Logistics
Introduction to the LSST Solar System Readiness Sprint
The Sprint is designed to be different than some of the other meetings you've attended. The Sprint is designed to be as interactive. The idea to spend some dedicated time to think about Rubin Observatory and LSST Solar System data products and carve out some time to try and kickstart some activities that you can carry forward during the year. There will be some talks, discussion sessions, and project time. On the second day of the workshop, atteendees will pitch projects. It's okay if you don't have a project idea, some people with pitch ideas looking for help. So there will be ways you can get involved during the Sprint.
Remote Participation and Communications
We will be streaming and recording the talks for those who cannot attend in person. We will post the recordings online as quickly as possible.
COVID-19 Protocols and Masking Policy
We are following local guidelines for COVID-19. Masking is not required, but we ask all attendees to respect any antendee's decision to weark a mask during the Sprint. We ask if you have any COVID-like symptoms to please test before coming and wear a N95, KN95, KF94, or FFP2 masks (or their equivalents) while attending the Sprint. The organizers will provide these masks for free for any who need them and will have a small number of lateral flow tests available for attendees. If you do test positive for COVID-19 during or shortly after the meeting, please do let the organizers know so we can make attendees aware about the possible exposure.
Lateral flow tests are very cheap in the UK. You can get a single test kit for less about £2 or a pack of 5 tests for less than £10. The easiest place to buy lateral flow tests is Boots, a Pharmacy Chain. There is a Boots within a short walking distance from St. Peter's College.
Code of Conduct
All attendees have agreed to and are expected to follow the Meeting Code of Conduct at all times. A copy of the Sprint Code of Conduct can be found here.
Venue
The Sprint will be in the UK this year. We will be hosted by the Astrophysics sub-department at the University of Oxford in the Denys Wilkinson Building (use the Keeble Road entrance).
Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
The Denys Wilkinson Building is not open to the public, so each you'll need to be buzzed into the building. Go through the exterior door and at the reception sign desk to your left tell the person that you are attending the SSSC Sprint, and they will buzz you into the building. You can find a map of the relevant bits of the building here.
Getting to the Denys Wilkinson Building From the Westfield House (St. Peter's College Guest Accomodation)
Getting to the Denys Wilkinson Building From the Main Building of St. Peter's College
Getting to the Denys Wilkinson Building From the Oxford Train Station
Restrooms within the Denys Wilkinson Building
Restrooms are available on the 4th floor (the floor where you come into the Denys Wilkinson Building) and the 6th floor (one floor up from where the Fisher room is). A gender neutral and accesssable restroom is available on the 4th floor across the mailboxes.
Wifi
The easiest to access the wifi network is via eduroam. If you do not have an eduroam account through your home institution do let the organizers know.
Accommodation
There are very limited number of hotels in Oxford close to the University campus and city centre. We recommend staying in accomodation at the local colleges that make up Oxford University. We have a reserved a block of ensuite rooms in St. Peter's College, one of the colleges close to the Oxford Physics Department/Astrophysics subdepartment. The room block is now closed. If you reserved a room, St. Peter's College will be expecting you when you arrive.
St Peter's College
New Inn Hall Street
Oxford
OX1 2DL
Check in times: 2:00pm - 11:30pm (reach out to St. Peter's College if you're going to be later than 11:30pm to see what they can accomodate)
Check out times: 7:00 am - 10:00 am (reach out St. Peter's College if you plan to check out before 7:00 am)
Check in is at the Porters' Lodge on New Inn Hall Street. It's the building with the hedges in front of it (as shown on this map) .
Getting to St. Peter's College From Glouster Green Bus Station
Getting to St. Peter's College From the Oxford Train Station
Getting to Oxford
Plane: Oxford is a 1 hour to 1.5 hour bus ride away from London Heathrow Airport and ~2-2.5 hours from Gatwick Airport. We recommend taking the airliner bus (which has pickups and stops at the Heathrow Central Bus Station, Heathrow Terminal 5 (stand 10), and Gatwick North and South Terminal) to the Gloucester Green bus station (last stop of the bus route in Oxford). Tickets can be bought on the bus or via the bus company's mobile app. A timetable can be found here.
