Logistics for 2011 Kepler Science Conference

Dates & Site: Welcome Reception: The conference opens with a reception, Sunday evening, 4 December 2011, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Exploration Center at the NASA Research Park (NRP), located just outside the main gate into the NRP. This is at the Moffett Boulevard/NASA Parkway exit on Highway 101, Mountain View, CA (see map). The First Kepler Science Conference is Monday through Friday, 5-9 December 2011, at the NRP Building 152. The NRP is adjacent to NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035. Pick up badges at the reception or on Monday, 8:00 AM. On-Site Registration US citizens and legal residents may register on-site at Building 152 in the NRP Monday, Dec. 5, 2011.See "Entry to NRP" below. Foreign nationals may not register on-site because the Conference is located at a US Government facility which requires pre-clearance for entry. Foreign national registration closed in October, 2011. Entry to NRP and First Kepler Science Conference At the NRP gate, all attendees will be asked "Where are you going?" The reply is "To Building 152, First Kepler Science Conference." US citizens and legal residents: to enter the NRP, a government issued photo-identification ir required: be prepared to show a driver's license or passport. Foreign national attendees: be prepared to show your passport and visa at the entrance. Taxi's may enter the NRP, and take you to Building 152. If you are driving, there is ample parking adjacent to Building 152 (see map above).

Directions to Ames Research Center (PDF, 65 KB) Download Logistics Info (PDF, 1.2 MB) - click to see larger version, or Download PDF map - Attendees may enter either the Main or South Main Gate. A government-issued photo ID is required to enter Ames. All conference-related activities take place in red-highlighted buildings; parking lots are highlighted with a peach color. All sessions will take place in Building 152. Follow the golden dotted line to get from either gate to Building 152. ITAR Requirements: Kepler Conference Attendees/Participants acknowledge that foreign nationals will be in attendance. Speakers and presenters of posters should review and adhere to US export control regulations. Department of State ITAR informaiton is available at http://pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/itar_official.html

Red and white directional signs will indicate the way to Bldg 152. Also see written directions at the end of this logistics sheet.

Please contact Science Organizing Committee Chair Dr. Matthew J. Holman, Associate Director, Theoretical Astrophysics Division, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (617) 496-7775, or email Matt Holman.

Since this conference is being held in a NASA facility, all attendees will be registered with the NASA Ames security office. All attendees will be asked to show a valid, officially-issue picture identification such as driver’s license or passport at the gate to the NRP. Foreign Nationals (non-U.S. citizens who don’t hold a Green Card) have been required to fill in a security form for registration; this process has been completed and all Foreign Nationals who registered at the Conference website will be/have been contacted by Cynthia Ramseyer, SETI Institute, email: Cynthia Ramseyer.

Please bring your presentation on a memory stick to be loaded on a conference computer at Building 152. Name your presentation file with your abstract number and your name. The program is on the conference website. You can find your abstract number from the INDEX which lists presentations and posters by first author name in the Conference Program. Signs will direct you to the audio visual staff at meeting site--please contact this staff at your very earliest opportunity upon your arrival to queue your presentation. AV staff: Marco Boldt and Michael Toillion. Emails: Marco Boldt and Michael Toillion.

Mac and PC computers will be available to display presentations. Presentations will be pre-loaded onto these computers to facilitate a smooth meeting, and the recording of the talks. Supported presentation formats include Powerpoint (.ppt/.pptx), Acrobat (.pdf) and Keynote (.key) If you have any special requirements, please contact Marco Boldt

All talks will be recorded and made available via the web following the conference. If you do not wish for your talk to be recorded, please let us know.

