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Third Announcement
Date of issue: 1 July 2008
The beautiful, green campus of the University of Keele cordially invites you
to attend IAU Symposium 256 on "The Magellanic System: Stars, Gas, and
Galaxies", from Monday 28 July to Friday 1 August 2008. Details can be found
on the conference website:
http://www.astro.keele.ac.uk/iaus256
In this third announcement we wish to inform you of a few essential facts:
Dedication
The symposium will be dedicated to the memory of Bengt Westerlund, who passed
away a few weeks ago. Bengt has left a tremendous legacy in Magellanic Clouds
research, and many of us have learnt a great deal from him.
If you wish to share a few personal memories at the conference dinner, to
remind us of the great scientist and human being Bengt was, please tell us.
Registration
Registration and submission of poster abstracts is possible until 18 July,
after which all registered participants will be sent joining instructions
(where to go to get the key to your room, where to park if coming by car...).
Cultural events
Tickets for the outdoor Shakespeare play "Othello", classical concert, and
free public lecture on Archaeo-astronomy may be obtained on the day. However,
advance ticket purchase is highly recommended in order to assure a guaranteed
CHAIR (!) for the outdoor performance of "Othello".
Dinner menu choice
If you wish to attend the conference dinner at the historic Wrenbury Hall in
the beautiful Cheshire countryside but have not yet told us so, then please
get into contact with us as soon as possible. The price of 40 pounds includes
transport, a complementary glass of Pimms on the lawn, wine, juice and water,
and a special beer, "Magellanic Ale", will be brewed exclusively for this
occasion by a local brewery.
Three menu options are offered, including a vegetarian/vegan option. It is
essential that you make your choice on the
webform linked
from the symposium website, by 14 July.
Welcome reception
Registration on Sunday 27 July is open from 15:00-19:00, in the 19th-century
mansion Keele Hall, where you are also warmly invited to a welcome reception,
from 19:30-20:00. Dinner is served in Keele Hall too, between 18:00-1930.
Airport pickup
As a reminder to those who wish to make use of the cheap shuttle transfer we
are arranging for arrivals at Manchester airport on Sunday 27 July, please let
us know by 18 July if you have not already done so. We will then send details
about meeting points, times and prices.
You are advised NOT to get a taxi from your destination airport to Keele as
this will be extremely expensive.
Preparation of talks
Invited review talks are 30 minutes, and all other talks are 20 minutes. These
times should include a few minutes of discussion.
It is highly recommended that speakers make use of the PC provided in the
lecture theatre. This PC runs under Windows XP Professional, MS Office 2003
and Powerpoint 2003. Note that it is a widescreen facility. You are advised to
provide us with your talk on a memory stick or CD well in advance of your
session. For those of you whose talk will not run under this system, please
bring your laptop and test it well ahead of your session.
Preparation of posters
Accepted posters can be up to 1m wide. Although the maximum height that can be
accommodated is 2m, it is recommended that posters do not exceed 1.5m height.
Velcro is provided for you to attach your poster to the poster board.
During the symposium we will select a number of posters for oral presentation.
If you wish to be considered for this opportunity, please send us (or bring)
a maximum of two slides in Powerpoint format.
The poster prizes (book vouchers) will be announced at the conference dinner.
Animations
We offer to display animated presentations during the conference, of either
observational data or computer simulations. If you are interested in this
possibility, please get in contact with us (iaus256@astro.keele.ac.uk).
Wireless access
Access to a wireless, open internet connection will be provided around the
lecture theatre. Details will be made available at the start of the symposium.
Campus facilities
Keele University campus is compact, with all you need within easy walking
distance. There is a bank with ATMs, a groceries shop, a bookshop, and a post
office. Sports facilities are available to conference delegates for a fee.
Note that all buildings on the campus are strictly non-smoking.
Important dates
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14 July 2008 |
Menu choice, see
http://www.astro.keele.ac.uk/iaus256/menu.html |
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18 July 2008 |
Deadline for registration, poster abstracts and airport shuttle |
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28 July - 1 August 2008 |
IAU Symposium 256 takes place at Keele |
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15 September 2008 |
Deadline for submission of proceedings manuscripts |
We look forward to meeting you at Keele this Summer!
Jacco van Loon and Nye Evans, on behalf of the SOC and LOC
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