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Explore Alaska Dining in Anchorage Plan Your Visit Exploring Anchorage Short Trips Extended Trips Traveling to Anchorage Going off the Grid  Full Tour Brochure Tour Registration Form Conference Map Historical Average WeatherPre-Conference Weekend Events  |
Dear Transducers 2015 Attendees:When you come to Anchorage in summer 2015, you will not only participate in the world's premier conference on MEMS sensors, actuators and integrated micro and nano systems, but you will also experience a charming city in one of the most unique and beautiful regions of the world. I encourage you to take full advantage of this opportunity. Bring family and friends, stay a few more days, and explore the big wildlife on the last frontier of America. First of all, let me clarify an occasional misconception. Alaska is not covered in ice. In fact, Anchorage is just slightly further north than Helsinki, Oslo or Stockholm and enjoys a mild, maritime climate. For late June, we can expect pleasant temperatures and mostly sunny skies. And you probably won't see any mosquitos. The conference begins on the day of the summer solstice, when the sun sets at 11:42 pm and rises at 4:21 am, so plan on taking advantage of the long daylight hours. But just in case, our conference hotel rooms all have black-out curtains to remedy insomnia and jetlag. Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska with nearly 300,000 residents. There is a compact downtown with conference centers, hotels, museums, restaurants, bars and pubs all within easy walking distance from each other. The airport is just a short drive by shuttle or taxi, so you will not need a car during the conference. You can enjoy excellent Northwest cuisine, fresh Alaskan seafood and a wide variety of locally brewed beers nearby. But for a true Alaskan adventure, you will want to take some time to explore the state beyond the city limits. Alaska is a unique destination with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Step foot on a glacier, fish for king salmon, see bald eagles and sea otters up close from a kayak, hike to a mountain vista, fly out to Mount McKinley, or take a glacier cruise through Prince William Sound. Experiencing completely wild and untouched places is an exceedingly rare treat but within easy reach from Anchorage. The Transducers 2015 program offers a sampling of Alaskan culture and adventure: the imaginative Anchorage Museum will host the Monday reception; a favorite local pub is the meeting place for a casual Tuesday evening get-together, and the Wednesday banquet will take us on a glacier and wildlife cruise from the sea port of Whittier. I know that many of you are on a busy travel schedule, so the local arrangements committee has been working with local tourism experts and outfitters on a tailor-made selection of highly recommended activities that can accommodate your constraints. Whether you have only a few hours, a day, a weekend, or more, there are exciting experiences waiting for you. You may even consider making your travel to Anchorage part of the experience. One-way cruises to or from Vancouver, British Columbia can take you through the Inside Passage to Alaska in comfort, at reasonable cost. The more adventurous can hit the Alaska Highway for an extensive drive through spectacular scenery, or use the Alaska Marine Highway to cover parts of the journey by ferry. Whatever you choose for your personal Alaska adventure, I am sure that you will enjoy every minute and return with fond memories. Have a good trip, and I am looking forward to seeing you in Anchorage! Karl Böhringer, University of Washington, Seattle, WA Local Arrangements Chair Local Arrangements Committee members: Boris Stoeber, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. Chip Spangler, Aspen Microsystems, Manitou Springs, CO |