LSAMP at the Smithsonian

LSAMP '99 Winter Workshop
2 - 17 January 1999

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*  * *  *    LOGISTICS    *  *  * * Some helpful information to aid your travel to and from the '99 Winter Workshop - - Explore! including transportation, hotel information, meals, registration, and payment.

at the Smithsonian

Work Hours

Participants in the '99 Winter Workshop were expected to be in attendance for eight hours each day, Monday through Friday. The official hours are 8:45 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. To take full advantage of the Smithsonian facilities, participants were granted additional access and could arrive earlier in the morning and remain later in the afternoon than the official Workshop hours.

Arrival

A round-trip flight for each participant has been reserved, most likely into Washington's National (Regan) airport. If your flight brings you into Dulles Airport take a shuttle into town. A copy of your itinerary is included in the your mailing. Your ticket will either be Federal Express mailed to you or available at the airport ticket counter. Check your itinerary for this detail. From National airport, we recommend that you travel to the apartment complex via taxi. Taxis line up just outside the airport terminal and you should have no trouble with this safe and easy method of transport. Select the first taxi in line (they go by priority), provide the driver the address of the complex (140 South Van Dorn Street, Alexandria, Virginia), and the taxi driver will deliver you directly to the location. Once inside the complex, direct the taxi driver to take you to the Residence Services Building (located just to the right as you enter the complex, follow the signs). The staff at the desk will provide you additional information about your apartment and issue you your key. If you arrive after staffed desk hours, use the red courtesy phone, just inside the Residence Services Building, to call for assistance with apartment check-in.

To officially register for the Workshop, report to the Smithsonian's Natural History building Sunday, 3 January 1999. Enter the building through the Constitution Avenue entrance (10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW). We will be expecting you at 9:30 a.m. Please be prompt. We can not proceed until everyone is present. Because the museum does not open to the public until 10:00 a.m., you must meet the guard at the door at 9:15 a.m. to be issued a visitors badge. This badge will allow you temporary (one day only) admittance into the research sections of the building. We will all gather in the Consistution Avenue lobby then proceed to the Department of Botany Library where the registration meeting will take place. During our meeting we will take some time to get to know each other, answer questions, and if needed, solve any problems that may have come up. A breakfast snack and lunch will be provided. After lunch we recommend that set up your poster display in the Director's Office Hallway in anticipation of Monday's reception. When you have completed your set up, you are free for the rest of the day.

The Workshop begins Monday morning, 4 January 1999 with a reception and (LS)AMP poster presentation in the Director's Office Hallway. Each workshop participant is expected to "tape" on the hallway walls some information about their AMP. Although not required, I hope you bring some information with you and wear your AMP t-shirt during the reception

Award

Each participant in the '99 Winter Workshop received a round trip ticket, housing and a stipend of $250 per week to support his or her stay in Washington. Stipend payments were made at the beginning of the workshop. No payment was available prior to participants' arrival.

Schedule of Activities

The Workshop was based on a daily schedule of mentoring time and Explore events. Mornings were spent with mentors and afternoons participating in the workshop curriculum. See the schedule for details.

Dress

Dress at the Smithsonian is informal (yes, blue jeans are fine!). January can be very unpredictable. We suggest that you bring warm winter clothing (jacket, hat, gloves) but also a t-shirt in anticipation of a nice day.

Housing

All workshop participants will be housed the Oakwood Apartment Complex (140 South Van Dorn Street) in Alexandria, Virginia (22304) (phone: 703-751-0870). Roommate assignments were included in the mailing. Actual apartment numbers will not be available until your check-in on 2 January 1999. Apartments have been prepaid by the Program and come completely furnished.

All apartments are four person occupancy, two bedroom, two bathroom units. Although a safe facility, for additional security, we have requested 2nd, 3rd, or 4th floor room assignments. At the request of the majority, all apartments are designated "non-smoking." The Oakwood offers an apartment community built on 36 acres of land. The complex consists of 20 mid-rise (four-story) buildings with patios or balconies included in every apartment. Special features of this complex include: 2 swimming pools and hydromassages, 8 lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, indoor practice golf range, gas grills, convenience store with deli on property, dry cleaning services on property, and complimentary Sunday Brunch.

