Lyndon State College
The Northeastern Storm Conference Question and Answers Page

 

Q: For whom is this conference intended?
A: The goal of the conference is to gather scientists together in a professional setting and share new ideas and knowledge in the atmospheric sciences. Each year, meteorology personnel from the National Weather Service, the private sector, the broadcast industry, the research community, and the military assemble for a weekend of presentations ranging from numerical modeling to global warming.
Q: Is it possible to attend the conference and not pay for lodging?
A: Yes. For more details please refer to your registration form.
Q: Can I get a refund if I do not attend?
A: You may only receive a refund by contacting the conference chairperson, Steve.Lavoie@lyndonstate.edu two weeks prior to the start of the conference.
Q: What happens if I register after February 15?
A: You will still be able to get into the conference but you are not garanteed lodging, a name tag, your name in the booklet, and/or your choice of food. Please consult with the conference chairperson at Steve.Lavoie@lyndonstate.edu.
Q: Do you have rooms reserved for attendees?
A: We are setting up blocks of rooms for attendees at the Marriott, which is where all the conference proceedings will be taking place.
Q: Will you provide the agenda, name tags, and other materials?
A: As long as you register by the deadline, you will receive all your materials upon registration.
Q: What are the new features this year?
A: Whether this year will be your first time at our conference or your first time in a few years, we have many new features for 2008. On Friday night, we will be holding a reception for prospective college freshmen as well as a tribute to the storm conference where we will review the achievements of the conference over the last thirty-three years. Talks are now grouped by meteorological topic and we now offer the option of lunch. In addition to the many lunch options the city of Springfield offers, we will be serving lunch on the same floor as the conference for convenience. Sunday will also feature a special keynote speaker following breakfast in addition to several additional talks.
Q: Who are the keynote speakers?
A: Our Friday Night Icebreaker speaker is Dr. Lance Bosart or SUNY Albany. The Saturday evening Banquet Speaker will be Dr. Greg Holland. Finally, our Sunday Morning Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Chris Landsea of the National Hurricane Center.
Q: What is the panel discussion?
A: The purpose of the panel discussion is to allow students questioning what meteorology sector best fits their interest. Students are allowed to ask questions to the various people on the panel from different meteorology professions. Typically, we have someone representing the (1) private sector (2) National Weather Service (3) broadcast sector, (4) research industry and (5) military.
Q: Why isn't parking included in the conference price?
A: At this time, we are unable to add parking fees into the registration price. Please be prepared to pay for p arking which is currently $13/day and is paid at the hotel desk when you check out.
Q: Are there additional charges I should know about?
A: In addition to parking, if you use the internet in your room, the price is added to your bill.
Q: Why aren't professionals and students separated?
A: The hotel blocks off a certain amount of rooms for us. We try our best to coordinate with any requests for rooms. Presenters at our conference are usually separated from other hotel guests to assure they are well rested for their presentations.
Q: Why is the Banquet so late?
A: The second day of the conference is the longest day of the weekend. In addition to talks, we have our Alumni Reception, Panel Discussion, and several breaks for coffee and lunch. In order to incorporate all of this into one day, we must put the banquet around 7PM. Otherwise, not as many individuals would be able to present at the conference.
Q: Who chooses the conference location?
A: The AMS Executive Board decides and books the location of the conference nearly a year in advance. The recent boards have found Springfield, MA to be a relatively centralized location and the Marriott has been very efficient in assisting us with the conference. If you would like to suggest a location for the next conference, please make recommendations on your evaluations and the next executive board will consider the possibility of a move.
Q: What information do I need to book my room with the hotel?
A: You will need a group code to register online with the Marriott. Our group code is NSCNSCA and can be entered here or here in the group code box. You will need to put your arrival date and departure date and the group code NSCNSCA in the group code box. Hit enter and the group rate of $96.00 will appear and they can just book right there.
Q: What are my options for lunch?
A: Your options are one of the hotel restaurants, a food court located in the adjacent mall, or several local restaurants. Also new in 2008, we have an in-house lunch option which will occur on the same floor as the conference proceedings. We will also have a .Springfield Ambassador. present throughout the weekend to help answer questions and make restaurant reservations allowing you to eat lunch and return to the conference with adequate time.
Q: Why are talks grouped together?
A: This was an experiment from the 2007 conference and was very well received. Talks will be grouped together once again in 2008. If you are interested in presenting a paper, please send an abstract to Steve.Lavoie@lyndonstate.edu by January 15, 2008.

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Updated last: 08/11/06 12:30 PM (ACL)