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Dear SRN2017 attendees/Kia ora koutou, Happy 2017 and we hope you are all looking forward to your time in Aotearoa. A few pointers to that end: 1) We are aiming to have registration open in mid-March, with early-bird/regular/late rates and the ability to book seats at the conference dinner also. This will be an Italian banquet. It's extremely good and we are working to make it extremely reasonably priced also (the owners/brothers, Rion and Zane, are friends of ours and "we're locals" at the restaurant: it’s somewhere we always go for our important celebrations and I know the brothers are looking forward to welcoming you all). The place is also beautiful, as it’s a heritage building. Drinks will be additional to the finalized rate on the registration page. 2) We are welcoming Ms. Amie Taua as our Conference Assistant for SRN2017. Amie is the smiling face you will see for all SRN2017-related queries and can be reached at [log in to unmask] Please contact her for any logistical questions about travel/locations/accommodation and any contingency issues. 3) We plan to begin SRN2017 with a Mihi whakatau, a formal Maori welcome that brings us together as a family (or whanau) for the time of the conference and beyond! I know many of you are planning your flights at the moment and I hope you’ll factor in this special event (planned to start approx. 2pm Monday 28th August 2017). After this, there’ll be a reception and time to register and mingle over a glass of wine and nibbles. We very much look forward to sharing our hospitality/manaakitanga with you. ALSO, PLEASE NOTE: Dunedin is hosting an national All Blacks rugby game the Saturday before the conference, so accommodation will be tight. Book early! 4) The conference themes and abstracts are up on the SRN2017 website under "About the Conference". Please check your individual and panel abstracts/proposals. Let us know at [log in to unmask] of any significant changes. Information about keynotes and special events/partner tours will be coming in the next few months. In the meantime, please encourage those who are interested in attending the conference (not necessarily presenting) to check out: www.otago.ac.nz/srn-2017 Nga mihi, Davinia and the SRN2017 org. cttm (Al, Maureen, Rochelle, and Amie)