The 9th annual Polar Technology Conference (PTC) will be hosted by the Polar Science Program of the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapolis, Maryland. The primary purpose of this conference is to bring together Polar Scientists and Technology Developers in a forum to exchange information on research system operational needs and technology solutions that have been successful in polar environments. This exchange of knowledge helps to address issues of design, implementation, and deployment for systems that are to achieve their research goals in the Polar Regions.
Past participants have come from the private sector, state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and academia. Presentations generally cover system requirements for proposed research along with descriptions of systems and approaches that have been proven in polar deployments. Typical hardware and software topics have included weather stations, robotics, power systems, telemetry, and remote communications. The scale of systems ranges from the autonomous data collection towers to large scale research stations. Polar venues represented include under, on, and above the ice, tundra, or sea.
Discussions on intra- and inter-national cooperation in site deployment and maintenance are encouraged. Informal breaks allow for opportunities for networking and information exchange. A poster session is also included. Workshops have been held offering tutorial exchanges on specific technologies (e.g., power systems, Iridium). We are pleased to have support from the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs as an endorsement of the concept of bringing together providers and consumers of these technologies in hopes of benefiting from that synergy.
Presentations and a list of participant from the previous conferences can be found here.
Oral presentations: Presentations (up to 25 minutes in length) will be scheduled for all three days.The first two days of the conference are expected to follow the plan of previous conferences, with an emphasis on systems generally operating on low power and/or autonomously. The last day of the conference will feature larger installations, typically populated sites (e.g., research stations), and ice cap traverses. This format may change, subject to the presentation proposals received.
Poster presentations: A session will be devoted just to posters, where the authors will be available for discussions. The display boards will be available throughout the conference, however, to allow the full set to be viewed at your leisure. The poster session is expected to be held in the afternoon of the second day, 3 April.
Conference registration fees are $50 per day for general attendees and $25 per day for students. The number of discounted student registrations may be limited. The registration fee includes a continental breakfast buffet (mini-Danish, muffins, beverage), lunch buffet, and morning and afternoon break refreshments. Walk-up registrations will be accepted at the conference. Registrations received after 26 March may not include meals, due to late notice to the caterer.
Oral presentations require an abstract submission by 18 March 2013 for consideration for inclusion in the formal program. This requirement is necessary to allow publication of the conference schedule shortly after that date. Oral presentation abstracts submitted after the March 18th deadline may or may not be accommodated, subject to available time in the schedule. Poster abstracts submissions by 18 March are encouraged to reserve adequate display space; posters will be accepted at the conference subject to available display space. Display boards will accommodate posters up to 3 x 5 ft in size.
An informal Display Area will be provided for project or vendor equipment and/or brochures. Folding tables will be provided in an unsecured area adjacent to the main conference meeting room. This area may be used for meetings or discussions during breaks and the poster session.
You can register here.
The conference itself will be held in the Bo Coppedge Room in Alumni Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. The most convenient access is through USNA Gate 3. As a federal installation, everyone entering the USNA Yard is required to have a valid, government-issued picture ID. A state-issued driver's license, a university- or college-issued student ID card, and a government-issued passport are the types of valid IDs accepted for entry at USNA.
Parking is extremely limited on the Yard and access is normally by walking. Anyone needing special access and must drive onto the Yard needs to contact LCDR John Woods (woods@usna.edu) before 25 March 2013. No one is allowed to drive onto the Yard without a proper vehicle pass.
Arrangements have been made with the Loews Annapolis Hotel for a reduced Group rate for PTC attendees. No conference activities will occur at this hotel, but they offer the convenience of being within walking distance of the U.S. Naval Academy and reduced daily and overnight parking rates. PTC attendees are responsible for making and paying for their own accommodations as required; they are free to make their arrangements anywhere of their choosing.
A map with walking directions from the Loews Annapolis Hotel to USNA Gate 3 and on to Alumni Hall is available here (PDF, 116 kB). At an average walking pace, it will take ~20 minutes to walk between the hotel and Alumni Hall.
It is also possible to ride a fleet of complementary eCruisers that travel from the hotel to the USNA and Historic District. These electric vehicles can accommodate 5 passengers at a time and will be continuously driving the 5-minute driving loop during the day. Inquire at the hotel Front Desk for hours of operation and general availability.
PTC attendees who may be driving to Annapolis for each day of the PTC may park their vehicle at the Loews Annapolis Hotel for a special Day Self-Parking rate of $8 and then walk or ride an eCruiser to and from the Conference. There are numerous parking lots available around Annapolis to choose from, but their rates can be more costly.
The closest airport is Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI). Rental vehicles and shuttle services are available.
Tuesday Keynote Speaker: We are privileged to hear from a distinguished Naval officer about his perspectives on the main themes of this conference:
Tuesday Evening Naval Academy Museum: Arrangements have been made for complementary, private access to tour the museum on Tuesday evening, 2 April, from 1700 - 1900 hours. The U.S. Naval Academy Museum is located in Preble Hall and offers two floors of exhibits about the history of seapower, the development of the U.S. Navy, and the role of the U.S. Naval Academy in producing officers capable of leading America's sailors and marines. Spouses and companions are welcome on this tour.
Wednesday Evening Happy Hour: An informal, No Host Happy Hour has been planned for Wednesday, 3 April, from 1700 - 1900 hours at Harry Browne's Restaurant, 66 State Circle, in Old Towne Annapolis. Complementary appetizers will be provided. If desired, additional food can be purchased from the bar or full dinner menu.
| 2005 | Mountain View, California |
| 2006 | Mountain View, California |
| 2007 | Menlo Park, California |
| 2008 | Menlo Park, California |
| 2009 | Madison, Wisconsin |
| 2010 | Boulder, Colorado |
| 2011 | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| 2012 | Fairlee, Vermont |
| 2013 | Annapolis, Maryland |
Please contact the Steering Committee for additional information:
