Workshop Logistics

Workshop timing | Location | Travel | Accommodations | Meals | COVID

Workshop Timing

The main workshop will begin on Sunday evening, October 26th, 2025, at 5:00pm at Carleton College, concluding 2:00pm on Tuesday, October 28th. If traveling on Sunday makes you too late for the 5:00pm opening session, please plan to travel on Saturday instead to enable you to be present for the entire workshop.

Optional Pre-Workshop Sessions

Participants can attend pre-workshop mentor sessions or tutorial sessions with MATLAB experts. The program for this session will begin tentatively at 2:00pm on Sunday, October 26th and conclude around 4:00pm. Workshop participants who sign up for this session should plan travel accordingly. Participants may join this session on a drop-in basis to meet with available mentors and activity reviewers. This is an opportunity to meet with mentors 1-on-1, and there is no formal agenda. You can use the sessions to focus on what matters most to you.

Sign up for a session »

Snacks and drinks will be provided!

A few ideas to make the most of the session:

  • Curriculum Planning: Seek advice on refining your curriculum.
  • Teaching Activities: Discuss your teaching activity and gather feedback.
  • Teaching Tools: Get tips on using MATLAB teaching tools effectively.
  • MATLAB and Application Areas: Explore new areas of MATLAB and computing.

Location

The workshop will be held at Carleton College, at the Weitz Center for Creativity (Google Maps location open in a new tab). Lodging is available at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Northfield. See accommodations for more on booking a room.

Northfield, MN

Northfield is a small town about 40 miles south of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minnesota's weather in October is highly variable, so please plan to dress accordingly. Please check the weather close to the workshop to prepare for snow, rain, or sun!

Travel

Participants are responsible for their travel to and from the workshop. Ground transportation to and from the airport will be provided for you (see shuttles below). For planning purposes, we ask that you provide us with your travel information in advance. Book your travel early! Flights to Minneapolis-St Paul Airport are quite affordable when booked well in advance.

Travel by Air

Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport is the closest airport to Northfield. Participants should plan to arrive no later than 2:30pm on Sunday, October 26 and depart no earlier than 5:30pm on Tuesday, October 28. Travel to and from the airport takes approximately one hour.

Airport Shuttles


Shuttle transportation between MSP airport and the workshop will be provided for workshop participants traveling through MSP airport. Shuttles from MSP airport to the Fairfield Inn & Suites Northfield are available between 7am-10pm on Saturday, October 25 and 7:00am-3:30pm on Sunday, October 26. Only one shuttle is available on Tuesday, October 28, departing from Carleton College at 2:00pm following the conclusion of the workshop.

Please fill out the Travel Information Form and indicate whether you plan to utilize the shuttles. If you book your travel outside the provides shuttle windows, you will be responsible for arranging your transportation. Shuttle services are available for participants only when specific arrangements are made in advance.

If you have not scheduled a flight within the times of the offered shuttles, or need to leave the workshop earlier than the scheduled end time, we recommend scheduling a ride ahead of time using a rideshare program such as Lyft or Uber. Rideshare vehicles, particularly leaving from Northfield, may be harder to hire at the time of departure without scheduling them ahead of time.

Another option for any rides needed outside the shuttle times is the Northfield Metro Lines which runs from the airport and drops off at Willis Hall on the Carleton campus.

Travel by Rail

There are Amtrak routes that serve the Minneapolis-St Paul region.

Travel by Car

Northfield is about 40 miles south of Minneapolis-St.Paul. Participants within the region may choose to drive; parking is free of charge at the hotels and the meeting venue.

Accommodations

Participants are responsible for booking their own hotel room. We have secured a group rate in a reserved block at the hotel nearest to the Carleton College campus.

Fairfield Inn & Suites Northfield

A hotel block is reserved at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Northfield for participants, including options for Saturday arrivals. The cost is approximately $199/night (after added taxes) within the reserved block.

Book your room at Fairfield now »

The Weitz Center for Creativity is within walking distance of the selected hotel; car transport can be arranged as needed with advanced notice.

Meals

The Fairfield Inn will serve continental breakfast each morning.

Lunches, dinners, and refreshments that are part of the official workshop program will be catered or provided in Carleton dining facilities. All meals will include vegetarian offerings. You will have the opportunity to indicate dietary restrictions if you require special meals. The price of all meals during the official workshop program is covered.

COVID

We want to ensure everyone's ability to participate safely in this in-person event. While Carleton College policy does not require vaccination or testing prior to visiting campus, vaccination is strongly recommended. Masks are optional in campus spaces, though masking indoors is still expected for those with a known exposure.

We encourage all participants to be fully vaccinated prior to traveling to the workshop. We also expect that anyone who has had a recent known exposure, or who tests positive for COVID-19 during or after the workshop, will inform us promptly.

For more information

Please contact Mitchell Bender-Awalt (mawalt@carleton.edu)