The University
The University at Albany is located at 1400 Washington
Avenue; it is a city by itself. It is an urban institution located away
from city center and city life. On one side, about 5 minutes walk, there
is the Washington avenue where 4 motels (see map later) are located; on
the other side, 20 minutes walk, is the Western ave, where many eating places
are located. The Colonial Quad where most of you are staying is the Tall
Tower on the right when you view the University from Washington Ave.
Current Status of the Program
The web site contains over 212 abstracts now from over
20 Nations. The configuration and scheduling of the posters and lectures
elsewhere at the web site was announced
several weeks ago. We anticipate a few changes, and these changes will be
announced in the first week of June.
By the second week in March, we selected 27 speakers, mostly young investigators,
and a few established ones, from the submitted abstracts. All the people
selected have agreed to present a poster and a lecture and to bring the
manuscript of their lecture for publication in the Proceedings. We unfortunately
do not have the time to contact the authors of all the abstracts submitted
for poster + oral presentation to inform who were and who were not selected.
We are certain that the posters from those we did not select for oral will
be excellent, and we applaud and congratualte them for submitting abstracts
for consideration for poster + lecture.
As usual the program is crowded, intense and moves at high velocity. In Albany we accomplish things in 3.5 days of what normally may take 7 days. This is possible because of precise organization of events; such organization cannot work unless all the detailed information is provided in advance. This is the purpose of this final communication. Of course, we want you to read it atleast once, please. As you read this, you will come to know the various complications a gathering like this faces, and we try to anticipate these in advance. If you are one of those who may contribute to a complication, please respond to the request in this announcement.
Two Major Requests
1. If you are scheduled to give a lecture,
and for what ever reason if you cannot come, please let me know (rhs07@cnsvax.albany.edu) as
soon as you can. There are several people waiting and anxious to give lectures
on some very important discoveries and they all are looking for space.
2. If you have a poster abstract at the web site, and you are unable to
come and present it as a poster, please let me know by email now so that
we can save a poster station. Please do not waste a station.
Where are you staying?
Most of you are staying at the University Residence Colonial
Quad. See map later for its location.
The near-by motels are : Howard Johnson, Extended stay, Fairfied Inn and
Marriott Courtyard. See map below for their location and telephone numbers.
Some of you may be staying in Ramada Inn on Western Ave. This hotel is a
20 minute walk from the symposium site, and I suggest that you change your
reservation to one of the above four motels.
Time & Place of Meals
All meals are at the University either at the Colonial Quad or at the Campus Center. Details Folllow:
Meals during the Albany Conversation is an important event; it gives a great opportunity for you to meet and get to know others in an informal setting. This is where some of the legends in the discipline and developing young scientists meet for the first time leading to long lasting scientific relationships.
If you are staying in a Motel, they have no eating facilities. The nearest eating places are on Western Ave, a 20 minute walk from the symposium site, and it will create great distortion to your life, if you do not reserve your meals at the University. You can reserve your meals at the University by filling the forms on the web site and emaling this to: resstg@safnet.albany.edu. The cost for meals is $90.00; and cost for big feast and reception on Friday Night (7:30 pm to mid night is $35.00). In your email indicate that you will pay them on arrival. Pick up your meal pass and pass for big feast at Colonial Quad during checkin.. Do not do this if you are staying at the Univ Residence because your meals are included.
Lecture Center 18
Lecture Center 18 (LC 18) is the place where we hold the symposium and it is located at the center of the University around a pool; the poster sessions will be held in the concourse around the pool. The map below, and the one later provide you the locations of concern to you.
Where do you register on the 15th of June?
The registration desk is at Colonial Quad, Flag Room will open at 1:00 PM on Tuesday the 15th of June and will remain open till 11 PM on that day. Where ever you are staying, you must appear on the 15th of June at the registration desk at Colonial Quad and complete the formalities, pick up your Name Tag and the Book of Abstracts and program packets.
Where do you register if you are coming after June 15th?
Go to LC 18 and register for the conference at the desk in front of this hall and pick up your materials.
Communications
There are public telephones all around the concourse of LC 18, in the campus center, and Colonial Quad. Public access computer rooms are in the concourse and in the Colonial Quad. Emails can be sent to Dr. Sarma's address: RHS07@CNSVAX.ALBANY.EDU.
