Welcome and Logistics

We are delighted to welcome you to our NRDZ Research Partnership and Workshop Series Capstone Event, “Catalyzing the Future of Spectrum Coexistence”, being held at the historic Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Our workshop features a comprehensive, high-quality technical program, including various keynotes, panels, discussion sessions, and technology demonstrations from prominent academic, government, and industry researchers.

Our event is designed not only to explore the pioneering research enabling the formation of the NRDZ and NRDZ Experimental Facilities but also to look forward to future endeavors. Throughout the event, we will examine the partnerships, data gathering, sharing and experiment management frameworks that will be required to create this unique asset and enable the next generation of spectrum science and technology.

Below, we have compiled important information about the venue and travel logistics.

Travel

Venue: The Green Bank Observatory is located in an isolated valley in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia, just a few miles from the Virginia border.

Closest airports:

Getting to the Observatory: We will be providing a complimentary shuttle bus service from Dulles Airport to Green Bank and back. The shuttle will depart from Dulles International Airport (precise location to be shared closer to the event) at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 8th, and arrive at the Observatory at 6:00 p.m. The shuttle will also be provided for return travel, departing the Observatory at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11.

If you prefer to drive yourself – please note that the Observatory is located within the National Radio Quiet Zone and cell service for much of the route is extremely limited and unreliable. We recommend downloading all map data for offline use prior to entering the NRQZ and utilizing a paper map or atlas as a backup. Driving directions can be found at https://greenbankobservatory.org/visit/getting-here/. Also note that the welcome reception will start at 7PM, so please plan your arrival accordingly.

Lodging: Lodging around the Green Bank Observatory is very limited, and to ensure that everyone has a place to stay, the organizers will be assigning lodging. We will be in touch with a separate email to each participant to provide lodging details.

Technology

Internet and Wireless Connectivity: Due to the location within the NRQZ and sensitive instrumentation, the Observatory has significant restrictions on wireless technology. There is no cellular phone service at the Observatory or in nearby communities, and wireless devices of any sort must be disabled at the Observatory. WiFi availability at any business within the NRQZ is typically severely limited. Access to high-speed internet at the workshop and in Observatory-provided housing (for those lodging onsite) is via a wired Ethernet connection. The workshop will take place in a fully-equipped auditorium with connections to video projectors and the internet.

The workshop will be providing USB-C to Ethernet adapters for conference attendees. We do also recommend that if you have an adapter, please bring it along and confirm that your laptop can connect via Ethernet before arriving in Green Bank.

Posters/demos

Posters: Posters will be displayed on a tripod provided by the Observatory. They can be up to 30x40” and oriented either horizontally or vertically. You must plan to print and bring your poster with you, as printing is not available at the Observatory. An alternative to bringing your poster with you is to print and ship it ahead of time. The shipping address is below: Green Bank Observatory, C.O. Mark Barnes, 155 Observatory Road, P.O. Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944, (304) 456-2011. Please, ship posters no later than Tuesday September 3rd to allow enough time for them to arrive.

Demos: Demos will be provided with a table, power cord, display and a wired Internet connection (via an Ethernet cable). Since the Observatory is in the National Radio Quiet Zone and houses highly-sensitive equipment, no active RF transmissions are allowed on the premises. Thus, demonstrations will not be allowed to bring in any RF equipment, especially if it is actively transmitting. No WiFi access is available either, so you must plan to run your demos while connected through an Ethernet cable.

Activities

We are planning two exciting activities as part of the workshop:

Green Bank Observatory Tour: Observatory engineers will provide an in-depth and behind-the-scenes tour of the observatory, and will include (pending operational schedules): electronics lab, telescope receivers, the control room, and a visit to the world's largest steerable radio telescope. Depending on the weather and operational schedule, we may be able to climb the telescope as part of the tour (Note: closed-toed shoes and slacks are required to climb the telescope).

Star Party: An evening of optical astronomical observations as part of our dinner/reception exploring some of the best dark skies in West Virginia. We will be using professional optical telescopes at the observatory under the direction of observatory staff, and participants are welcome to bring their own. Clear skies must prevail for this event. Dress warmly for the cool fall evening.

Food and Beverage

Meals: All meals and coffee breaks for each day of the workshop are included in the registration and will be served by the Observatory cafeteria. Due to the remote location and limited available resources, the cafeteria may not be able to accommodate all special meal requests. A cash bar will be available for dinners.

Observatory Cafe: The Starlight Cafe in the science center has a small selection of fresh foods and tasty treats.

Local Restaurants: Due to the isolated nature of Green Bank, there are a limited number of restaurants in the local vicinity. Snowshoe Mountain (approximately a 30 minute drive away) has a wider selection of restaurants as well as a small grocery store.

group This event is supported by NSF grant OSI-2322875.

College of Nanotechnology, Science and Engineering at University at Albany - SUNY