How to Host a Summer Meeting

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1) Airport: proximity to a major airport(s) and availability of transportation between airport and college campus is important (average attendance 1000-1200).

2) Sleeping Rooms: dorm availability needs to be cleared with the campus housing office. Prefer some combination of 250 beds be available, doubles and singles. Other considerations include: are these rooms air-conditioned, do they include private or "shared" bathrooms; and most importantly, the costs of such facilities. We also use about 250 on-campus inns/hotels (or very close-to-campus...within walking distance) are also popular with some of our attendees who prefer more private accommodations.

3) Meals: different options have been offered for on-campus meals: daily 2 or 3 meal plans (excluding the night of our picnic...usually Wednesday evening), or meal-by-meal plans. Also the ability to purchase "at the door" is important, and is it possible to purchase individual meals from delis or cafeterias that are available in the student unions?

4) Special Events: an annual picnic is held at the summer meeting, usually on Wednesday evening, and is the most popular social activity of the meeting...usually attracting about 500 participants. In addition to the picnic, we also have various food functions throughout the meeting.

5) Exhibits: need a room that is approximately 14,000 square feet with easy access to a loading dock. This table top exhibit set up could require as many as 75-8' tables. Most, if not all, exhibitors require electrical access. Although the exhibit show displays Wednesday through Friday, the room set-up begins on Friday or Saturday (exhibitors set up all day Sunday) so that the room(s) must be available all five days. Also needed for exhibits is a storage area large enough to hold many large boxes.

6) DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROOM NEEDS AAPT-Workshops (Saturday and Sunday only): a minimum of 10 LAB rooms seating at least 24 each, a minimum of 8 CLASSROOMS seating at least 24 each, and a number of (8-10) COMPUTER CLUSTERS are needed. While most prefer IBM (or PC-compatible) pentiums (at least 486's); some request high-end or power MACs (and at least IIci's). CD-ROMS, computer projection systems or LCD projection panels, and VCRs are also frequent requests.

Committee Meetings: a minimum of 5 rooms which can accommodate 30-40 people conference style, 3 rooms which can accommodate 50-75 people, and 1 room to accommodate 200 people should be designated for the entire week.

Invited Sessions: a minimum of 6 lecture rooms to seat about 200 each should be available Monday through Wednesday noon.

Contributed Sessions: a minimum of 4 lecture rooms to seat about 75-100 each should be available Monday through Wednesday, and 2 rooms to seat about 45-60.

Commercial Workshops: 4 classrooms to seat 30-50 people should be available Monday through Wednesday.
Plenary: theater seating for 500 should be available Sunday through Wednesday. This room will also be used for the Ceremonial Session and could be used as a site for the Demo Show which is generally held Wednesday evening after the picnic.

PIRA: the Physics Instructional Resource Agents have been running a Resource Room during the week of the summer meeting. This room generally measures about 725 sq.ft., electrical, and Internet access.
Apparatus Competition: this competition is organized by the Apparatus Committee and requires a room measuring about 725 sq.ft.

7) PTRA: in addition, one week before the AAPT meeting, the Physics Teaching Resource Agents (PTRA) bring in approximately 125 teachers. For that week, they will require on a daily basis: 4-5 lab rooms each holding 25-30 people, 1 lecture hall to hold 125 used for 1.5 hours either in the morning or the evening, a room to be used by three Directors as an office, dorm space (about 60 double rooms and 5 singles), and a 3-meal/day dining plan.

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To receive a detailed booklet titled "Guidelines On Hosting an AAPT Summer Meeting," contact:

AAPT Director of Meetings, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740
phone: 301-209-3340 fax: 301-209-0845
E-mail: aapt-meet@aapt.org