2024 SARA Eastern Conference and Global Radio Astronomy Symposium
2024 SARA Eastern Conference
and
Global Radio Astronomy Symposium
Green Bank Observatory
Green Bank, West Virginia, 2024
4-7 August 2024
The 2024 SARA Eastern Conference and Global Radio Astronomy Symposium will be held at the Green Bank Observatory, West Virginia, Sunday through Wednesday, 4-7 August 2024. The conference will also be available as a fully interactive online event.
With radio astronomy as its foundation, the Green Bank Observatory (GBO) is a world leader in advancing research, innovation, and education.
The first trailblazers of American radio astronomy called Green Bank Observatory home over 60 years ago. Today, their legacy is alive and well. Nestled in the mountain ranges and farmland of West Virginia, within the National Quiet Zone, radio astronomers are listening to the remote whispers of the universe, in order to discover answers to our most astounding astronomical questions.
Schedule: Conference meetings will be held in the main auditorium of the Jansky Laboratory at Green Bank Observatory with presentations by SARA members, GBO staff and distinguished speakers. Security and health restrictions permitting, tours of the facility, radio telescopes and laboratories will be conducted. Certain locations are open only to U.S. citizens who submit for a security review two weeks prior; however, most areas will be open to all attendees. Fully interactive online participation will be available for those who cannot attend in person.
Key advantages of in-person attendance are training and hands-on use of the historical 40-foot radio telescope as well as user tutorial and supervised control of the 20 Meter radio telescope.
Sunday through Tuesday evenings, round table discussions and refreshments are scheduled in the Drake’s Lounge, and there will be space outside for attendees to set up and display their own portable radio astronomy systems and optical telescopes.
Meals in the GBO cafeteria are included in the registration fee for in-person attendees.
Virtual online sessions are available for those who cannot attend in person.
Lodging is not included in the conference registration fee.
A small number of on-site dormitory rooms may become available for conference speakers, support staff and SARA officers. Other conference attendees may request rooms on a standby basis, but it is highly recommended that attendees arrange off-site accommodations.
RV/camping sites and a cabin are available at the nearby Boyer Station Campground. Call 1.304.456.4667 to inquire. The Elk Springs Resort is about 12 miles away. The Snowshoe Mountain area has several lodging facilities.
For other accommodations, please go to https://www.snowshoemtn.com/plan-your-trip/lodging .Numerous VRBO / Airbnb properties and private rentals are near GBO..
A list of many properties is at https://pocahontascountywv.com/lodging/ . Many chain accommodations are located about 30 miles away in Elkins, but that drive takes at least an hour due to mountainous roads.
Registration: Registration for in-person attendance by SARA members at the Conference is $275.00 (USD) if received by July 1, 2024, which includes meals but not lodging. The fee for family members or other guests who do not participate in conference sessions is $75.00, which includes meals and evening activities. Registration by July 1th for non-members is $295.00, which includes a year’s membership in SARA. SARA members wishing to renew their membership at the same time as they register may also pay $295 and should include a renewal comment with their payment.
Late registration after July 1, 2024, is $325.00. Walk-in registration at the conference is $350.00.
Payment can be made through PayPal, www.paypal.com by sending payment to treas@radio‐astronomy.org Please include in comments that the payment is for the 2024 Eastern Conference.
Online registration will be available on the SARA Store in February 2024:
On-Site Participation or Online Participation
Proposals for papers, presentations, poster displays and working exhibits are welcome. Initial proposals for papers and presentations should be submitted by May 15, 2024. Abstracts of papers presentation outlines and display details must be submitted by June 1, 2024, with all final materials due on July 5, 2024 to meet publication deadlines. All proposals are subject to peer review and approval.
Presenters who cannot attend in person may be selected for remote video conference presentation.
Submit abstracts and proposals to: jwilson@radio-astronomy.org by May 15, 2024.
What Green Bank Observatory Visitors Need to Know
Health Restrictions. GBO reserves the right to impose requirements for vaccinations and masks. SARA will notify all registrants should GBO issue a policy statement. Should GBO policies adversely impact a conference registrant, they may change their registration from in-person to virtual / online and receive a refund for the difference. Should GBO close the campus for any reason, all registrations will be changed to virtual / online.
No Cellular Phone Service. GBO is in the National Radio Quiet Zone and there is no wireless phone service in the area. Use of wi-fi devices and satellite phones such as Iridium or Globalstar near the facility is not allowed, and severe restrictions are placed on digital cameras, although film cameras without electronic flash are allowed. There is a computer lab available during the day.
Pre-Conference Activities. Suggested pre-conference activities include free self-guided tours of the Green Bank Observatory Science Center and reasonably priced guided tours of the radio telescope area. Full details with a link for ticket purchase: https://greenbankobservatory.org/visit/
An overall guide to other activities and attractions in the area: https://pocahontascountywv.com/things-to-do/
Contact: Please contact the conference coordinator, B.J. Wilson, if you have any questions or if you would like to help with the conference: vicepresident@radio-astronomy.org
Additional Information: Additional details and updates will be published online at www.radio‐astronomy.org and in the SARA journal, Radio Astronomy, as we get closer to the conference date.
National Radio Quiet Zone and Major Roads to Green Bank
Green Bank Observatory Site Map
