Travel Information
Conference attendees are asked to organize their own travel and are encouraged to inquire at their home insitutions for travel funding. The Mid-Atlantic CUWiP will be held at the The Marriott® Inn & Conference Center, University of Maryland University College, located at 3501 University Blvd East, Hyattsville, Maryland 20783. Note that the Inn and Conference Center offers a free shuttle service to locations within in a 5 mile radius (including the College Park Metro station).
Public Transportation and Driving Directions
For more information on public transportation options, visit the WMATA website. Driving directions and additional information are available on the University of Maryland Visitors page. The Inn and Conference Center provides a free shuttle service to nearby locations, including the College Park metro station. If you have travel concerns, please contact the organizers at Mid-Atlantic-CUWiP@physics.umd.edu.
Air Travel
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - DCA
Using Public Transportation: Reagan National Metro (Yellow Line) to College Park Metro (Green Line) switch from Yellow Line to Green Line at L'Enfant Plaza
Super Shuttle Costs: $28.00 one-way
Taxi: 15 miles / 25 kilometers. Approximately $30
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport - BWI
Using Public Transportation: B30 Metrobus to Greenbelt Metro ($6) then Greenbelt Metro to College Park Metro stop (only one stop)
Super Shuttle Costs: $32.00 one-way
Taxi: 25 miles / 40 kilometers. Approximately $60
Washington Dulles International Airport - IAD
Using Public Transportation: 5A Metrobus to L'Enfant Metro, then L'Enfant Metro to College Park Metro (Green line)
Super Shuttle Costs: $39.00 one-way
Taxi: 58 miles / 67 kilometers. Washington Flyer Taxi approximately $80
Preparing for the Conference
Before the meeting:
Arrive with plenty of time on the first day to pick up your information folder and name badge. Please plan to arrive at least thirty minutes before the start of the NIST tour, or dinner. You should also orient yourself to the building and study the hotel floor plans in the program.
Pack comfortable shoes to help you dart between sessions or go outside the hotel. If you think sneakers or flats will ruin your professional look du jour, pop them in your conference tote once your arrive at your destination.
Plan your thirty-second elevator introduction. In other words, be able to summarize who you are and what you do professionally in half a minute.
Charge your laptop, tablet, or smart phone every night, and pack your charger in your bag in case you need it. You may find available sockets at the hotel.
Dress in layers. The session rooms at the conference can vary from drafty to stuffy, so be ready to change dress accordingly.
Have healthy snacks and keep a refillable water bottle on hand. Pick up nuts, fruit, beef jerky, or dark chocolate (if you’ve got a sweet tooth) ahead of time.
At the meeting:
Tweet using #MACUWiP! If you’re enjoying a particular session or event, let other people know about it. Even if you don’t have an account, you can still read Twitter and pick up some great conference tips in real time.
Keep track of your badge. Your conference badge allows you admission to all sessions and meals. Wear your name badge at all times and do not lose it!
Check meeting times closely. The final Conference Program you’ll receive after check-in lists times and locations for all sessions, events, workshops, receptions, and exhibitions.
You can use your laptop or smart phone during a session. Typing notes during a talk is okay; so is tweeting. Just be mindful of your neighbors and respectful of the speakers. And don’t forget to silence your settings!
Ask a question. Session chairs usually reserve ten to twenty minutes of time at the end of the session for audience questions. Write down your question in advance, and make sure that it’s a question related to the discussion. Don’t forget to state your name and institution, so that people might remember you. If you’d like to respond to the presentations with your own comments, talk to a speaker afterward and get her email.
Look at fellow audience members. Remember the faces in the audience—if you see someone later, the session you both attended can be a conversation starter.
Partner with friends or colleagues to cover sessions happening at the same time. You will have the opportunity to attend two of the three panel sessions, and one of the two workshops. It’s not possible to do everything, so decide in advance who will attend each session and take notes. You could then meet after the sessions, or wait until you get home, to regroup and discuss.
Don’t spend all your time with your friends. You’re at the conference to network, so leave your comfort zone and set a goal to meet at least two new people every day.
Complete the post conference survey. A post conference survey will be distributed to all registrants. Please take a few minutes to let the organizers know about your experience, and how we can improve it for future conferences and events.
After the Conference:
Follow up with your new contacts. Send an email to those you’ve networked with, to follow up on a question or discussion, or just to say “It was a pleasure meeting you.” Keep in touch with new friends via Facebook or Twitter.
Packing Tips
The Mid-Atlantic CUWiP does not have a formal dress code, however attendees are encouraged to dress professionally. Note that January can be cold in Maryland, so make sure to pack coats and warmer clothing. View the current College Park weather here:
NIST Tours
Attendees participating in the Friday tours of NIST need to bring a government issued id to the tour. NIST provides additional visitor information on their official website.
