102nd Spring Meeting of the AAVSO

AAVSO 102nd Spring Meeting was held at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.  

QUICK LINKS:

- Updates

- Transportation

- Description of Events

- Registration

- Preliminary Schedule

- Abstract Submission

- Accommodations

- Deadlines to Remember

 

UPDATES!

- We will be using GoToWebinar software to broadcast Jeno's Sokoloski's talk (discussing her new nova project) on Friday @ 11am EDT and the AAVSO Membership Meeting on Saturday @ 9:30am EDT.  If you were unable to attend the meeting in person, but would like to take part, here is your chance!  Details and registration links can be found here.  We hope you can join us.

- Meeting Schedule

- Paper Order/Abstracts

- Treasurer's Report

- Map of restaurants near meeting space (for lunch break)

- Directions from Holiday Inn to meeting space on ASU campus

- Directions to ASU's Dark Sky Observatory

- Attendee list: Click here for an updated list of attendees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS

First Time Attendee Dinner: We will be holding an informal gathering Thursday evening for all first time meeting attendees.  Members of the AAVSO staff will be present to provide a warm welcome and answer any questions about AAVSO meetings or the organization in general.  Additional information will be sent to all registrants who indicate that they are first time attendees during the registration process.

Paper Sessions: Paper sessions on any variable star related topics will be held on Friday and Saturday.  Posters will also be presented on Saturday. 

Stay tuned… Featured talks will be announced online as they are confirmed!

Membership Meeting: All attendees are invited to this gathering, which will be held Saturday morning. The purpose of this meeting is to inform attendees of the activities of the Association. The Treasurer's and Director’s Reports will be included.  All portions of the membership meeting will be broadcast online via GoToWebinar.  (Details will be announced on the website.) We will leave plenty of time for Q&A and will be taking questions from both in-person and online attendees.

Closing Award Banquet: We will hold our closing awards banquet at Dark Sky Observatory, which is just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The dinner will be catered by a local BBQ restaurant.  (Vegetarian options will be available.)  Keeping the quite memorable setting in mind, this year's banquet will be a bit more casual than our typical closing banquet.

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE

(Events held at Appalachian State University unless otherwise noted.)

Thu 5/16        
All day……….
Council Meeting - Current Council Members Only (@ Holiday Inn Express)
TBA............
Shuttle trips from Charlotte, NC airport to Boone Holiday Inn Express
Evening……..First Time Meeting Attendee Dinner (location details TBA)

Fri, 5/17
All day……...Paper Sessions and Featured Talks

Sat, 5/18
All day……...Poster papers displayed
Morning
…….Membership Meeting (also broadcast online)
Afternoon….
General Paper Session
Evening…….
Closing Banquet with Award Presentations (@ Dark Sky Observatory)

Sun, 5/19
TBA............Shuttle trips from Boone Holiday Inn Express to Charlotte, NC airport

ACCOMMODATIONS

Sleeping rooms have been reserved at the Boone Holiday Inn Express for AAVSO meeting attendees at a special group rate of $81 plus tax. (Hotel address is: 1943 Blowing Rock Rd  Boone, NC 28607.) Please make your reservations by calling the hotel at 828-264-2451 before April 15th, 2013 April 22nd, 2013 (extended!)Please be sure to mention that you will be participating in the AAVSO meeting when making room reservations. If you have any difficulties securing the group rate, please ask for Andrea Pate (Sales Manager).

Roommate matching assistance will be available for those who would like to lower costs by sharing a room - just complete the appropriate section of the registration form.

TRANSPORATION

  • Airport to Hotel:
    • Attendees are encouraged to fly into the Charlotte, NC airport. Transportation will be provided between Charlotte Douglas airport (CLT) and the Boone Holiday Inn Express on Thursday, May 16th and Sunday, May 19th.  This is a 2+ hour trip.  Several trips will be made.  Exact times will be scheduled once attendees' specific arrival/departure times are known.
  • Hotel to Campus:
    • Transportation will be provided between the Boone Holiday Inn Express and the Appalachian State University campus on Friday and Saturday.
  • Banquet:
    • Transportation will be provided from the University campus to the Observatory for the banquet and from the banquet back to the Holiday Inn Express on Saturday.

REGISTRATION

Please complete the MEETING REGISTRATION FORM by May 1, 2013. You can complete this form online (you must be logged into the AAVSO website) or you can call the AAVSO (617-354-0484) to request that a paper copy of the registration forms be mailed to you.  After May 1st registration will be more expensive and some events may be sold out.

This year member registration rates are lower than non-member rates.  The good news for non-members: Registration now includes discounted AAVSO membership through the end of 2013!

Spouse/Guest Networking: We encourage attendees to bring spouses, family members & other guests to the meeting, but we know that some guests may not wish to attend all of the sessions.  We will set up a mailing list so that spouses/guests can share sightseeing ideas and make plans to "hit the town" together.  Sign-up for this mailing list is available via the meeting registration form.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

Abstracts will be accepted on a space-available basis until May 10, 2013.  You can complete this form online via the 102nd Spring Meeting Operations page (strongly preferred) or you can call the AAVSO (617-354-0484) to request that a paper copy of the abstract form be mailed to you. NOTE: The abstract form will not appear until you have registered for the meeting.

Meeting attendees are permitted to submit up to 2 abstract forms. (This can be 2 posters, 2 oral presentations or one of each.) Abstracts are limited to 500 words. Please note: We will have a limited amount of time to accommodate oral presentations. If we are unable to schedule your paper as an oral presentation, you will be informed by May 6, 2013 and you will be welcome to present your work as a poster paper.

DEADLINES TO REMEMBER

• April 15th - Hotel Reservation Deadline
• May 1st - Early Registration & Abstract Submission Deadline
• May 6th - 1st Round Notification of Oral Presentation Status
• May 10th - Final Registration & Abstract Submission Deadline
• May 13th - Final Notification of Oral Presentation Status

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

We hope to see you at the meeting!