ASP Conference 2005

The 28th Annual ASP meeting will be hosted by the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC). Dr. Kris Coleman (colemank@ohsu.edu) is the Chair of the local arrangements committee. The meeting, including all scientific sessions, will take place at the Benson Hotel, in downtown Portland, Oregon.

The Oregon National Primate Research Center is an institute of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and one of eight National Primate Research Centers in the United States. The ONPRC is the home of groundbreaking research in the fields of Reproductive Science, Artificial Reproductive Technologies, Vaccine and Gene therapy, and Neuroscience. Located 15 miles west of Portland, the 350 acre campus is home to over 3,500 non-human primates including rhesus and Japanese macaques, vervets, and baboons. There will be 2 tours of the ONPRC for anyone who would like to see the campus (see below).

Portland, also known as the City of Roses, is Oregon’s largest city and its cultural center. It offers the perfect blend of young and hip with old and charming. Visitors can enjoy fine dining, eclectic shopping (including the Portland Saturday Market and Powell’s Bookstore), outdoor activities and scenic views of several mountains, including Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens. There is a plethora of bars, coffee shops, and of course, brew pubs in downtown Portland. Portland is also home to Washington Park and Forest Park where visitors can go to the Oregon Zoo, the Arboretum, or on one of many hikes.

3/28/2005: Conference attendees will get free admission to the Oregon Zoo (www.oregonzoo.org) and a discount to the Portland Classical Chinese Garden (www.portlandchinesegarden.org) and the Japanese Garden (www.japanesegarden.com), all of which are easily accessible from the Benson Hotel.

Climate: Portland summers are typically mild and dry, with temperatures averaging in the mid 70’s F/20’sC. In August, the average high is 81F/27C and the average low is 57F/14C. Dress is casual and light clothing is advisable due to the time of year. The Congress will be informal. Be prepared for temperatures that range from pleasant outdoor temperatures to air-conditioning in most buildings.

Preliminary outline of the Meeting Schedule:

Wednesday, 17 August 2005: On-site registration for the meeting will begin at 8 a.m., with committee meetings scheduled for that afternoon. There will be a trip to the ONPRC at around 2pm. Buses will leave from the Benson Hotel. The opening reception will be held in the Mayfair Ballroom at the Benson Hotel at 7pm. Please check registration desk for more information.

Thursday, 18 August 2005: The scientific meeting will open at 8:00 am with the 2005 Keynote Address by Dr. William Hopkins. Dr. Gene Sackett, ASP Distinguished Primatologist 2004, will talk after lunch. Sessions will continue until 5:45 p.m. The poster session will take place from 7pm to 9pm.

Friday, 19 August 2005: Dr. Don Lindburg, ASP Distinguished Primatologist 2003, will speak in the morning, followed by scientific sessions. Dr. John Capitanio will give the Past President's Address in the afternoon. Scientific meetings will continue until 5:45 pm, with the second poster session from 7pm to 9pm. There will be wine tasting at the Benson Hotel prior to the poster session.

Saturday, 20 August 2005: The scientific meetings will run from 8:00 until 11:15 am. There will be a tour of the ONPRC in the afternoon. Buses will depart from the Benson Hotel at 3:00 pm, and will return by 5:00 pm. The venue for the closing banquet is located less than a mile from the Benson Hotel, and will start at 7:00 pm.

The registration fee includes coffee breaks, continental breakfasts Thursday through Saturday, afternoon breaks, opening reception, closing banquet, poster session refreshments, and abstract booklet and program. Lunch is not included in the registration fee; however, we have arranged discounts at several restaurants and cafes located close to the Benson Hotel.

Preconference Symposium:

3/28/2005: A symposium, entitled "Basic and Applied Biology of the Primate Reproductive Tract", will be held immediately prior to the annual ASP meeting in Portland, at the Benson Hotel, August 16-17, 2005, to honor the distinguished career of Dr. Robert M. Brenner. Ten scientists from around the world will speak about their research on the human and nonhuman primate reproductive tract, the area in which Bob made extraordinary contributions during his 41-year career in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center. There will also be an opening banquet to recognize the outstanding service and discoveries of Dr. Brenner. All are invited to attend this gala celebration; please contact Ms. Angela Adler at adlera@ohsu.edu for further details. There will not be a registration fee; this event is supported by NCRR and ONPRC.