Parking
The University has very tight parking regulations. One cannot park in University property without parking permits. For those staying at the Colonial Quad can part at its parking lot for a fee of $3.40 a day. These can be purchased at check in. If you want to park within the University, you must park at the vistors for a fee. As the map above indicates everything is within walking distance.
Date and time of arrival
All are expected to arrive on Tuesday June 15th, by 6:00 pm, if at all possible. A Wine and Cheese Reception will be held for all delegates at the Patroon Terrace & Lounge, 8:30-11:00 pm. Even though all steps are taken to avoid inordinate delays for registration, it will help the system if the delegates can arrive between 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, rather than between 4:00 pm - 10 pm. Arriving early in the day also provides time to put up the poster displays. Some of you have to arrive a day early because of flight regulations. Some of you have to stay over Saturday the 19th to save money on the airlines.
Are you arriving early? Are you leaving late?
If you are arriving earlier than the 15th you must inform the appropriate people: for the University Residence Colonial Quad email:resstg@safnet.albany.edu If you have to stay later than the 19th, just tell the front desk after your arrival.
How do you get to Albany, N. Y.? to Colonial Quad
The map shown earlier gives you the location of the University at Albany within the context of the various interstate highways that run through Albany and the Albany airport.
Many of you from Boston, New York, Montreal and Buffalo may be coming by car. The University is located at the very heart of the interstate highways 87 and 90. From Buffalo take 90 East and you are in Albany in 5 hrs. At Albany take exit 24, immediately you will see the signs for the University and 90 East, follow 90 East and take exit 2: at the end of the exit you will be facing the Colonial Quad and the evocative architecture of the University; you can drive straignt thru the lights into the University and follow the perimenter road on the right to Colonial Quad. If you are staying in a motel, at the end of exit 2 take a left (you are on Washington Ave) and within a minute you will see on the left the hotels Marriott Courtyard, Extendedstay America. the Howard Johnson, and Faitfield Inn.
From New York, interstate 87 will deposit you at exit 24 and from there follow the above instructions. From Montreal, when you reach Albany, follow 90 East (exit 1E and stay right) and you will be at exit 2 described above within minutes.
If you are coming from Boston, about 40 miles before Albany on 90 West, you will pay a toll. After this toll you will see, exits B3, B2 and B1. Take exit B1 to continue on 90 West, pay a toll again. The 90 West will continue toward Buffalo through downdown Albany. In the Heavens you will get a glimpse of the spectacular Rockefeller Plaza penetrating the skys in a serene sun dance; continue along the busy highway, pregnant with plastic sounds and signs, the fried chickens and Big Macs, until you see exit 2 (Fuller Road and the University exit) on your right side. Take this exit, and at the end of this exit, on Fuller Road, take a left turn and drive for a minute or so. You will be at the intersection between Washington Avenue and Fuller Road. Take a left, and you are on Wahington Ave; at the first traffic light after the turn, take a right and you will be facing the Colonial Quad. Drive on the right along perimeter road to Colonial Quad.
If you are enchanted by a train, riding along the exuberant and happy Hudson, the deers in natural expression running wild in the June sun, you can have a memorable travel from New York City Penn Station and disembark at Rensselaer/Albany Station; a cab will take you through downtown Albany, where the rows of antique brown stones challenge the imperium of Rockefeller concrete, to Colonial Quad at the uptown Campus; it is a 15 minute trip through the old and new world, but ask the cabby the fare before you board, and tell him that you want to go to Colonial Quad at the uptown campus, 1400 Washington Ave.
For those who fly into the Albany airport, the University
is about 10-15 minutes away in a taxi. It is impossible for us to pick all
of you up at the airport. So take a cab to Colonial Quad at the uptown campus
of SUNY at 1400 Washington Ave.
Note that, as the map above indicates, the Colonial Quad, and the four motels
on Washington avenue are very close. Once you reach Colonial Quad, if you
have a car, just park at any of the spaces with parking meters, just go
in and check into the Quad; purchase your paking permit there, and then
repark the car at the Colonial Quad parking lot.
