Please click a topic below for more information.

Workshop Arrival and Departure

Applicants should plan to arrive no later than the evening of Monday, August 21 and depart no earlier than the morning of Wednesday, August 30 after the workshop has ended.  Days will be full of activities and participants are expected to attend the entire workshop or else forfeit their participation.

Book tickets in and out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC).

Please see the Ground Transportation and Lodging tab below for shuttle options between the airport and UCSC’s campus.

 

Passport & Visa

You need a valid passport (recommended expiration date valid >6 months from workshop) if you are coming from a country other than the United States of America.

Please see the U.S. Department of State website for the most comprehensive and up-to-date information.  If you are a citizen of Canada or Japan, you should not need a visa to enter the U.S. for this workshop.  Citizens of China and India will need to apply for a U.S. Visa.  Please do this as soon as you have been accepted and have confirmed participation in the workshop as it can take up to 6 weeks to acquire the visa.

Additional points about applying for U.S. Visa can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Airport Transportation & Lodging

Travel:

  • San Jose International Airport (SJC) is the most convenient airport to fly into, being 35 miles from the UCSC Campus.
  • Nicole Mattacola will schedule ride-share shuttles from San Francisco Airport (SFO) and SJC based on similar arrival or departure times for Workshop Participants. She will let you know about these grouped shuttles.
  • If your arrival or departure time does not correlate with other Participants, you can ask for a shuttle reimbursement of actual spend up to a maximum of $85 each way.
  • A list of shuttle and taxi options from SFO or SJC to Santa Cruz can be found here: http://conferenceservices.ucsc.edu/transportation/travel-options.html .  We recommend http://www.earlybirdairportshuttle.com/ or http://www.santacruzflyer.com/.
  • For those going on the Lick Observatory Field trip Sunday Aug 27th, transportation for you will be provided

Lodging:

For the information below, “Workshop Participants” refers to individuals listed on the Workshop Participants tab of this page. All other attendees are “Visitors and Instructors”.

  • Workshop Participants: Group housing has been arranged by ISEE on the UCSC campus (Porter Apartments). You will be provided a single room in a multi-room apartment. Check-in date is Monday, August 21. Check-out date is Wednesday, August 30.  Please contact Nicole Mattacola if you have questions.
  • Visitors and Instructors: Please arrange your individual lodging based on the following hotel recommendations:
    • Convenient location and Best Value: Mission Inn (www.mission-inn.co). Please book online as soon as possible to secure best rate. Rates continue to increase as we get closer to Peak Summer Season. Current rate if booking online: $156 per night.
    • Partnering Hotel with UCSC, excellent Marriott quality and service, but less convenient location: Hotel Paradox (hotelparadox.com). When booking online, the hotel has offered the use of the UC corporate code for a discount ($170 per night). Use the Corporate Code UC0 (U  C  zero). If you choose to stay at this hotel, please send a copy of your reservation to Nicole Mattacola as soon as possible.
    • Coastal views and upscale Santa Cruz character: Dream Inn (dreaminnsantacruz.com). This hotel is offering us a group rate with the UCSC discount ($219 for nights of August 21-24. $339 for nights of August 25-29). To reserve you must call 831-426-4330 and ask for the UCSC rate.

Campus Parking:

  • Visitors and Instructors not attending the full Workshop dates (8/22-8/29): Nicole will have passes waiting for you at the Kiosk at the Bay Street Campus Entrance. Please confirm your arrival times with Nicole if you do not hear from her directly.
  • Please refer to THIS UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS) map showing an overall campus map with specific details about parking.  The closest parking areas to the Workshop meeting areas are lots 114 and 164.
Maps & Local Transit in Santa Cruz

Large map of UC Santa Cruz campus:  UCSC_campus_map

Zoom-in map to College 9/10 Multi-purpose room (where workshop sessions will take place):  Colleges_9-10_Multi

Zoom-in map of Porter College (where participants will stay):  Porter_College_detail

Zoom-in map of Rachel Carson College = College Eight: College_Eight

  • Participants will eat most meals in the “Oakes/Eight Dining Hall” on this map.
  • Participants arriving outside of the 2-5 p.m. welcoming interval on Monday, August 21 should check in to the Housing Office at Apt. Bldg 1 on this map

Map to print and show a driver, to arrive at Porter College from off campus:  TMT Conf Campus info

Document with Santa Cruz Metro bus timetables from UC Santa Cruz:  SantaCruzMetro_UCSC_timetable

  • Includes guidelines for interpreting the timetable, and maps of some of the bus routes.

 

What to Bring

This is a suggested list but is not comprehensive. If you have further questions, please contact Austin and Nicholas.

  • Laptop or tablet

  • Appropriate clothes for workshop participation: pants/slacks/skirts and collared shirts/blouses or dresses

  • Comfortable shoes (we will be walking across campus on some of the workshop days)

  • Summer in Santa Cruz is dry but can vary in temperature, with warm days (~30C / 86F) and cold nights (~10C / 50F).  For maximum comfort, pack warm-weather clothes plus additional layers (sweater, jacket, stockings/leggings).  Sunscreen and sunglasses are recommended for Lick Observatory and other outdoor activities.

  • Phone and/or camera

  • Poster of work if you want to share it (we will schedule a poster session)

  • Casual clothes for times outside of workshop

  • Money for meals during travel to/from Santa Cruz.  Some participants also may wish to visit downtown Santa Cruz on Friday evening, August 25 or during the weekend of August 26-27.   Buses between the university and downtown require a cash fare of $2 each way.

  • All participants staying in UCSC housing will have access to the Rachel Carson dining hall at the following times:      

    Breakfast: 7:45-8:30 a.m.      

    Lunch: 12:30-1:30 p.m.   (please arrive by 1:00 p.m.)      

    Dinner: 5:30-6:30 p.m.   (please arrive by 6:00 p.m.)

Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse will cross the contiguous United States from west to east on August 21, 2017, the day before our workshop begins.  The eclipse will reach totality in northern Oregon at approximately 10:15 a.m. local time.  Unfortunately, this is a 10-hr drive from our workshop location in Santa Cruz.  Participants who arrive in Santa Cruz the morning of August 21 may enjoy a partial eclipse, reaching almost 80% obscuration.

NASA’s live coverage represents one of many online resources for following the path of totality and scientific observations of the eclipse.

Travel Awards

Please see our Travel Awards page for more information.