ASP Silent Auction for Primate Conservation:

The traditional silent auction will be held in the Benson Hotel. Information regarding mailing items will be forthcoming in future ASP bulletins and on the ASP web page. Items to be auctioned are donated. Please bring “primate” related memorabilia to donate for the auction. Additional information will be available at the Registration/Information Desk.

Getting to Portland:

Air travel: The closest airport to the meeting is the Portland International Airport (PDX), Portland, Oregon, located approximately 20 miles east of downtown. Airlines that serve PDX include Air Canada Jazz, Alaska Airlines, America West, American Airlines, Continental, Delta Airlines, Frontier, Hawaiian Air, Horizon Air, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

3/28/2005: Northwest Airlines and United Airlines are the official airlines of the 2005 ASP conference. Discounted fares will be available for travel on these airlines, and their partners. The Northwest WorldFile Meeting Code is NYTNP. Mention this code to your travel agent, or enter when you make your reservation online (you will need to go to the "more search options" link on the reservations page). Mention code 539GN for United flights.

There are several rental car companies located at PDX. Taxis from PDX to the Benson Hotel cost approximately $25.00. The MAX light rail runs from the airport to downtown, and costs approximately $4.00.

3/28/2005: The local organizing committee will offer a shuttle service to and from the airport for $10 each way. This service will be available hourly on Tuesday 8/16 from 11am-10pm, Wednesday 8/17 from 6am-5pm, and Sunday 8/21 from 6am-10pm. To sign up for this shuttle, please send your name, flight information (including the airline, flight number and arrival/departure time) and the number of people in your party to asptransportation@yahoo.com by August 1, 2005.

3/28/2005:Car rental: We have negotiated rates with Enterprise rent-a-car. Enterprise has an onsite location at the Portland Airport and many other locations in Portland. For reservations please call 800.325.8007 or call Portland International Airport at 503.252.1500. Please reference OHSU Primatology Convention for the negotiated discounts.

Train travel: Portland is served by Amtrak intercity passenger trains. Please see http://www.Amtrack.com for more details. The train station, Portland Union Station, is within 4 miles of the Benson Hotel. A taxi ride from the train station will cost approximately $10.00.

Bus travel: Greyhound Bus Call (800) 231-2222 or http://www.greyhound.com for fare and schedule information. Portland Union Station serves Greyhound as well as Amtrak.

Travel by Car: Portland is conveniently located off I-84 and I-5. To reach Portland from I-5, take the exit toward City Center/Morrison Bridge and make a slight right onto the Morrison Bridge. Stay straight on the ramp and turn left onto SW Washington St. Turn right onto SW 4th, left onto SW Oak and then left onto SW Broadway. The Benson Hotel is located on Broadway. For other specific driving directions see http://www.mapquest.com.

Transportation & Parking within Portland: Portland has an excellent public transportation system, which includes extensive bus, MAX light rail, streetcar, and trolley systems. Public transportation is free in the "Fareless Square", which covers much of downtown Portland (including the Benson Hotel). The city is also driver friendly and the streets are easy to navigate. All of the hotels have garages available for a nightly fee. There are many other garages in the area including the city run Smart Parks. These garages offer parking for an $8/day. More information will be available at the Registration/Information Desk.

Housing:

Special rates have been arranged for those attending the conference at the following hotels for those attending the conference. Please book your rooms by July 1 2005 to ensure that you get the discounted rate.

Facility	Estimated Rate (CAD) per night	Accommodation	Contact Information
The Benson	$119/night	The Benson Hotel, the meeting site, is a 4 star hotel located in the heart of Downtown Portland. The hotel is not only a Portland landmark but is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Amenities include 24-hour room service, valet parking, nightly wine tasting for guests, business center, and a fitness center.	309 SW Broadway, Portland, OR. Phone: 888-523-6766 or 503-228-2000,br> Mention the American Society of Primatologists to get special rates.
Hotel Lucia	$119/night	The Hotel Lucia is within a block of the meeting site. The hotel is elegant yet comfortable and prides itself on a high level of service. Amenities include complimentary business center access, Torrefazione coffee and Tazo teas, 24 hour room service (Tai/American), Aveda bath products, a 24 hour fitness center, and many others. Next door to Hotel Lucia is Typhoon, a restaurant that features Thai and western cuisine.	422 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205. Phone: 877.225.1717 Please identify yourself as a member of the American Society of Primatologists.
Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown Portland	$139.00/night for a two bedroom suite-perfect for sharing; a "roommates wanted" list will be posted on the meeting website.	Embassy Suites is located 5 blocks from the meeting site (a 5 minute walk) with easy access to The US Bancorp Tower (home of the Portland City Grill) and Portland's waterfront. The hotel offers a complimentary cooked to order breakfast each morning and a complimentary Manager's reception each night. The Portland Steak and Chop House, which offers fine dining and an exceptional happy hour is located in the hotel. Amenities include microwave and coffee maker, living room with sofa-bed, indoor pool, fitness center, complimentary van service (2 mile radius), and valet parking.	319 SW Pine Street, Portland, OR 97204) Phone: 503.279.9000 Please mention American Society of Primatologists for the discounted rate.
The Paramount Hotel	$109/night	The Portland Paramount Hotel is a luxury hotel and is just a 5-10 minute walk to the meeting site. The Portland Paramount is dedicated to exceptional customer service and offers many amenities such as 24 hour room service, two phone lines and two phones in each room, honor bar, and European bath amenities. The Paramount is also home to Dragonfish Asian Café. This restaurant offers unique Pan-Asian cuisine and a full service American breakfast.	808 SW Taylor, Portland, OR 97205 Phone: 503.276.1761 www.thecampusinn.com

