Media Advisory 1: Fall Meeting Information For Media Representatives

Information for Media Representatives

The annual Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union takes place from Sunday, December 6, through Thursday, December 10, at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California. Please note that Sunday is a fully scheduled meeting day. A special press excursion is planned for Saturday afternoon, December 5 (see item 6, below).

Media representatives are encouraged to register in advance, using the form at the end of this message. The first 50 who do will receive an advance copy of the Abstract volume, which will help you navigate through the 7,000 papers to be presented at the meeting. (Others will receive their copy at the meeting, where on-site press registration is also possible.)

In addition to saving and reviewing this advisory, please check the AGU web site for detailed information about the meeting and especially to reserve a hotel room. The URL for general Fall Meeting information is http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm98top.html. The URL for hotel information and reservations is http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm98_hr.html#cust4. Note that at least one of the smaller hotels is already fully booked.

1. Venue

   Moscone Convention Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

2. Sponsor

   American Geophysical Union. AGU is a society of over 35,000 members in 115 countries with the purpose of advancing progress in the Earth, atmospheric, oceanic, hydrologic, and space and planetary sciences. AGU is dedicated to fostering high-quality scientific research, disseminating the results of that research, enhancing educational opportunities in science, and encouraging international cooperation in geophysics.

3. Press facilities

   The Press Room in the Moscone Center will be open from Saturday, December 5 (for registration only) through Thursday, December 10, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The room will be equipped with telephones (no charge for business calls), fax machine, copier, and a computer with Internet access. Press releases relevant to the meeting will be available, as will a message board. Snacks will be provided.

   The nearby Briefing Room will be the site of press conferences and can also be used for individual interviews and live feeds. A schedule of press conferences pertaining to major sessions is being developed and will be the subject of a subsequent advisory.

4. Press Registration

   Registration entitles journalists to a badge that allows access to any of the scientific sessions of the meeting, as well as to the Press Room and attendance at press conferences and other events specifically for media representatives. No one will be admitted without a valid badge.

5. Eligibility

   Eligibility for press registration is limited to the following persons, all of whom will have equal privileges:
   

   • Working press representing bona fide news media with a press card, letter, or business card from the publication.
     
   • Freelance science writers, presenting a current membership card from NASW, ISWA, NCSWA (or another regional affiliate of NASW) or evidence of work pertaining to science published within the past 12 months.
     
   • Public information officers of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies.
     
   Note: Representatives of the business side of news media and of for-profit corporations must register at the main registration desk and pay the appropriate fees.

6. Press Excursion on Saturday, December 5

   Since many journalists will be arriving early to take advantage of Saturday night airfares and be present for the start of the meeting on Sunday morning, we are arranging an exciting way of spending Saturday afternoon and evening. Geologist David Schwartz of the U.S. Geological Survey will take us to several East Bay sites directly on the Hayward Fault, which USGS believes will be the location of the area's next big earthquake.

   We will depart the Moscone Convention Center by chartered bus at 12:00 Noon. Box lunches will be provided aboard. Among the contemplated stops are Berkeley, Oakland, and Fremont. We will then recross the Bay to the USGS Seismology Laboratory in Menlo Park for a briefing on how seismologists track and react to tremors. We will conclude at a reasonably priced restaurant for a no-host dinner and then return by our bus to the Convention Center and downtown hotels.

   Since space is limited to one bus, please indicate on the Press Registration form at the end of this advisory whether you would like to participate. A standby list will be maintained in the event of oversubscription.

7. Breakfast and Meeting Overview, Sunday, December 6, 8:00 AM

   Wake up early on Sunday, which is a full meeting day, and make your way to the Press Room in the Moscone Center for breakfast and then to the Briefing Room. Prof. Robert A. Duce of Texas A&M University will provide an overview of the five day meeting, highlighting sessions of special interest, to help you make the most efficient use of your time. As Chairman of AGU's Fall Meeting Program Committee, Prof. Duce has a broad multidisciplinary view of the meeting as a whole. (We will also provide some advance highlights in subsequent advisories.)