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FAQs

Send Questions To: AbSciCon@seti.org


Will there be a proceedings publication arising out of this conference?

The AbSciCon 2008 abstracts are being published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. in Astrobiology Volume 8, #2, April 2008. Formal conference proceedings will not be published.

Where are the closest hotels?

The Hyatt and the Hilton are adjacent to the Santa Clara Convention Center. AbSciCon does not have reserved blocks of rooms at these hotels. If you wish to stay at the Hyatt or the Hilton, they are accepting reservations that begin on Sunday, April 13 through Thursday, April 17. We are sharing the convention center with a tech conference, and they have large blocks of rooms reserved for the Mon-Thurs time. A small number of rooms are available if you begin your stay on Sunday, but not if you begin your stay on Monday.

How can I pay for the lunches separately from the registration?

You can purchase lunches separately from registration, but not online. Register for the meeting using either the "Standard Registration Form" (total = $400) or, if appropriate, the "Student/PostDoc Registration Form" (total = $200 or $300). Do not select meal choices on the registration form. Once your registration is completed, contact Sue Lehr at the SETI Institute or phone: 650-960-4526. Sue can record your lunch choices, and explain how to pay separately for lunches.

Is there a “conference” hotel?

AbSciCon 2008 does not have an official conference hotel, although there are 100 rooms reserved at a reduced rate at the nearby Holiday Inn. There are many other hotels and motels in the Santa Clara Valley. The AbSciCon “Housing” page provides links to the Holiday Inn, hotels and motels that are on the Light Rail line (public transportation), a link to Federal Rate rooms, and to housing at NASA Ames Research Center. The Santa Clara Convention Center’s web pages include a Hotel Rates & Availability ( where room reservations can be made. There are many choices to fit your budget and taste in accommodations.

Am I registered for the conference?

A list of people registered for the conference appears on the webpage List of Participants. This list is updated frequently. If you have other questions regarding your registration status, send an email to abscicon@seti.org with “registration status” in the subject line.

Is there a discount for student/post doc registration?

Discounted registration is available for students and recent postdocs. Please see the registration page for detailed information. Be sure to use the Student/Post Doc Registration form to obtain discounted registration.

Can I register for only one day?

Conference registration is for the entire meeting. There is no provision for reduced registration for attending for part of the meeting.

Spouse/Guest Registration: Spouses and other guests are consider attendees, and need to register for the meeting to attend the regular AbSciCon 2008 sessions. Note that there are public events (no registration required) on Wednesday evening at the Santa Clara Convention Center, and on Thursday evening at San Jose State University.

When will I receive information about my abstract?

Individual email notifications were sent to all people who proposed abstracts to AbSciCon 2008 beginning on February 1. If you have not received your notice, please contact us at abstracts@seti.org with the full name of the first author, the ID number (if possible) of the abstract, and the full title of the abstract. The notices were sent to the email addresses provided with the abstract submission. If you email address has changed, you need to notify the conference organizers.


How can I find a person willing to share a room?

Please look at the "List of Participants" to identify a likely roommate for the meeting. You'll need to track down their email address via their institutional home as we are not publishing email addresses on this public website. We anticipate at least 700 attendees. It's likely you'll find a friend or colleague on the list.

 

What are the guidelines for posters?

Posters will be exhibited throughout the conference. Please plan to put up your poster on Tuesday, and take it down at the end of the meeting on Thursday, April 17. The maximum size for posters is 4 feet x 4 feet, or 1.2m x 1.2m. The material to display the posters will be provided.

 

Will there be transportation to and from the convention center?

The light rail system has a stop at the door to the convention center. The schedule is located here. Those of you staying at NASA Ames can take light rail or the bus we are supplying. Those staying at the Holiday Inn can either walk or take the bus we are supplying. The pickup times are early so as to get everyone to the convention center by 8 AM. There are hotels next to the convention center with restaurants if you want to grab some breakfast after your drop off.

Bus schedule

Tuesday April 15
6:30 AM  load passengers at NASA, deliver to SCCC
7:00 AM  load passengers at the Holiday Inn, deliver to SCCC
7:30 AM  load passengers at the Holiday Inn, deliver to SCCC
(the convention begins at 8:00 AM)

9:15 PM    load passengers at SCCC, deliver to Holiday Inn and then on to NASA
10:15 PM  load passengers at SCCC, deliver to Holiday Inn and then on to NASA
(the convention ends at 9 PM)

Wednesday April 16
6:30 AM  load passengers at NASA, deliver to SCCC
7:00 AM  load passengers at the Holiday Inn, deliver to SCCC
7:30 AM  load passengers at the Holiday Inn, deliver to SCCC
(the convention begins at 8:00 AM)

9:45 PM    load passengers at SCCC, deliver to Holiday Inn and then on to NASA
10:45 PM  load passengers at SCCC, deliver to Holiday Inn and then on to NASA
(the convention ends at 9:30 PM)

Thursday April 17
6:30 AM  load passengers at NASA, deliver to SCCC
7:00 AM  load passengers at the Holiday Inn, deliver to SCCC
7:30 AM  load passengers at the Holiday Inn, deliver to SCCC
(the convention begins at 8:00 AM)


5:45 PM    load passengers at SCCC, deliver to Holiday Inn and then on to NASA
6:45 PM  load passengers at SCCC, deliver to Holiday Inn and then on to NASA
(the convention ends at 5:30PM)