Student Travel Funds:

This year, there will be money available for students traveling to the meeting through generous support of the ONPRC Division of Reproductive Sciences, NIH/NCRR and the University of Oregon. Funds will be distributed based on need. Exact amounts will depend on the number of applicants. To be considered for the award, students must be members of ASP and must present a paper or poster at the meeting. Students interested in being considered for the travel funds should indicate this interest on the registration form. For more information, please contact Kris Coleman (colemank@ohsu.edu).

ASP Message Board:

3/28/2005: A new feature has been added to the "Members Only" section of the website for conference attendees only. You may post messages pertaining to the conference that can be viewed by all conference registrants and sign up to receive automatic emails whenever a new message is posted. Messages are categorized under headings such as "Roommate wanted", "Ride wanted", "Announcements", etc.

To sign up to receive the emails, click on the link to "Automatic email sign-up" at the top of the message board page.

Visitor Information:

The Portland Oregon Visitor Association website (http://www.pova.org/) has excellent information regarding your trip to Portland. A guide of local restaurants and attractions will be available at the Registration/Information desk.

The Audubon Society of Portland has agreed to lead some post conference day trips on Sunday, August 21. To sign up for either of these trips, please contact Kris Coleman (colemank@ohsu.edu).

3/28/2005: Additional tours, including a tour of Oregon's many wineries or some of Portland's brewpubs are available through a private tour company, EcoTours of Oregon Day Tours (http://www.ecotours-of-oregon.com). See Registration/Information desk for more details.

Oregon Coast Tour
Sunday, August 21, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Get on board for a trip to the spectacular Oregon coast. Destinations include Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, Hug Point and Oswald West State Park. Explore the natural history of the coast with an emphasis on birds, geology, and tide pool diversity. Enjoy lunch under the canopy of a true temperate rain forest (all activities are weather dependant). Leader: Steven Robertson, Education Director, Audubon Society of Portland. Fee includes guide, transportation and a box lunch-please indicate vegetarian lunch if desired.
Tour fee: $30 per person
Minimum participants: 6; Maximum participants: 12

Columbia River Gorge
Sunday, August 21, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
One of the greatest and most unique natural wonders in the United States, the Gorge stretches east from Portland along the Columbia River. See the famous waterfalls and vistas and learn about the geologic processes that formed them. Your guide will point out native plant species, birds and other wildlife you encounter along the way. Leader: Ian Abraham, Naturalist, Audubon Society of Portland. Fee includes guide, transportation and a box lunch- please indicate vegetarian lunch if desired.
Fee: $30 per person
Minimum participants: 6; Maximum participants: 12

Banking: Most banks are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There are many ATMs located throughout downtown Portland and at the Portland Airport. There is a full service US Bank located directly across the street from the Benson Hotel.

Childcare: Due to insurance requirements, the Congress will not have organized childcare. A list of professional childcare providers/centers and costs can be provided on request. Please contact the local organizing committee.

Exhibitors: Please contact Kris Coleman, colemank@ohsu.edu, for more information.

Congress T-shirts: T-shirts designed by Joel Ito will be available for purchase ahead of the meeting on the registration form. Please indicate sizes. We will have some extra T-shirts at the Registration/Information desk.

MEETING SITE & ACCOMMODATIONS 28th Annual Meeting Portland, OR August 17-20, 2005