Copepodologists.
- ^ Estimate of "about 130 members" based upon recent information from the Treasurer