For those of you who are focused on finishing up your semesters right now, you are in luck! The deadline for ICA's first Cosponsored Regional Conference in the People's Republic of China [PRC] has been extended to 1 June 2013! This regional conference will be hosted in Shanghai from 8-10 November 2013 (see www.icahdq.org/cfp/2013_ICA_Shanghai_Conference.pdf).

Mention Shanghai and the first images conjured up are both the modern city with breathtaking skyscrapers and the Bund as well as magnificent greenery and rocks such as in the Yuyuan (Yu) Gardens, the quiet street that houses the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party, or the ancient water villages located outside of the city.

For ICA members and friends, Shanghai also is the site of international collaboration and research insights into social transformation within the PRC and around the globe. Hosted by 18 Chinese associations and universities, the 2013 ICA Regional Conference in China offers several networking sessions for institutional and individual collaborations between our Chinese colleagues and scholars from other parts of the world. As President, Cynthia Stohl will welcome participants on behalf of ICA and John Paul Gutierrez, ICA Communication Director, will talk about ways to increase media exposure about research through ICA as well as about journal impact factors. Chinese and Western keynote speakers will be announced at a time closer to the conference dates in November 2013.

Easily accessible from the Pudong International Airport by Metro or taxi, the conference (Pullman Shanghai Skyway) hotel features spacious lounges, meeting rooms, and personal accommodations in addition to free wifi. Located for easy access to tourist and other attractions, this hotel also is ideal for the scholarly exchanges afforded by a relatively small regional conference. Although many research presentations will center in or about China, the theme of "Communication and Social Transformation" opens possibilities for dialogue into different communication processes and contexts.

The "Communication and Social Transformation" conference is limited to 250-300 participants and is being offered in both English and Chinese. Participants' submissions will be published in the conference proceedings for access to this research during and after the regional conference. Inclusion in these proceedings does not preclude journal publication.

For further information about paper submission, visas, costs, accommodations, and other details, please contact Qian Wang, assistant professor in The School of Media and Design (SMD) at Shanghai Jiao Tong U (icashanghai2013@gmail.com) or Patrice M. Buzzanell (buzzanel@purdue.edu), Professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue U and ICA Liaison for this regional conference in China. Please see the Call for Papers posted on the ICA website for further details.