PPCDL Workshops
The PPCDL Workshops are hosted by the Scientists of the Plant Pathogen Confirmatory Diagnostics Laboratory (PPCDL) in Laurel, Maryland. The instructors and workshop planning team have developed a schedule that offers a wide variety of topics and both in-person and virtual delivery options.
2027 will be a particularly special year for the PPCDL Workshops, as we celebrate 25 years since the first workshop was held in 2003.
The Topics Needed Survey is now available (sent to your inbox). If you are interested in attending a PPCDL Workshop in the 2027 workshop season, please let us know what topics you would like to see offered in the 2027 workshop season. This survey was also shared via the NPDN members listserv. The survey is open for your input for one week, October 01, 2026-October 09, 2026.
Course Descriptions and Agendas
Workshop offerings may vary from year to year based on needs. All workshop titles and descriptions are available in the PPCDL Workshop Catalog.
Registration
Registration for 2027 workshops opens on November 03, 2026.
Registration requests will be submitted as an application this year, using the PPCDL Workshop-Registration Request Form. If your laboratory has more than one person planning to request registration to a PPCDL Workshop this year, you must designate a registration request submitter. The registration request form will allow the submitter to enter the registration requests of all your lab members. This feature was added this year to help the workshop coordinators follow the laboratory’s goals and selections for training, by receiving one overall laboratory plan.
Consider attending the webinar…helpful for completing the PPCDL Registration Request Form! New this year, PPCDL and NIS staff will be available to provide an overview of the PPCDL and MFIT Workshop’s content and answer your questions.
Webinar Title: PPCDL and MFIT Workshop Topics and How to Register.
Date: Tuesday, November 03, 2026
Time: 2:30pm - 4:30pm EST
Click here to open Zoom link
When is registration open?
Registration for the 2027 PPCDL Workshops will open on November 03, 2026 and close on November 16, 2026.
What happens after your registration request is submitted?
Registration Request Forms will be reviewed after the close of the registration period, November 16th. The coordinators hope to begin inviting applicants in early December and complete the registration process before the holiday break so participants can begin making their travel plans.
Applicants are given 3 days to respond to the workshop invitation. If no response is received, the coordinators will assume the applicant is no longer interested and invite the next person on the list.
Travel and reimbursement information
PLANNING
The start of travel planning begins with the receipt of the Letter A. After the workshop participants confirm their workshop invitation, they will receive the Letter A. DO NOT make travel arrangements until you receive the Letter A. Letter A is the signal telling you it is OK to begin your travel planning.
Letter A and Letter B for each workshop will be posted here when ready for instructors and participants.
DO NOT PLAN to leave before the completion of the workshop. If you attend an in-person workshop and hope to return home on the final day, do not book a return flight before 8:00pm, you will need at least 3 hours to comfortably get to the airport. The airports in this area are very busy around the clock, so plan for lengthy ground travel times and long lines at check-in and getting through security.
More details about planning can be found in the PPCDL Guidelines document.
REIMBURSEMENTS
Cornell University will reimburse YOUR HOME INSTITUTION. Participants must follow their home institution’s travel procedures and policies. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR REIMBURSEMENT TO YOUR INSTITUTION FIRST. When a participant submits their travel expense letter to the Cornell coordinators and their institution’s representatives at the same time, corrections often follow. The institution reviewers may find problems with the participants submitting materials that require a change. When this happens, it causes a re-submission and longer processing time to get the reimbursement back to the institution.
More details about reimbursements can be found in the PPCDL Guidelines document.
Workshop Policies and Guidelines
The PPCDL Workshop Guidelines were created to provide helpful information and tips for those planning to attend an PPCDL Workshop. The guide provides workshop procedures and guidelines pertaining to registration, how to receive specific workshop details, how to make travel arrangements and how to request travel expense reimbursement. The guide includes the answers to the most frequently asked questions and common occurrences from past workshop seasons.
Each workshop participant should understand their institution’s rules pertaining to travel arrangements and reimbursements. The workshop coordinators cannot override institution rules.
The workshop coordinators hope the information supplied in this document, coupled with the understanding of each participant’s institution procedures, will result in a stress-free planning and reimbursement process. Please read the entire document!
The Workshop Policies document covers both the MFIT and PPCDL Workshops. The policy document provides key rules and guidelines and covers the expectations related to workshop registration, attendance, requirements, and travel expense reimbursement.
If you have questions about this program, contact ppcdl_workshops@npdn.org.
