F.A.Q.

When is the REU PI Meeting?

March 12th and 13th, 2009

Where is the PI meeting? 

The meeting will take place at the Westin Arlington Gateway in Arlington, VA. This venue is within easy walking distance of National Science Foundation headquarters.

When should I register by?

January 31th, 2009

Where will guests be staying?

Guests will be staying at the Westin Arlington Gateway in Arlington, VA. Check-in time is 3pm and check-out time is 12pm. The meeting will be held for two full days, starting at approximately 8am on Thursday and ending at approximately 5:30pm on Friday. Social events will be organized on Thursday evening and Friday evening. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with other NSF Program Officers, and with other funding agencies in the DC area such as DoD. Please plan to arrive early or stay late if you need additional time to attend to other business in the DC area; the hotel rates will be in effect for three days before and after the meeting.

Where should I fly in to?

The closest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which is 7 miles away and a 25 minute metro ride away from the meeting venue. To get from National Airport to Ballston-MU, board the blue line train at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station traveling towards Largo Town Center or Metro Center, change to the orange line at the Rosslyn station traveling towards Vienna, and exit at the Ballston-MU station. Taxis and shuttles are also available for transport between National airport and Arlington.

Dulles International Airport (IAD) is farther away from the meeting venue (21 miles) and is accessible via taxi or shuttle. Baltimore Washington International Airport in Maryland is significantly farther away (39 miles).

What should I bring with me?

A poster that describes the research conducted in your REU program. A poster template will be provided to all attendees. NSF and DoD Program Officers will be invited to attend the poster sessions for the meeting, which will take place on Thursday, March 12. These posters will be on display both days of the event and will be peer-judged (by all attendees of the PI meeting). A certificate will be presented to the poster with the highest rating on Friday evening before dinner.

What are some of the events planned for this meeting?

This meeting will feature discussion of important topics for any REU site, including logistical considerations and assessment. There will also be a keynote address by CISE Director Jeanette Wing, a panel of department chairs to help PIs figure out how best to secure institutional support, a presentation on the Affinity Research Group model for helping students develop into successful researchers, and presentations and opportunities to interact with NSF and DoD program officers. Working groups will be held on assessment, logistics and recruitment, ethics, and research and mentoring. Two poster sessions will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2009. Social activities will be planned in the evenings.

When will the sessions be held?

The meeting tentatively runs from 8 am to 6 pm on Thursday, March 12, and from 8 am to 5:30pm on Friday, March 13. Social activities will be organized in the evenings on Thursday and Friday. For more details, please see the tentative schedule.

What do I have to fill out as part of registration for the event?

On or before January 31st, we'd like you to:

1.      Register on the meeting website.
2.      Make your booking for a room at the hotel’s website.

Your answers to the following questions are requested as part of the registration form:

• Have you had the opportunity to followup on the working group action items from the 2008 PI meeting? If so, what were the outcomes?
• What is your favorite tip for a successful REU? (This will be included with the PI information booklet.)
• Is there any topic that particularly interests you?
• Do you have any suggestions for the proposed working groups?
• Are there any additional topics you would like to be covered in the working groups?
• Do you have any general suggestions for the 2009 REU PI meeting?

What does registration cost?

Registration is free for one person from each site. Additional attendees are welcome but will be subject to a $300 registration fee. We can accommodate approximately 20 additional participants.  If you want to bring an additional person from your project, please email the organizers with a brief description of how that person will participate in the meeting.