Dear all,
I would be grateful if you please fill in the form appended at the
end of this message. If you have any further enquiries, I'll be away
from tomorrow until next Friday, so replies will be a bit slow.
I'll try to give you some more information about our First European
Workshop on Perceptual Control Theory. I'm still not getting the
response I anticipated when Bill first suggested to hold the
meeting in Great Britain. I understand that the main stumbling block
has been the funding situation. I have applied for support to the Human
Frontier Science Program-HFSP (France), to the three research council
bodies in the UK (SERC, ESRC, and MRC), and to the Vice-Principal of
the University. I have learned from their replies to my application
that there IS money available for such meetings from HFSP and SERC.
Unfortunately, we were late (so they say) first, to HFSP as they
usually commit their resourses well in advance and, while waiting for
their reply, I made the mistake of not applying to the UK councils.
This seemed to be the right attitude, and still does. Too bad. SERC
said they were very sympathetic towards requests for funding meetings
such as the one we were proposing, but they too committed their funds
well in advance. At least now we know it.
I sincerely hope that those of you who haven't sent your paper
yet are actively trying to finish it by next week. Initially, my
expectation was for 18 papers. For your information I have, at the
moment, 8 papers and 17 people who confirmed that they are
definitely coming (including Tom who just confirmed this morning)
-- and the deadline is fast approaching. If you think you might come,
please send your paper. In principle, it can be as short or as long
as you like.
I would be grateful for your comments on the proposition to shorten
the meeting by one day, so that costs are reduced (I can also save
substantially on the Proceedings by soft binding it). So, if you
are happy with that, the meeting would start on the eve of 23rd June,
Thursday, until the morning of 26th June, Sunday. We would have 2 full
days plus 3 evenings in an exciting and friendly atmosphere. Registration
and payment of fee on Thursday afternoon/evening.
The cost per head for a fully residential conference would be as follows,
in pounds sterling:
- ------------------------------------------------------------------
Day |Bed and Breakfast |Morning coffee | Lunch | Tea | Dinner
- ------|------------------|---------------|-------|-------|---------
Thu 7.50
- ------|------------------|---------------|-------|-------|---------
Fri 22.00 1.00 5.00 2.00 7.50
- ------|------------------|---------------|-------|-------|---------
Sat 22.00 1.00 5.00 2.00 7.50
- ------|------------------|---------------|-------|-------|---------
Sun 24.50
- ------|------------------|---------------|-------|-------|---------
The above table adds up to 107.00 pounds (there is a surcharge of
2.50 for staying over Saturday and Sunday nights). The proceedings
would cost about 10 pounds or less per copy and, if we decide to go
somewhere for a nice Saturday evening dinner, we can deduct 7.50 from the
above table and use it towards the dinner.
About the place. The meeting is going to be held at Gregynog,
Newtown, Wales. Gregynog is about one hour from Aberystwyth
by car or train (if you are coming from virtually anywhere
you save one hour travelling). Gregynog is a manor house owned by
the University of Wales especially equipped to hold conferences and
workshops. The gardens are magnificent, and I hope there will still
be some of the thousands of rodhodendrus [sic] left. There are footpaths
around the estate, we can relax playing bowls outside in the garden,
there is a private pub in the house, a small library, etc.
There are audio-visual facilities and we are bringing Macintoshes, PCs,
and a Sun workstation so that people can work out programs and demos
together.
The meeting is going to be very informal; the main purpose is that
we are there to meet each other and talk about what we are doing
and what we plan to do in order to further the understanding of PCT.
No formal dressing is required unless you want, of course. The
weather in June is usually very good. Average daytime temperature
within lower 20 Celsius.
More information about what to do in Newtown and around will be posted
next weekend, including a train timetable. I intend to go to Newtown
a week on Saturday and collect as much information as I can. I would
like to leave the idea of a day trip on Sunday either to Stratford-upon-Avon
or Oxford. That is, if the meeting is to end on Sunday morning.
How to reach Gregynog:
- -- by train
From London Heathrow Airport: underground to Euston Station.
From London Gatwick Airport: Gatwick Link train to Victoria Station,
then underground to Euston Station.
From Euston Station, train to Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
Change at Shrewsbury, direction Aberystwyth. Newtown is about
half hour from Shrewsbury. There is a courtesy shuttle bus service
from Newtown station to Gregynog. Please let me know which train
you are coming or phone Gregynog from the station and we'll
collect you. About 4 hours from London Euston.
- -- by car
From London Gatwick: Motorway M25 West/North, then M40.
From London Heathrow: Motorway M4, M25 North, then M40.
Motorway M40 direction Oxford and Birmingham, then (just
before Birmingham) motorway M42 West, M5 North,
M6 North, M54 direction Telford and Shrewsbury. M54 becomes
A5, then exit to A458 direction Welshpool and Newtown.
From London Heathrow, it takes about 3.5 hours. I can make
it in 3 hours, but then I'm a fast driver.
Would you please confirm whether you are coming or not and, if
affirmative, fill in with the necessary information for each
person attending the conference (or just coming to Gregynog):
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:
Affiliation:
Are you attending the meeting? (yes/no)
Are you coming to Gregynog and not attending the meeting? (yes/no)
Are you contributing a paper? (yes/no)
Are you bringing a demo? (yes/no)
How long are you staying in Gregynog? Please specify dates,
with accommodation and meals required if you are not staying
for the duration of the meeting.
Name of partner (double room):
Dietary requirements:
Audio-visual requirements:
Hardware requirements:
Software requirements:
Proceedings required (number of copies):
Travel plans (with date and times if known):
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best wishes,
Marcos.