The 24th Annual Conference of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society will take place in the Denver area from May 29 through June 3. Although the main venue for the conference will be the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center, part of the conference will take place at Arapahoe Community College. Between 400 and 500 people are expected to attend.

ACC Biology Instructor Terry Harrison serves as conference director this year, and ACC faculty and staff will speak and present workshops. “This conference has been throughout the country in previous years, but this year everyone wanted to come to Denver.” Harrison said. “I submitted an application and it was accepted.” The conference has previously been hosted in cities such as Baltimore, New Orleans, San Diego, Austin and Calgary. Next year it will be in Vancouver, British Colombia.

The conference helps human anatomy and physiology teachers all over the country to be better teachers and provides an opportunity for them to collaborate with other instructors, Harrison said. The planning committee for the conference will arrive in Denver on Friday, May 28, and attendees arrive the following day.

On Saturday and Sunday renowned speakers will talk and vendors such as book companies will be available at the Hyatt Regency Denver Hotel. On Sunday night they will tour the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. On Monday, they will hear more speakers and attend a banquet that night.

ACC Instructor Emeritus Vicky Trammell will give the keynote speech for the banquet. Trammell started teaching at Arapahoe Junior College, now Arapahoe Community College, in 1972 as an adjunct instructor. She changed to full time in 1987 and served as department chair from 1997 to 2002. She received the Faculty of the Year award in 1996.

During the next two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, the conference moves to ACC from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ACC President Diana Doyle will welcome the conference to campus. Workshops will be presented in various rooms throughout ACC’s Main Building. Included among those making presentations are Harrison and Jody Johnson, ACC biology department chair. Beginning at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, they will co-present a session called “Science! Camera! Action! Digital Storytelling in the Classroom.”

On Thursday, the last day of the conference, attendees will visit Estes Park via the Peak to Peak Highway. “It’s a big deal,” Harrison said about the conference. “ACC hasn’t had a major conference like this on campus.”

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