One of the most important events in the ZRA calendar is our annual conference.  This is an opportunity for animal records professionals to gather, network, and learn from each other.  Many institutions have a single animal records professional; this event allows ZRA members to connect with others working in this very niche field and establish relationships that will be helpful when future needs arise. 

Unfortunately, not every institution is financially  capable of sending their records staff to the conference each year.  In acknowledgement of that, the Zoological Registrars Association has set aside funds to support members who want to attend conference, but who are financially unable to do so.  These funds are available to all eligible members, regardless of membership category.

There are two funds available to ZRA members: a scholarship, which will be awarded to a first-time presenter, and a subsidy, which will be awarded to a member with little to no financial support from their institution.  

The goal of this scholarship is to encourage a wide diversity of presentations at each conference.  This scholarship is available to any ZRA member who has a good idea for a presentation at the conference, but who has never presented at the conference before.  Awards are rewarded by the Annual Conference Committee; they take into account, in order of priority:

• The quality of the presentation proposal
• The number of years the applicant has been a ZRA member in good standing (preference is given to members with higher tenure)
• The number of prior conferences the member has attended (preference is given to members who have attended fewer conferences)

To apply for this scholarship, members must first submit their presentation proposal; check out the Conference pages for more information on how to submit a stellar presentation proposal!  If you can't submit a presentation proposal, that means the scholarship isn't currently available – try again next year!  Once your proposal is submitted, download the scholarship application form below and submit it to the Annual Conference Committee.  Award decisions are made shortly after the Call for Presentations closes each year, which is typically in early June.  Decisions are announced by 1 July each year.

Scroll down to the Resources section of this page to download the application form for the First Time Presenter Scholarship.  The form can only be submitted while the Annual Conference Committee is seeking presentation proposals, which is typically in the spring each year.  If you have any questions, please reach out to the Chair, Vice-Chair, or Program Chair of the Annual Conference Committee.  

2024 – Katie Buckner, Zoological Registrar at SeaWorld Texas – Planning a Successful Transport from the Ground (or Air!) Up

2023 -- Amie Bialo, Registrar at Seattle Aquarium - Rhina in the Air: Using Transport Data as a Lens to Discuss Well-being

The goal of this subsidy is to allow members without financial support from their institution to attend the annual conference anyway.   The subsidy is available to any ZRA member who is receiving minimal financial support from their institution (20% of projected costs or less).  There aren’t any award criteria for the subsidy: it is a lottery from all eligible applicants.  Applicants do need to promise to renew their membership the following year in order to be eligible.  

Scroll down to the Resources section of this page to download the application form for the Conference Subsidy.  Fill it out and submit it to the Annual Conference Committee.  Subsidy applications are only accepted during the month of July.  Forms submitted prior to 1 July will be discarded, so please say attention to the calendar!  The winner(s) will be selected at random from all the applicants.  The results of the lottery will be communicated by 1 August each year.