Train: By train, the Department of Physics/Astrophysics subdepartment is a 15-20-minute walk from the Oxford train station. For further details about the train schedule, please check out the station website.
Reminder about plug adapters (or voltage apapter if needed)
For laptops and phones can handle the change in voltage and should require only a plug adaptor, but do check what is needed for your specfic devices.
Is lunch provided?
Yes, lunch will be provided for all attendees. We've recorded everyone's dietary preferences, allergies, and dietary restrictions from the registration form. If you have any questions, do reach out to the organizers.
Is there a dress code for the Sprint college dinner on September 25
We are having a fancy dinner in one of the colleges - traditionally this is an excuse to dress up, but we won't have a dress code. If you'd like to put on something nice, you're welcome. You're also welcome to come in a t-shirt or anything else you like.
Dinner and Drink Suggestions in Oxford
- The Gardeners Arms - pub serving a fully vegetarian menu
- The Victoria - pub serving savory pies and pints
- Pierre Victoire - decent French restaurant
- Chiang Mai Kitchen - Thai food
- White Rabbit - pub serving pizza
- Old Bookbinders - pub with French Bistro inspired food
- The Standard - Indian Restaurant
- Al-Shami - Lebanese Restaurant
- St Aldate's Tavern - classic pub food and drink
- The Chequers - Standard pub fare close to St. Peter's College
- Raoul's - cocktail bar
- The Bear - (also known as the Bear Inn) Oldest pub in Oxford
- The King's Arms - Pub near Exeter College with standard pub fare
Places to Visit and Things to Do in Oxford
Getting Around Oxford
Oxford is a very walkable and connected by buses which mostly take contactless credit payment. We recommend using google maps and < a href"https://www.traveline.info/">traveline to plan your bus rides. If you're looking for a cab, 001 Taxi Service is one of the cab companies that serves the local Oxford/Oxfordshire area. We recommend pre-booking ahead to ensure there is availability when you need it.
What do you mean by project?
A project can be a wide variety of things, spanning everything from exploring the simulated LSST Solar System database, writing a paper/white paper/AAS Research note draft, brainstorming a funding proposal idea, learning a new tool, software development, drafting an observing proposal, etc. Basically anything that is going to help you get ready for Day 1 of LSST. We'll have time during Day 1 to brainstorm project ideas, and on Day 2, we'll have time for everyone who wants to lead a project to pitch their project. It's totally okay if you don't have a project idea. If you don't have a project in mind that's okay too, you can join one or more of the projects that are pitched on Day 2. The goal is to get together and spend a few dedicated days making something or learning a new skill that will help get you ready for LSST data.
What are Unconference Sessions?
These are dedicated timeslots without a set agenda; participants will decide what is to be discussed/presented on the day of. This could be a discussion, debate, demo,tutorial, etc. Topics will be pitched and then voted on. The top three or four topics will be assigned rooms. If you have a discussion topic you want to bring up at the consortium meeting, this is the best way to do it.
What are lightning talks?
A lightning talk is a 2-3 minute talk on whatever you want to share with Sprint attendees. It could be advertising a new software package, paper, research result. Anything you think is of interest. In the lightning session, for each talk you can post 1 slide and will be given 2-3 minutes to present the slide. You can sign up for a lightning talk through the registration form.
I'm new to the SSSC and/or the LSST Solar System Readiness Sprints
Check out our
Is there a primer of the expected LSST/Rubin Observatory Solar System Data Products
Yes, take a look at the SSSC's data products webpage , and watch the talk below on Rubin Observatory Data Products from last year's virtual Sprint.
What is Padlet?
Introduction to Slack
Do We have a hashtag for the sprint?
Yes! #SSSCSprint