It may rain? Wake-up call? Valuables?
Even though the walk between LC18 and Colonial Quad as well as the motels is only a few minutes, and because the Gods do not let us control the weather,please bring an umbrella, rain coat etc.; please bring an alarm clock. We strongly advise you to not to keep any valuables inside your room. The hotels and the University are not responsible for any theft from your room.
Registered, but not going to show up
If you are registered, and not plannning to come, please let us know by Email: rhs07@cnsvax.albany.edu, phone or FAX (Fax: 518-452-4955; phone: 518-456-9362). Please let us know whether you are occupying poster space and accommodation space. There is a dire need for poster spaces now. If you are getting this communication, the computer thinks that you are coming; if this is wrong, please get in touch.
Have not yet paid the registration fee, despite reminders
If your name is in the Eleventh Conversation computer, and you have been reminded that the University has not received the fees, please take care of it. Due to technical problems, a few scientists from certain foreign countries have made arrangements to pay the fee on arrival. The University at Albany does not accept credit cards or wire transfer.
Registered, but have not made arrangements for meals & lodging
Go to Colonial Quad on June 15th, get your symposium materials and meal passage; the Quad itself may have lodging available for you due to cancellations; or you could get this at the other motels/hotels on a "walk in" basis. Because of the addition of a new motel last week (Fairfield Inn), there should be no problem in getting accommodation.
Unregistered, but want to come
Go to Colonial Quad on June 15th and register as a "walk in" & follow instructions just above.
Departure
On Saturday, June 19th, after lunch you are ready to leave at about 2:00 pm. There are no organized trips to the airport. Interested parties should get together and organize appropriate cab trips to the airport.
Poster Session: General
The poster papers are an exciting component of the Albany Agenda. In order to assure their success it is imperative that the following procedures be followed:
1. All posters must be mounted on assinged stations on June 15th or before the start of the deliberations at 8:00 am next day morning.The posters shall remain in their stations throughout the symposium until Friday evening. Over 200 poster stations are in the concourse around LC18 and one will see large numbers of people milling around and reading the posters all the time. Posters are a continuing event at Albany. Because of this unusual aspect of the Albany Conversation one should prepare the posters as self-explanatory as possible. One should also leave a blank sheet of paper to leave addresses to receive reprints and additional materials. Posters must be removed before 2:00 pm on Saturday. After that the University cleaning crew will throw them away.
2. Even though the poster session is a continuing event, the posters are formally presented at specific times as noted in the configuration and schedule. We anticipate the formal presentation of about 30 posters at each time. During the above periods the presenters are expected to "man"their posters instead of running around and reading other posters. We know that this is irresistable. Let us assure you that you are not going to miss any good stuff because all posters remain in their stations until Friday evening.
Poster Session: When and Where Should You Mount Your Poster?
All posters are mounted on June 15th at a station which displays the abstract number of your abstract in the Book of Abstracts. Poster abstracts are sequentially numbered in the book of abstracts appearing in the June 1979 issue of the Journal Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. People should mount their poster only in the station designated by abstract # of their abstract. Note that in the abstract book, the abstracts are arranged in no particular order; it also contains abstract of lectures and there could be 'no show' poster abstract. Look up in the author index, locate the abstract #'s, then go to that poster station bearing your number.
The area allowed for the poster is 4'x4'. Poster boards are peg boards with thousands of tiny holes. There are two ways to mount your poster: (1) Bring your poster all prepared on a light card-board 4'x4' and hang them on the poster station from hooks or using strings. (2) If you bring your poster in bits and pieces on several pieces of paper, use heavy duty tapes to attach them. You bring your own supplies to mount the poster. You can also use tapes in various colors to add a dash of brilliance to your station.
The map below shows the configuration of the Conversation site including LC-18 and where posters are mounted. They all happen around the pool at the center of the University.
Publication of Manuscripts Based Upon Poster
It has been a continuing tradition to publish the original and dynamite unpublished researches reported in the posters in the August, October and December issues of the Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics. The Journal does not relax any of its rules and regulations in order to publish these manuscripts. However, the availability of the Board of Editors and Advisors of the Journal at the symposium site, and the presence of large number of experts at the conference, enable to have the papers reviewed much faster, and thus to publish those accepted within a short period of time.
