»  Welcome ! 

                

Welcome to the University of Calgary and to the Canadian Society of Microbiology’s 58th Annual Conference.  We hope that you will enjoy the scientific program, the social activities, and the city of Calgary, and that at least some of you will take a few extra days to explore Alberta and the Rocky Mountains. 

Michael Hynes, for the Local Organizing committee

»  Bienvenue !

 

Bienvenue à l’Université de Calgary et au 58ième Congrès Annuel de la Société Canadienne des Microbiologistes. Nous vous souhaitons un beau séjour dans l’ouest du pays, et nous espérons que vous allez apprécier le programme scientifique ainsi que les activités sociales et la ville de Calgary en pleine croissance.  Si vous avez le temps, il vaut la peine de prendre quelques jours de plus pour explorer la région et surtoût les Montagnes Rocheuses.



 
 
A word (rtf) document with the information below, and a map, can be found here.
A (large) pdf of the program/abstract book can be found here.
 
 
The University of Calgary

The University of Calgary has been an autonomous institution for just over 40 years. Like the city around it, it has grown rapidly during this time, and is now a large research university with over 28,000 students and 1600 faculty.  The U of C last hosted the CSM/SCM annual conference in 1990.  Microbiology has had a long and prominent history at the university, with four U of C faculty having won the CSM Award over the years.  Microbiologists are found in the faculties of Medicine, Science, Engineering, and the new Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which opens its doors to its first students this fall. The university is currently undergoing a large capital expansion, and you will see evidence of this in the various construction sites around campus.

Highlights of our campus include the excellent athletic facilities and the Olympic Speed Skating Oval, constructed for the 1988 Winter Olympics.  There is also an Arts Museum, and three major theatres/ concert halls.

 

More information on Calgary and travel to campus by car or from the airport is located at the bottom of the accommodation page on the Conference Web site:
http://www.bio.ucalgary.ca/csm2008/accommodation.html

 

 

 

Local information

Weather
Summers are usually dry and pleasant in Calgary, but June is statistically the rainiest month, so be prepared for sudden showers.  Evenings tend to be cool, so bring along a sweater or light jacket if you are heading out at night.

Emergencies
Emergency phone number is 911.   Campus security and Safewalk are reachable at 220-5333.  If you need to be contacted in an emergency, the conference manager’s cell phone number is 403-804-2333, and email access in emergencies can be made through eabborgs@ucalgary.ca

Internet Access
Wireless internet is available all over campus.  An access code will be provided with your conference nametag.  For those looking for computer labs, the second floor of the library has a large information commons with many computers with internet access.

Residence Accommodation
For those staying in residence, check-in is at Cascade Hall (see Campus map), which is reached by driving west on 24th Ave NW. Directions for getting there are available at this link:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/residence/node/112

Parking
Those staying at Conference Housing in the Residences can park in the designated lots – please ask upon check-in.  Parking is available in several pay lots on campus. Lot 32 on Campus Drive is probably the most convenient for the conference. Fee is $ 4.00 per entry.  The Art Parkade is also available (follow signs for “Event Parking” on 24th Avenue) but more expensive. The following link shows a map to parking lots on campus:
https://dciwasp.admin.ucalgary.ca/webapp/pkg_lot/

Breakfast and Lunch
In MacEwan Hall (Students’ Union Building) there is a variety of eating establishments for all tastes. This is about a five minute walk from Science Theatres and also five minutes from the Residence complex. There are also a post office, a bookstore, and a drugstore in MacEwan Hall.  Instant teller machines from most banks are available on the second floor of MacEwan Hall.

Restaurants
Brentwood Mall area has several restaurants. Cross Crowchild Trail by walking east on 32 Ave NW (which is just north of campus), and head north from there.  Further south on Crowchild Trail (near the Banff trail LRT station and Motel Village) there are more restaurants. This is about a 15-20 minute walk or one stop on the LRT (C-train) from campus.  The C train (nearest station is across from Biological Sciences Building) will also get you downtown in about 12-15 minutes.