Transportation to Chicago

For complete information on ground transportation from area airports, maps, driving instructions to the conference site, public transit, and parking lots and rates, please go to http://ismp2009.eecs.northwestern.edu/transportation-parking.htm.

Registration

Register Now Online
If you have not registered yet, we urge you to do it now and avoid lines at on-site registration. Go to ismp2009.eecs.northwestern.edu/registration.htm to register now.

Registration Hours
Registration will be located in the Marriott Chicago Downtown, Chicago Foyer, 5th floor. You can pick up your printed program and other registration materials at the following times:
Sunday, 3:00pm-9:00pm;
Monday-Tuesday, 7:30am-5:00pm,
Wednesday-Thursday, 8:00am-5:00pm;
Friday, 8:00am-1:00pm.

Badges Required for Technical Sessions
ISMP badges must be worn to all sessions and events. Attendees without badges will be asked to go to the registration desk to register and pick up their badges. All attendees, including speakers and session chairs, must register and pay the registration fee.

Room and Event Locations

The ISMP 2009 printed program you receive in Chicago will list room locations for all sessions and events, as well as provide floor plans and maps.

Audio-Visual Services

All session rooms will be equipped with computer projectors, but please note that you must bring your own laptop or pre-arrange to share with others in your session. If you need to use an overhead projector, you must reserve one in advance. Please send your name and day of presentation by August 10 to cheryl.clark@informs.org. Overhead projectors cannot be ordered on-site at the meeting.

Before you depart for Chicago, please review these important instructions:

• Bring your laptop to your session. We supply the projector, but we do not supply the computer. We strongly recommend that you pre-arrange with other speakers in your session to ensure that at least one of you brings a laptop from which you can project your talks. Bring a backup of your talk on a USB stick.
• Bring an AC power adaptor with you; be sure to bring a USA-style power supply and plug. There will be AC power in every session room.
• If your laptop is a Mac, please bring the appropriate adapter for the external video output.
• Arrive at your session 30 minutes before it begins. All presenters in a session should set up and test the connection to the projector before the session begins.
• Do not attempt to run your presentation off the laptop battery.
• Produce and bring overhead transparencies as a backup.

How to Navigate the Meeting

Printed Program
When you pick up your registration materials in Chicago, you'll receive the printed program with four resources:

• The technical session listing, which provides the most detailed information. The listing is presented chronologically by day/time, showing each session and the papers/abstracts/authors within each session
• The Track Schedule, an overview of the tracks (general topic areas) and their time/locations.
• Floor plans and maps that show you where technical session tracks are located.
• Three cross-references indices: authors, session chairs and sessions.

The Session Code
Each session is identified with a code - for example, MB12.

• The first letter is the day of the week.
• The second letter is the time block:
  A = 10:30am-12:00pm (10:00am-11:30pm on Friday);
  B = 1:15pm-2:45pm (2:00pm-3:30pm on Friday);
  C = 3:15pm-4:45pm (no "C" time block on Friday).
• The number is the track, which correlates with room location.

To Find Your Own Session
Use the Author Index at the back of the printed program - the session code for your presentation will be shown. Then refer to the full session listing for the location of your session.

To Find Sessions of Interest
Before you arrive in Chicago, use the online program search at http://ismp2009.eecs.northwestern.edu/program.htm to identify sessions you want to attend. Search by CLUSTER to see what's available in broad topic areas. Search by KEY WORD for particular interests. Search by SESSION for a chronological look at sessions available each day. Or search by AUTHOR. You can also create your own itinerary.
Once you arrive in Chicago, the best method for finding sessions of interest is to use the Track Schedule. It provides an overview of the general topic areas for all sessions during the week.

For Assistance During Your Session: Session Monitor Desks Session Monitor Desks are located in several areas in the Marriott and Gleacher Center. If you have a problem in your session room (related to AV needs or any other requests), please go to the Session Monitor Desk in the area to ask for assistance.

Program Information Desk If you have general questions about the meeting and/or questions about your own presentation, stop at the Program Information Desk located in the Marriott. We ask Session Chairs to notify the Information Desk about any last-minute changes or cancellations; these changes will be posted outside the meeting rooms.

Presentation Guidelines

By now, all authors have received emails directing them to the online program for the date and time of their presentation. Please note that all attendees, including speakers and session chairs, must register and pay the registration fee.

Go to the registration desk at the Marriott-Chicago Foyer, 5th floor, and pick up your ISMP 2009 Meeting Program, name badge and other registration materials. The room and location of your session will be listed in the Technical Sessions section of the meeting program and in the Track Schedule. Please follow these helpful guidelines:

• Arrive at your session at least 30 minutes early for AV set-up.
• Limit your presentation to key issues with a brief summary.
• Time your presentation to fit within your designated time span (determined by the number of speakers presenting in that session), leaving time for audience questions.
• Bring copies of your paper or other handouts to distribute to the audience.

Withdrawals / No-Shows

Please don't be a "no-show" at the meeting. While we understand that last-minute circumstances may prevent speakers from attending, we urge you to inform us so we can alert attendees. In addition, your registration fee is only refundable (less $50 processing fee) until August 11, 2009.

• Withdrawals must be sent to the Meeting Program Editor paulette.bronis@informs.org by email. Withdrawals will be listed in the Program Addendum and will be deleted from the online program.
• Invited speakers should also inform their session chair if they are not able to attend the meeting to make their presentation.
• Session chairs should find a substitute to act as chair in their place.

Session Chair Guidelines

The role of the Chair is to coordinate the smooth running of the session. The Chair:

• Begins and ends each session on time. Each session lasts 90 minutes, with equal time given to each paper.
• Introduces each presentation.
• Completes the session attendance forms (forms will be in the room).

Business Center

The business center in the Marriott is located on the second floor. Hours of operation are:
     Sunday, 9:00am - 5:00pm
     Monday-Friday, 7:00am - 7:00pm

There is a small, self-serve business center in the Gleacher Center, Suite 540, 5th floor.

Internet access

Marriott
Wireless Internet access is available in the lobby of the Marriott (no codes are needed). There is no wireless in the Marriott meeting rooms. For a set daily rate of $14.95 Marriott guests can obtain high-speed Internet access and unlimited local phone calls in their rooms.

Gleacher
There is wireless in the Gleacher Center. Codes and instructions to access will be provided in the printed ISMP program you will receive in Chicago.

Guest Registration

If your guest would like to accompany you to the conference banquet on Wednesday evening, you can purchase a guest banquet ticket for $95. (Guests are not eligible to attend the technical sessions.) You can register your guest at the time you register for the meeting. If you have already registered, please call 800-446-3676, x 591 to add your guest.

Weather

Chicago weather in August can be warm and a bit humid, with average high temperatures around 81°F (27°C) and average low temperatures of 63°F (17°C) in the evenings. For weather updates, go to http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/.