Logistics

Conference Location

This is the first GCC hosted at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, MA. Woods Hole is located at the Southwest tip of Cape Cod, about 1.5 hours south of Boston.

Registration/check-in will be on the 1st floor (front entrance) of the Swope Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) from 12-1:30pm Friday. Upon arrival, you will leave your luggage in a holding area outside of Swope and proceed to the front desk to obtain your ID. Lunch will be served upstairs on the 2nd floor in Swope.

WoodsHole_map

Transportation between Boston & Woods Hole

You should receive an email from us with details of your travel itinerary between Thursday November 5th and Monday November 9th.

Those arriving in Boston on Thursday, November 5th should make arrangements with their hosts regarding times and places to meet.

For those traveling to Woods Hole on Friday, November 6th (most of you), you will either be driving yourself or taking a vehicle from MIT’s campus to MBL. Participants who are driving to the conference should proceed directly to the the MBL Swope Center at for conference registration. You can enter 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole MA 02543 on the GPS. Please plan to arrive no later than noon on Friday. MBL parking permits must be requested upon registration.

If you are taking the GCC bus or another vehicle from MIT’s campus to MBL on Friday morning, we will be meeting at 10AM at the Ames Street crosswalk on campus (25 Ames St, Cambridge, MA, 02142), as in the map below:

You can take a cab from the airport or train/bus station, which will cost about $40 and take 20-30 minutes. Or you can take the MBTA (referred to as the “T”) which includes the subway, bus and commuter rail system in Boston. The MIT campus is located at the Kendall/MIT stop on the Red Line of the subway system (see map below):

The best way to get to MIT from the airport is to catch the free Silver Line bus from outside the lower level (baggage claim) of each terminal. This bus provides a free transfer into the subway system at South Station, from which point you can catch the Red Line to Kendall/MIT (look for the Inbound train in the direction of Alewife). Those arriving via train will have to purchase a farecard (<$3) to board the subway at South Station.

Get off four stops later at the Kendal/MIT station. The OpenMBTA smartphone app is a great way to track bus/subway arrival and departure times when using public transportation in Boston.

Finally, on Sunday November 8th we will have two buses driving from MBL to Boston on Sunday. Bus 1 will leave at 1:45pm and arrive at the airport between 3:30pm and 4:00pm, then continues to MIT. Bus 2 will leave MBL at 6:00pm and go directly to MIT. Please check our final information email to find out which bus you’ve been assigned to according to your travel plans.

Accommodations

If staying at MBL, you will be sharing a dorm room with another GCC participant, unless you paid extra for a private room through MBL’s website. All rooms have two twin size beds. Bedding and towels will be provided.

Sunday Activities, post-conference

We will host several activities in both Woods Hole and Boston on Sunday after the conference. Some of the available options are listed below, and sign ups will be held during the poster session on Friday. You may switch return buses in order to participate in alternate activities, but you are responsible for making sure the timing works relative to your departure.

Woods Hole Activities: Marine science boat trip; play sports in the park or at the beach; watch sports at a bar; go bowling if it is raining.

Boston Activities: Hang out at Aeronaut Brewery; walk the Freedom Trail.

What to bring

-Poster or back-up copy of your presentation, Printed or photocopied travel receipts and boarding passes (if you were awarded a travel grant)

-Warm clothes, Rain jacket, Toiletries, closed-toed shoes, Costume for Saturday party (dress as your science!)

-Cash for incidental expenses and optional activities

Note: Current forecasts predict temperatures from ~35 to 60 °F with the possibility of rain. Poster sessions/meals, oral sessions and nighttime activities will be located in separate buildings with roughly 5-10 minutes of walking between them, so pack accordingly. Lest your own climate model does not resolve local Cape Cod dynamics, here is where you can check the forecast for MBL.

MBL alcohol policy 

MBL has asked us to pass along their alcohol policy for you to review here. They will be providing an open (beer/wine) bar during the Saturday poster session in Swope. Please do not bring your own alcohol to this event and only consume alcohol in the event hall and during the hours of the poster session. That is, please do not wander around the campus/neighborhood with open beverages. You can, however, consume alcohol in your rooms, so long as you are of age and do so respectfully (please don’t throw a party there; there are several bars to party at down the street anyway).

MBL Campus Map

MBLmap