The R User Conference 2016

June 27 - June 30 2016
Stanford University, Stanford, California

Know Before You Go

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Conference Registration

Registration for the entire conference takes place at one location, the Arrillaga Alumni Center Lobby on the main Stanford Campus located at 326 Galvez Street, Stanford, CA, 94305. Registration will open at 8:00am on Monday, June 27 - Thursday, June 30.

As part of the sustainable campus initiative, your conference packet will be minimal. Your badge will have the schedule outline on the back. The conference program is also designed to be mobile-friendly. A limited number of printed conference schedules will be on hand. You can also print your own copy of the schedule using the print view if you wish. For example, here is a fully expanded print out.

Arrive Early/Bring Walking Shoes!

Early arrival will allow time for parking and walking to the venue, picking up your badge and enjoying a coffee or light morning refreshment.

Please note that on Monday, June 27, the tutorial day, we make use of two additional venues: Campbell Rehearsal Hall and Wallenberg Hall. These are a 10 - 12 walk from the registration desk where you will need to pick up your badge. Give yourself ample time to walk!

Getting to Stanford from Airport

The Visit Stanford site has comprehensive information including public transit. Read on for some quick tips.

You can make an online booking for a shuttle such as Super Shuttle. A shared ride is less than $30 one way, and a ride with a non-stop van (2-3 passengers) is about $40. Additional passengers can get on for $10. Fares may be discounted for round-trip. Please do check these costs yourself.

You can also take also a taxi (about $100 one way) or Uber. Uber has announced a flat rate of $85 for some peninsula routes.

Driving directions rom Highway 101 North & South

Exit onto Embarcadero Road and travel west, following the signs directing you to Stanford University. About three miles after you exit the freeway, Embarcadero Road becomes Galvez Street as you cross El Camino Real. The Galvez lot is on your right after you go past Arboretum road.

Driving directions from Highway 280 North & South

Exit onto Sand Hill Road and follow the signs for Stanford University. Heading east, drive approximately 3 miles to the Stanford Shopping Center. Turn right onto Arboretum Road (Nordstrom is on your right). Stay on Arboretum until it ends, then turn right onto Galvez Street. The Galvez lot is on your right.

Parking

Attendees who are driving to campus should park in the Galvez Parking Lot. Please see the parking map for the 3 entry points to the Galvez lot and its location relative to the Arrillaga Alumni Center, where the conference will be held. Note down the stall number where you parked and follow the parking meter instructions. The main choice is between all-day parking and incremental rates, the latter being more appropriate if you arrive after 10:45am as no permit is required after 4pm.

You will receive a code via email for a special parking rate ($8.00/day) for this conference. Payment is via Visa/MasterCard or exact cash & coins. You do not need to display receipt on dashboard.

Disability Parking

For guests with disabilities, disabled person placards issued by any state are honored in most marked parking spaces on campus, including meters, designated blue spaces (accessible disabled parking is located near all facilities), Service Vehicle spaces and permit lots. State issued disabled placards are not honored in red zones, Resident Fellow (RF) spaces, Special Permit Only or Special Area Permit parking, No Parking areas, or beyond the posted time limit. For additional information, please contact us at meeting planning.

Navigating the Stanford Campus

Stanford is a rather large campus and it is easy to get lost. Moreover, construction and maintenance work is typically scheduled for the summer and 2016 promises to be as busy as ever, if not more so.

A searchable and zoomable campus map is here. Beware that several buildings share name prefixes but may be quite distant from each other.

Signage will identify entrances to buildings used for this conference.

You might find the following useful.

Getting to/from Campus

We have arranged charter shuttles from the Cardinal Hotel at 235 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto each morning and back at the end of each day. All attendees are welcome to use the charter shuttles. A printed copy of the shuttle schedule might come in handy.

Public Transportation is also available to campus from the Palo Alto Transit Center on the free campus Marguerite system on the X and Y lines on Monday thru Friday. Schedules are available online. The Marguerite service is free to all.

Staying at a local hotel? Don't forget to ask if they have a complimentary shuttle to campus. If you are staying at the Stanford Guest House located on the SLAC campus, transportation to campus is also available through Stanford's complimentary Marguerite shuttle system. The SLAC line operates between SLAC (with a stop at the entrance to the Guest House) and the Stanford campus, and is available approximately every 20 minute, with less frequent service after 6pm. Last departure is 8:05pm. See the SLAC Shuttle Map. The Memorial auditorium stop is closest to the conference venue.

Weather / Attire

The weather for Palo Alto at this time of year is temperate with an average high temperature of 80F (27C) and an average low of 54F (12C). As this event will occur both inside an air-conditioned facility and outdoors in the elements, we strongly encourage dressing in layers. We also recommend comfortable walking shoes as there will be some walking and standing outdoors involved. Sunglasses, sunscreen, umbrellas and hats are optional, useful items.

Those who plan to take the conference cruise are advised to bring a good jacket; the San Francisco Bay can be windy and cold.

We also encourage you to bring your own bag to collect any conference materials or giveaways from the Sponsor Pavilion.

Wireless/Power Access on Campus

You will receive a wireless username and password for use at this conference via email. Follow these instructions.

  • Select the Stanford wireless network from the list of available wireless networks.
  • Select Wireless Guest as the registration choice.
  • Log in with the username and password provided to you in your email from the conference organizers.

If you have difficulty connecting and need customer support, please contact volunteers on site, or your Housing Front Desk or Conference Planner for assistance.

As regards power, it is an immutable fact that there are very few power outlets in the meeting rooms. There will be charging stations located in McCaw Hall. It would be helpful to bring a portable charger for your laptop or phone if you have one.

Venue Capacities

For reference, here are the venue capacities.

Room name Capacity Map
McCaw Hall 585 Link
Lane 50 Link
Lyons & Lodato 70 Link
Lane & Lyons & Lodato 120 Link
Barnes 40 Link
McDowell & Cranston 60 Link
Barnes & McDowell & Cranston 100 Link
SIEPR 130 250 Link
SIEPR 120 50 Link
Econ 140 76 Link
Campbell Rehearsal Hall 215 Link
Wallenberg Hall 124 55 Link
Sponsor Pavilion 200 Link

Conference Banquet Dinner Cruise

For banquet ticketholders, the charter shuttles to San Francisco will depart by 5pm from Lasuen Street, just adjacent to Galvez Parking Lot. Your conference name badge is your ticket and is required to be with you to board the boat. Depending on traffic, you may have some time to walk around once we reach San Francisco. The cruise ticket includes a boarding glass of champagne or wine. Additional drinks will be available for purchase ($5-$12 each).

Please note that everyone will be asked to sign a liability waivers on the shuttle and these will be collected before boarding the cruise.

Do bring a jacket, as the Bay can turn cold and windy.

Last Minute Lodging

For last minute reservations, the Stanford lodging guide provides links and phone numbers to accommodations near campus.

Sightseeing

Stanford University is a highly visited spot offering a variety of options for touring the main campus. Please see Stanford's Visitor Information for possibilities including campus tours, walking tours and museum attractions. We highly recommend exploring the Stanford Arts District which includes the Cantor museum, the Anderson collection and the McMurty building. The museums offer free admission.

If you are into outdoor recreation, Stanford has a perimeter trail as well as the Dish Recreation Area, all within walking distance.

For those with extra time to explore the area, check out the Santa Clara Convention Visitors Bureau or the San Francisco Travel Site for local attractions.