Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences: Workshop for Graduate Students and Post-Doctoral Fellows

Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Travel Information

The workshop began at 5:30 pm on Thursday evening, July 27 with optional workshop events in the School of Earth Sciences during the mid-afternoon (beginning at 2:30). We ended after dinner on Saturday July 29 (~7:00) with optional sessions on Sunday morning. Before making travel plans, participants were advised to read about the options for ground transportation to Stanford, recognizing it may take an hour to get to Palo Alto and that you may have to wait a while for some modes of public transportation. We strongly recommended that participants not schedule plane flights to arrive in San Francisco or San Jose any later than 3:15 p.m. in order to allow time for travel from the airport and check-in at the workshop. 

Transportation 
Participants were responsible for their transportation to and from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. The two major airports serving Palo Alto are San Francisco International Airport, SFO and Mineta San Jose Airport, SJC. Train and bus service is also available. An excellent source of specific information about ground transportation to Stanford and directions to the Stanford campus is the Stanford Ground Transportation site. Some of the shuttles are considerably cheaper for the second person going to the same location. Also, sharing a taxi might be an inexpensive option if several share the ride. We provided workshop participants with information about others arriving at the same airport after travel information has been submitted so that they could contact each other to share rides. Those driving themselves may want to consult these directions to Stanford University. 

Finding Your Way Around Campus
We encouraged participants to print out a campus map and bring it with them to the workshop.

Check-in and Lodging
Check-in was at 3:00-5:30 p.m. at the Escondido Village (EV) Conference Service Center located in Building 123, Blackwelder Ct. Participants signed in, picked up workshop materials, and returned the completed Medical Emergency Health Form (Acrobat (PDF) 5kB Jan13 04) in a sealed envelope. To facilitate later check-in, after our program had started, someone from the Summer Conference Services was at that location until 10:00 pm. Participants stayed in Studios I and II residences located near the corner of Campus Drive East and Escondido Road. Check-out on Sunday was done individually at the EV Conference Service Center anytime between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. Those needing to check out before 8:00 am needed to have made alternative arrangements the night before. An $80 key deposit was required for each room key issued to participants at check-in. Our Career Prep conference staff held this deposit, paid by cash or check made out to Stnaford University, until the key was returned. Accommodations were single-occupancy dorm rooms with private bathroom facilities and kitchenette (unstocked). Towels and linens were provided. Persons wishing to share a room were able to do so by informing us in advance of the workshop. (We needed to hear from both persons wishing to do so.) 

Parking
Daily "Scratcher" permits are $4.00 per day and could be purchased at the time of check-in. They must be hung from the rear view mirror, facing out. Daily conference scratchers are valid only in areas designated for "Residence" parking and only on the date specified on the permit. 

Meals
Most meals were served buffet-style on campus in Branner Dining Hall, which is a short walk across Campus Loop from the Studio apartments. All meals had vegetarian options. 

Communications
The dorm rooms had active, local-only telephone lines. A telephone card is required for long distance calls from those, or other, campus phones. If you have a cell phone, you should plan to bring it. Internet access, if desired, must be arranged and paid for on an individual basis. If you have an ethernet card, cable, and credit card, you can arrange access directly from your room. Minimum weekly fee is $30. More information can be found at Stanford Residential Computing. 

What to Wear
Dress for the workshop was casual. Areas close to the water can be cool in the summer in the Bay area. Palo Alto has mild, average temperatures that range from 39 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer average high is 77 and low is 54. The evenings are cool. 

Emergency Contact Information
Conference Services (650) 736-6000 (EV Conference Center: 8 am-10 pm)
Conference Services (650) 723-3126 (Summer Conference Services Office)
Campus Police (650) 329-2413 (after-hours dispatch)