Oakwood Alexandria is located directly off Route 395 at Duke Street East. It is convenient to interstate 95 and the Capital Beltway (495) making travel to downtown DC very accessible. A shopping center located directly across the street from the complex includes a grocery store, bank, and other conveniences.

We have selected the "Basic Intern Package" with furnishings including: Standard Kitchen Package (8 - 5pc. setting dishes, 8 wine glasses, 16 beverage glasses, 1 -7pc cookware set, 1 salt and pepper set, 1 electric coffee maker, 3 mixing/serving bowls, 8 5pc. setting flatware, 4 steak knives, 1 carving knife, 1 paring knife, 1 can opener, 1 spatula, 1 serving fork, 2 serving spoons, 1 silverware tray, 2 dish towels, 2 hot pads, 1 waste basket, 2 ash trays, and 1 toaster), Standard Linen Package (8 bath towels, 8 hand towels, 8 wash towels, 2 bath mats, 8 sheets, 4 mattress pads, 4 blankets, 4 bedspreads, 2 wastebaskets, 4 pillows with protectors, 4 pillow cases, and 30 clothes hangers), Start-up Package (coffee, tea, sugar & creamer packets, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, and facial tissue) Iron and Ironing Board, Dust Pan and Brush, Color Television, Telephone, and Clock Radio. In addition you may rent (at your own expense) through the Oakwood: Videocassette Recorder ($40.00/month), Desk Telephone ($7.00/month), Telephone Answering Machine ($25.00/month), Microwave Oven ($40.00/month), Roll-a-way Bed with linen ($45.00/month), Gourmet Kitchen Package ($6.00/month) and maid service ($145.00/month). Please contact the Oakwood for details including exact prices.

A telephone is being provided for your use but you will be responsible for your own telephone charges. A deposit for phone service will be required during check-in. To initiate phone service, either supply your credit card number or provide a deposit of $200 per apartment. Your telephone deposit will be refunded at checkout if all phone debts have been paid. Everyone will need to keep an account of their phone calls and pay all additional debts. It is recommended that students use calling cards for long distance service.

Apartments will be available Saturday after 10:30 a.m. 2 January 1999 and occupancy runs through Sunday 17 January 1999 (mandatory checkout is before 10:00 a.m.).

Commuting

Although there is free out-door parking available at the Oakwood, there is no parking available anywhere near the Smithsonian so you must plan on taking public transportation.

You will be responsible for the daily commuting cost to and from the Smithsonian. Maximum commuting cost is about $5.00 per day. There are three basic commuting options: the bus, the metro rail, and the bike trail. In summary, these are the options:

* METRO RAIL: the closest metro rail stop is Van Dorn Station. It is a 20-minute walk or 10-minute bus /shuttle ride. Travel time on metro from Van Dorn Station to the Smithsonian is about 35-45 minutes and the cost averages $2.30 during rush hour (that's $4.60 per day). An unlimited 28 day pass is available for approximately $150 - details provided complements of Matt Kosnik, 1994 RTP participant).

* BUS: travel time is about 45-50 minutes from Oakwood to NMNH and the cost averages $2.00 one way during rush hour (that's $4.00 per day). A two week pass is available for about $30.00.
- details provided complements of Laura Rose, 1995 RTP participant).

* BIKE: The bike route is about 12-13 miles and takes a "short hour at an easy pace." It's free! The trek takes you a few miles into beautiful Old Town Alexandria where you'll hook up with the paved Mt. Vernon Bike Trail that follows the Potomac river, passing National Airport, the Lincoln Memorial the Washington Monument and finally the NMNH. Safety is not a concern on the trail as it passes through mostly recreational areas heavily traveled by your fellow bikers/commuters and tourists. If you want to clean up after your travels, showers and lockers are available in the NMNH East wing. - details provided complements of Chris Hardy, 1994 RTP participant).

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