Participant Checklist & Travel Information

Short Course @GSA: Teaching SfM and GNSS Methods to Undergraduates in the Field

October 7-8, 2022 (8 am Friday-5 pm Saturday)
Boulder, Colorado (GSA 2022 Annual Meeting is in Denver October 9-12)

Jump to: Participant Checklist | Travel Information | Packing Guidance

Participant Checklist

By September 15

  • Complete this logistics survey (Opens in a new window)
    • As part of the survey, we ask everyone to make a SERC (Science Education Resources Center) login, if you do not already have one. Our website is hosted by SERC (Science Education Resources Center) and we will be working on some pages available only to workshop participants. If you have any trouble with this process, please contact Monica at SERC (mbruckne@carleton.edu).

By October 6 (5 pm Mountain Time)

  • Complete the teaching planning surveyby Thursday October 6 . This very short survey will be about how/where you expect to teach with GPS and/or SfM first. Your input from this survey will help us shape breakout groups of participants.

By the short course (before October 7)

  1. Ensure you are "up-to-date" on vaccinations or have a medical exemption. Bring proof of vaccination or exemption with you (paper or digital) to visually show upon arrival. See COVID19 Policies & Planning. (Opens in new window)
  2. Download software to the laptop you will be bringing with you - these are available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.
    We will also have access to the ISU geoscience computer lab, but we still recommend that you bring your own machine if possible.
    1. Agisoft MetaShape Pro - you will be able to request a fully functional 30-day free trial
    2. Emlid Studio - free
  3. Download the EmlidReach3 app to a phone or tablet from the App Store or Google Play. ReachView3 app is how we will control the GPS receivers. (If you do not have an Apple or Android device, don't worry about it. There will be plenty of people with devices -- more devices than instruments.)
  4. Review the teaching modules that we will be basing the course on. Please arrange to spend about 1 hour looking through the webpages, familiarizing yourself with the contents, and coming up with questions for the course instructors.
    1. High Precision Positioning with Static and Kinematic GPS
    2. Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM
  5. Arrange to have a map or Google Earth image of the field site you expect to use when teaching with GPS and/or SfM for the first time (if you are not sure where that might be, pick a place you have taught or otherwise done field work). This will be used in discussions with other participants when we get to the teaching-planning component of the workshop.
  6. Review the Packing Guidance and make sure you bring all needed items. (everyone should bring a laptop)

Travel Information

Arriving to Boulder and UNAVCO

  • Maps of UNAVCO-Boulder and GSA-CO Convention Center areas (Acrobat (PDF) 711kB Sep6 22)
  • Arranging a shuttle from Denver International Airport
    • The short course has decided to offer a free shuttle voucher as another means of travel support to participants who would like them. Vouchers will be with EightBlack airport shuttle company. The shuttles run every 1.5 hours from Denver to Boulder-area hotels, including Hampton Inn North Boulder, where you will be staying for the nights of October 6 and 7, 2022. We asking all participants to complete a logistics survey by September 15 so we can know how many vouchers to purchase.
    • You will then arrange for your own shuttle time using the voucher information we send you.
  • Hotel - Hampton Inn & Suites Boulder-North
    • 6333 Lookout Road, Boulder, Colorado, 80301
    • All participants are on the room list and can check in when they arrive October 6. Check in time 3 pm or after.
  • Getting to the short course location
    • The course itself will be held at the UNAVCO Boulder Office (6350 Nautilus Drive), 0.8 miles south of the Hampton Inn.
    • A shuttle from Hampton Inn to UNAVCO will be available each morning at 7:30 am OR you can walk - please see map (Acrobat (PDF) 711kB Sep6 22) for more details

Departing to Denver

Packing Guidance

  • Boulder, CO October daytime high temperatures average mid 60s F but highs from >32-80 are possible. Night time lows are typically around 40F but could be below freezing. Everything from snowstorms to thunderstorms to intense sun are possible. Please bring appropriate clothes and layers for these climate ranges. We will not be spending a large amount of time outside but could be outside for an hour or so at a time.
  • Computers – It is recommended that all participants bring a laptop. The primary softwares (listed above) can work on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  • Packing list
    • Laptop (make sure to bring USB-A to USB-C [thunderbolt] adapter if you have a recent Mac)
    • Camera (phone camera is completely sufficient; if you have a larger digital camera that is also fine; )
    • Proof of "up to date" vaccination for COVID19 (see CDC guidance) or medical exemption (paper or digital both fine)
    • Outdoor shoes (we will actually not be "hiking" or accessing a challenging field site but whatever you bring should be good for outdoor use on somewhat uneven terrain)
    • Clothes for sun, rain, snow, heat, cold, and indoors
    • Field supplies that you like to use (notebook, tablet, pens, pencils, etc.)
    • Sunscreen, sunglasses, sunhat
    • Toiletries
    • Small first aid kit
    • Daypack
    • Water bottle/s
    • Coffee mug (so we use less disposable cups)
    • Face mask/s