SARA Annual ConferenceAugust 2-5 at Green Bank Observatory WV

SARA Annual Conference 2 Aug to 5 Aug  2020 NRAO Green Bank, WV

Conference Registration Fees:

The fee for the 2020 SARA Conference has been set at $195 US for all registered participants. This fee includes Conference registration, payment of your 2020/2021 SARA membership dues, one copy of the published Conference Proceedings (to be distributed at the meeting), morning coffee breaks, afternoon snack breaks, evening refreshments, and eight meals, as indicated below. Lodging is NOT included. Please note that all SARA 2020 memberships expire on 15 June 2020. Since SARA Membership Dues are now inseparable from Conference registration, all registered attendees automatically become SARA Members in Good Standing through 15 June 2021.

SARA Life Members, or those who have already paid their 2021 membership dues prior to registering, may deduct $20 from the above amount. Those registered for the 2020 Conference who subsequently purchase a Life Membership any time during the 2020-2021 membership year may deduct $20 from the Life Member Fee (currently set at $400 US). And, because SARA offers a special membership rate of $5.00 for students, all full-time students under the age of 18 may deduct $15.00 from the above Conference registration fee.

The attendance fee for an accompanying family member (non-participating spouse, child, or companion of a registered Conference attendee) is $100, which includes morning coffee breaks, afternoon snacks, evening refreshments, and meals. The cited fees are calculated on a break-even basis, and apply only to advance registrations received prior to 31 May 2017. All registrations received thereafter are subject to an additional late registration fee, as indicated below. If cancellation is received before the conference, $125 will be refunded to member. Cancelling member will receive a Proceedings and membership thru June 2018.

Included Meal Plan:

Green Bank is a small community with few dining establishments. Thus, SARA has arranged for conference registration to include a meal plan at the GBO employee's cafeteria, to include:

  • Dinner Sunday night
  • Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Monday and Tuesday
  • Breakfast on Wednesday

The GBO Cafeteria is not a public dining facility, does not sell individual meals to visitors, and is, in fact, doing us a favor in allowing our group to use their cafeteria at all. Thus, the Meal Plan is an integral part of, and inseparable from, Conference Registration. Please note that, in addition to the above meals, the Conference fee (or Accompanying Person fee) includes refreshments and coffee breaks during the Conference presentations, and snacks and beverages in the Drake Lounge in the evenings.

Exceptions to the meal plan will be considered on a case-by-case basis, for those Conference attendees residing on site, or others with special dietary needs. Please contact our Treasurer directly with your specific requests. In general, except under unusual circumstances, one should consider the cost of meals to be a part of, and inseparable from, the conference registration fee.

Special Dietary Needs:

If you need a special diet; i.e. diabetic, gluten free, food allergies, etc. please include this information in an e-mail to http://www.radio-astronomy.org/contact/Treasurer

Conference Proceedings:

Once again this year, a formal, printed Proceedings, including technical papers and supplemental material, is being professionally published. One copy of the Proceedings is included in your paid SARA Conference Registration. (Proceedings are not provided to accompanying family members.) A limited number of additional copies of this year's and previous years' Proceedings will be available at Green Bank for $20 US each. You may, if you wish, reserve and prepay additional Proceedings copies, by including the appropriate amount in your check to our Treasurer.

Advance Registration Deadline:

Because the SARA Conference requires quite a bit of advance planning, early registration is encouraged. To register for the 2019 SARA Conference at the rates cited above, your remittance in full must be received by our Treasurer (not simply postmarked) not later than 1 July 2020. All registrations received after that date, or walk-in registrations, will be assessed an additional 15% late registration fee.

Payment of Conference Fees:

Payment for either OR both conferences can be made by check, money order, PayPal or credit card. Complete the registration Form and submit with payment.

 

Lodging:

We have lodging available at NRAO in the dorm rooms. There are also a number of bread and breakfast in the area. Details on lodging options are at Registration Fees and Lodging.

 

Nearby Tourist Attractions:

Cass Railroad - a shay steam locomotive ride for the whole family. Located about 10 miles west of Green Bank. An enjoyable hour ride up a nearby mountain and back aboard a restored logging train.

Snowshoe Ski Resort - Nothing going on in summer. But a fun ride if you've heard of it but never been. Kind of an upside down ski resort. By that I mean the hotels are at the top of the mountain, and you ski down and get chair lifted back up. The same mountain also sports a challenging golf course with unusual tee to green elevation changes.

Spruce Knob - State Park about 30 miles north of Green Bank. Views of several states from a mountain lookout tower on a clear day.

Seneca Caverns - A limestone cave tour and rocks for your collection. West Virginia’s largest caverns. Explore 1 mile of trails 165ft underground. Gemstone mining. Fee applies, reservations suggested. Riverton, WV 1 hr. north of NRAO.304-567-2691

Luray Caverns - Luray Virginia. A several hour ride from Green Bank, but well worth it on the way there or on the way home. One of the largest cave tours in the east. Sports an unusual console organ that plays carefully selected stalactites with small solenoid driven hammers.

Cranberry Mountain Nature Center Educational exhibits, unique habitat, plants and animals. Half mile handicap accessible boardwalk through an Arctic Tundra bog. Near Hillsboro, WV 50 min. from NRAO. 304-653-4826

Beartown State Park Unique natural area featuring massive boulders, overhanging cliffs and unusual rock formations. Self guided with interpretive signs or guided tours through advanced arrangements. Open April through October. Near Droop , WV 1 hr. from NRAO. 304-653-4254

Droop Mountain State Park Official Civil War Discovery Trail site.Free tours. Guided tours available with advance arrangements. Open year round. Droop , WV 55 min. from NRAO. 304-653-4254

Edray State Trout HatcheryTour an operating fish farm. Learn about and see live rainbow, brook and brown trout. Free tours.Reservations are necessary. Edray , WV 50 min. from NRAO. 304-799-6461

Buck Birthplace MuseumTour the preserved birthplace of the Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Laureate author. See hundreds of period artifacts. Open Mon. – Sat. May – October. Fee applies and reservations are suggested.Near Hillsboro, WV 50 min. from NRAO. 304-653-4430

Seneca Rocks Discovery Center One of the best-known landmarks in West Virginia.Self-guided interpretive hiking trail open year round. Discovery Center open April – October Discovery Center features free exhibits, films and gift shop. Seneca Rocks, WV 1 hour north of NRAO. (304) 567-2827

Greenbrier Bunker Tour Visit the former U.S. government relocation facility. Fee applies, reservations required. White Sulphur Springs, WV 1.5 hours south of NRAO. 800-624-6070

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