Poster Requirements: Maximum poster dimensions 44" X 44" / 112 cm x 112 cm

Poster Schedule - Building 152 Room 117
Session 1 Monday 8 am through Wednesday 12 o'clock noon
          Evening Session Monday 6 - 8 pm
    100 Kepler Mission and Exoplanet Statistics
    200 Earth Analog and Sub-Neptune-size Planets
    300 Multiple Planet Systems
    400 Exoplanet Theory
    500 Giant Planets and Planet Atmospheres

Session 2 Wednesday 1 pm through Friday 4 pm
          Evening Session Thursday 5 - 7pm
    600 Eclipsing and Interacting Binaries
    700 Stellar Activity and Rotation
    800 Asteroseismology
    900 Red Giant Oscillations
    1000 Extragalactic and Other Astrophysics, and EPO

• Please note copying and printing capabilities are not available at Bldg 152. The conference staff will have one small black/white printer available for very small requests. Also, there will not be open-use/public computers available in Bldg 152.
• There will be several rooms open and available for informal meetings during the Conference. Check with the registration desk in Bld. 152.
• Bldg 152 has strict closing time hours, enforced by NASA Security.
• There are a limited number of lockers available in the lavatories. Bring your own lock and key if you wish to use one during the meeting.
• Power to charge laptops will not be available in the plenary meeting room. However, staff will provide charging areas with surge protectors for your laptops elsewhere.
• There are no food or beverage concessions available in Bldg 152.

To be decided.

Wireless accesswill be available during the meeting. You will receive instructions and password at the meeting. Access is limited, but should suffice for this meeting.

Staff from the Center Director’s office and other Ames’ offices will support the workshop for any special needs.

Ship directly to NASA Ames Conference Center, Bldg 3, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000, (650) 604-2082. Please mark boxes with “Kepler/Rho.”

Kepler Conference Attendee/Participants acknowledge that foreign nationals will be in attendance. Speakers and presenters of posters should review and adhere to US export control regulations. Department of State ITAR information available at

• take 101 North out of airport (toward San Francisco)
• drive approximately 9 miles
• exit on Moffett Boulevard/NASA Parkway, Exit 398;
• turn right at end of ramp on Moffett Boulevard
• head straight into NASA Research Park (NRP) gate where you will be asked to show picture identification
• identify yourself as a First Kepler Science Conference attendee
• go through the NRP gate and at the split in the road, veer onto South Akron and keep the parade ground on your left side
• keep going straight on South Akron and make a right turn on McCord Avenue.
• McCord turns into Dailey Road; you will see Bldg 152 on your right.
• Park at the corner of Dailey, Equiba, and McCord OR behind Bldg 152.

By Public Transportation (Approx. 1 – 1.5 hours)

• Take Lightrail from San Jose towards LRT Winchester – Mountain View
• Get off at the Bayshore NASA Station, Mountain View Stop
• Walk to Moffett Field (toward security gate)
  --Upon arrival to NASA Ames, inform the security guards your destination is Building 152 for Kepler Science Conference
• Walk to Cody Rd and make a left
• Walk to Girard Rd and make a left
• Building 152 will be straight ahead at the end of the road

• take 101 South out of airport (toward San Jose)
• drive approximately 30 miles
• exit on Moffett Boulevard/NASA Parkway
• turn right onto Moffett Boulevard/NASA Parkway and head straight into NASA Research Park (NRP) gate where you will be asked to show picture identification
• identify yourself as a First Kepler Science Conference attendee
• go through the NRP gate -- at the split in the road, veer onto South Akron and keep the parade ground on your left side
• keep going straight on South Akron and make a right turn on McCord Avenue.
• McCord turns into Dailey Road; you will see Bldg 152 on your right.
• Park at the corner of Dailey, Equiba, and McCord OR behind Bldg 152.

By Public Transportation (Approx. 1.5 – 2 hours)

• Take Caltrain from San Francisco to Mountain View Caltrain Stop (Corner of Castro/Moffett Blvd and Evelyn Avenue)
• Try to catch the bullet train if it is available – Bullet train takes 40-60 minutes to reach Mountain View)
• Take the 51 bus towards Moffett Field – NASA Ames (Or catch a cab from the Mountain View Caltrain station to Mountain View, estimated cost $10)
  --Upon arrival to NASA Ames, inform the security guards your destination is Building 152 for Kepler Science Conference
• Once at NASA Ames Research Park - Get off at North Akron & McCord Avenue
• Walk to McCord Avenue, make a right on McCord Avenue, walk to Dailey Road and make a right.
• Building 152 will be on the right hand side