Social Program

The IRMMW-THz 2011 organizers are pleased to invite all conference participants and their companions to a series of social events, scheduled during the week, to strengthen relationships in our community.

On Sunday evening of October 2, from 4pm to 8pm, a Welcome Reception will be held in the Window Box room of the Hyatt hotel, where the conference will be held.  Come pick up your registration packet, and then relax with a drink and some light hors d'œuvres.

The Conference Reception will be held on Tuesday evening October 4, in the Hyatt ballroom, after the Tuesday poster session.

The Conference Banquet will be held on Thursday evening October 6 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  Come dine with some dinosaurs and precious gems in one of America's most visited museums.  Don't miss the chance to visit the Cockrell Butterfly Center where the butterflies might actually land on you.

On Friday afternoon, the conference is sponsoring an excursion to Space Center Houston, the visitor's center for NASA Johnson Space Center.  You can take a behind-the-scenes tour of JSC which usually includes a look at Mission Control and various astronaut training facilities.  When astronaut Jack Swigert said the words "Houston, we've had a problem," this is the place he was talking to.  But you won't have any problem getting there, or getting home - buses will be provided.

The two receptions, the banquet, and the NASA excursion are all included in the conference registration for all participants.  It will be possible to book companion tickets for the Tuesday Conference Reception, the Conference Banquet, and the NASA excursion through the conference web site.  Please check the registration link for more information.

A note about timing for the NASA trip, for travel planning purposes:  The buses will begin departing from the Hyatt hotel for Space Center Houston at around 1:00pm on Friday.  We have arranged private tram tours of the JSC for conference participants.  These five trams will depart from Space Center Houston every 20 minutes starting at 2:00pm.  The tram tour takes about 90 minutes before returning to Space Center Houston.  Space Center Houston closes at 5:00pm, so the last bus back to the Hyatt will arrive at the hotel around 6:00pm.