Many of you presenting posters have expressed an interest in publishing your results in the Journal. If this is the case, you should bring with you, one original and three copies of the manuscript (plus the diskette from your word processor), prepared according to the "Instructions to Authors" in the Journal and deposit this at the Conference & Journal Office at the second floor of Colonial Quad. More about the Conference & Journal Office later.
Lecturers and Chairs of Sessions
All lectures will be held in Lecture Center 18 at the University. Speakers should set aside at least five to one minute for discussion depending upon the length of the allotted time. The Chair of each session controls a light system of yellow (2 to 1 minutes left) and red (stop immediately, you are into discussion time). Chairs reserve the right to adjust the time of speakers in a session to avoid any inordinate delays in ending a particular session on time, for example morning sessions which eat up the lunch time. Within reason, Chairs have the right to terminate or shorten a speaker's time, if the speaker is incoherent and unable to communicate properly with the audiance. Chairs are requested to make sure that during discussion periods, people who have questions should go to the microphone stands and identify themselves and then ask the questions; they are not allowed to shout questions at the speaker from their seats.
Lecture Facilities
In LC-18 one could use simultaneously two slide projectors and two overhead transparency projectors. This will enable to trasmit a great deal of information within the allotted time. However if your stuff is in a MacIntosh, PC or Sun note books, LC-18 allows only a single projection, 18 feet wide and 20 feet deep.
Manuscript for the Proceedings from Lecturers
We want to take this opportunity to remind all speakers that we need the manuscripts of their lectures (along with the diskette from the word processor) at the time of the conference so that the Proceedings in extenso can be published quickly. Not only that, this will be a timely documentation of the changing dynamics in structural biology, but it enables to access the Conversation by thousands of scientists from many countries who do not have the means to join us. In addition funding agencies such as NSF and NIH expect us to publish the proceedings. Under these conditions, it is only responsible to publish the proceedings as quickly as possible, and since its inception in 1979, the Albany Conversation has published, within a few months of the deliberations, several volumes of the Proceedings. We have never failed, and we do not intend to fail. We have the technological might of accomplishing this. But if you do not bring your papers in time, what use is the technological clout? Instructions for the preparation of the manuscripts for the Proceedings are the same as for the Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics.
Please deposit the manuscript at the Conference & Journal Office in Colonial Quad, second floor.
The Conference & Journal Office at Colonial Quad
The Conference & the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics will have an office at the Colonial Quad, second floor during the tenure of the meeting. This office will be open to late evenings throughout the conference. It is here that all the manuscripts are deposited and a receipt is obtained.
Professor R. H. Sarma will be at this office most of the evenings and it is a good place to catch him. As has been in the past, this office will continue as a social scene and no official meetings are held here. You can just walk in and join the various conversations and arguments that go on till the early mornings.
Final Check List
1. Arrange your travel plans so that you reach Albany before 6:00 pm on Tuesday June 15th and can leave after 2:00 pm on Saturday June 19th. Those travelling by planes, please take into consideration that they may never arrive or depart on time. Those arriving in New York Kennedy Airport and Boston Logan are usually connected to Albany by commuter planes. Depending upon which commuter you are on, you have to go to the appropriate terminals. Also, from New York City plenty of buses, and several trains are available to Albany.
2. If you are arriving earlier than the 15th of June let Univ Residential Life (resstg@safnet.albany.edu) know about it so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
3. Pack your manuscript and diskette whether for the Journal or for the Proceedings
4. Your poster, heavy duty tape and strings
5. Slides and transparencies by lecturers and panel members
6. Alarm clock, umbrella and rain coat.
7. A copy of this communication & the attached maps.
In this communication, we have tried to cover most of the matters you may be concerned with respect to the Tenth Conversation. If some matters are not clear to you, please e mail RHS07@CNSVAX.ALBANY.EDU, call at 518-456-9362; FAX: 518-452-4955.
We thank you for reading this communication.
We are looking forward to the pleasure of being your hosts, June15-19, 1999
Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Mukti H. Sarma
Institute of Biomolecular Stereodynamics
Chemistry Department
The University, Albany NY 12222 USA
May 17 1999