U.S. Particle Accelerator School
Program Information:
June 12-23, 2017 USPAS Session hosted by Northern Illinois University and held in Lisle, Illinois, USA
Classes, sleeping rooms, breakfasts & dinners, the Computer Lab and the Study Room will all be held at the Sheraton Lisle Hotel in Lisle, Illinois (3000 Warrenville Road, Lisle, IL 60532). The Sheraton Lisle Hotel is somewhat isolated so having a car would be convenient. Breakfasts and dinners are included in your Registration Fee. Attendees may purchase lunch in the hotel restaurant and there is also a restaurant next door.
Classes ending on Friday, June 16 or Friday, June 23 will finish at 12:00 (noon). When booking return air tickets students should allow time for their class to end at noon plus transportation time to the airport before selecting their flight time home.
Registration Fee
The Registration Fee is $1,700.00 if your Application Form is received before March 15, 2017; after March 15 the fee increases to $1,800.00. The $1,700/$1,800 registration fee includes 12 breakfasts and 12 dinners. The Registration Fee for attending only 1 one-week class is $1,200.00 and includes 5 breakfasts and 5 dinners.
Scholarships
Scholarship funds have been reduced substantially so financial assistance awards are more competitive than ever. To be considered for financial support you must submit four documents: an application form; a cover letter explaining why the USPAS is important to your career and describing prior research experience, work with or as a user of particle accelerators; your CV; at least one letter of recommendation. USPAS scholarships are awarded without regard to race, gender or national origin. Consideration will be given to balancing class sizes.
Note: International students requesting a scholarship who are NOT from U.S. visa-waiver countries must already be in possession of a visa that is valid for the entire period of the USPAS session. A copy of your visa must be faxed (630-840-8500) to the USPAS before the March 15 deadline date.
If you are AUDITING your course
If you are auditing your course(s), you will not enroll at Northern Illinois University and will not earn a grade. You are not required to complete homework assignments nor take any exams. Please complete the USPAS Audit Form that we emailed to you and return it to us by May 1, 2017.
If you are taking your course for CREDIT
If you are taking your course(s) for credit, you will enroll at Northern Illinois University through the USPAS and will fully participate in class. Students enrolled for credit are expected to complete homework, take all exams and participate fully in class. If you successfully pass your class(es) you will earn 3.0 credits from Northern Illinois University. Please complete the NIU/USPAS Enrollment Form that was included in your acceptance email and send it back to us by May 1, 2017.
Academic Status at Northern Illinois University
Students must make final confirmation of their choice to take their course for credit or audit on or before Tuesday June 13, 2017. Official transcripts will be maintained by NIU. Domestic students receiving financial support from the USPAS must enroll for NIU credit.
International participants
This USPAS program is open to participation by both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. The program is an intense learning experience sponsored by Northern Illinois University from June 12-23, 2017 only. Because this program is not a course of full-time study, an F visa (student visa) is not appropriate. We believe a B visa (visitor/business visa) or Visa Waiver is appropriate. International participants not currently residing in the U.S. may attend the program and may request financial sponsorship, but they may not earn credit from NIU. International participants receiving financial support from the USPAS must participate fully in all aspects of their session and will receive a letter confirming their attendance and rating their performance. Failure to turn in assignments or take exams could jeopardize financial support awarded by the USPAS.
Note: International students requesting a scholarship who are NOT from U.S. visa-waiver countries must already be in possession of a visa that is valid for the entire period of the USPAS session. A copy of your visa must be faxed to the USPAS at (630-840-8500) before the March 15 deadline date.
Please complete the International Participant Registration Form that was emailed to you and return it to the USPAS Office by May 1, 2017.
Housing
By reserving your hotel room via the link we will provide to you, you may take advantage of our special reduced hotel room rate and any extras we have negotiated for our group at the Sheraton Lisle Hotel (for example, free internet in your sleeping room).. Single hotel rooms will be available $112.00 plus tax (currently 11%) per night and a double room (shared by 2 people) will be $56.00 plus tax (currently 11%) per person per night. Rooms may be reserved at our rate 3 days before and after the School dates, based on hotel availability.
The Sheraton Lisle has an indoor pool, 2 racquetball courts and a fitness center. There is a coin-operated guest laundry (one washer/one dryer) in the hotel. Sleeping rooms have a coffee pot with coffee, an in-room safe, a hair dryer and an alarm clock. Hotel check-in time is 3:00 pm and check-out is 12:00 pm (noon). The Sheraton Lisle Hotel is somewhat isolated so having a car would be convenient. The hotel has a shuttle van that will take you within 5 miles of the hotel free of charge. Within that 5 miles is a train station where you can board a train to downtown Chicago for about $3.00.
Please confirm your departure date when you check-in to the hotel as hotels often charge an Early Departure Fee (equal to one night of housing) if you change your departure date after you check-in. As is true with any hotel, this hotel may impose access and service charges in addition to time charges for phone calls (even for credit card or 800-number calls) so it is wise to confirm applicable charges from your sleeping room before using the telephone in your room.
All USPAS participants should make their hotel room reservation via the link we emailed to you. All reservations require a one-night deposit to hold your room. No charge will be made to your credit card unless you fail to cancel your reservation as directed on the form, i.e., 72 hrs. in advance of your scheduled arrival. If your deposit is made by check, it will be credited to your stay or it will be refunded if cancellation is made before the deadline. We do not recommend using a debit card for your one-night deposit or to pay for your hotel room. The hotel will "hold" an amount of money on your debit card and it could take your bank several days to release that hold. You would not have access to those funds during the "hold" period.
Even if your accommodations are being paid for by the USPAS, you must guarantee your arrival by credit card or by a check in US dollars (the one-night deposit). Please remember that this is only a guarantee (a deposit). After your arrival, the room charges for housing scholarship students will be paid directly by the USPAS and your deposit (if made by check) will be returned to you. If your guarantee is made by credit card and you arrive as scheduled, no room charges will be put on your card. It is important that you tell us if your travel plans do not match what is on the web form; note that some date changes may make you responsible for payment, e.g., if you arrive earlier than or stay later than School dates. Also, if you are scheduled to have a roommate and one does not appear, notify the USPAS Office the following morning so that your room can be reassigned if necessary. Otherwise you may be responsible for room charges. Supported students are also advised that the hotel will require a credit card or a cash deposit upon arrival to guarantee payment of any personal charges to your room which are not included in USPAS financial support; these charges would include telephone calls, room service, restaurant charges, in-room movies, etc. We do not recommend that you use a debit card for this type of payment guarantee.
Please note if you are receiving financial support from the USPAS to cover your sleeping room: the USPAS will only pay for your room during the dates of the program. If you arrive earlier or stay later than those dates, you are responsible for paying the extra cost.
Meals
Breakfasts and dinners are included in your USPAS Registration Fee. Dinners will be provided from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. beginning Sunday, June 11 through Thursday, June 22 (including the weekend, i.e. 12 dinners). Breakfasts will be provided from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. beginning Monday, June 12 through Friday, June 23 (including the weekend, i.e. 12 breakfasts). Meal tickets for accompanying persons must be purchased separately from the USPAS Office. Participants are free to make their own lunch arrangements.
USPAS Registration and Course Check-In
Registration will be held on Sunday June 11 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm at the Sheraton Lisle Hotel in Lisle, Illinois (3000 Warrenville Road, Lisle, IL 60532) with dinner from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The USPAS Director will give a talk at 7:00 pm.
If you do not register with the USPAS on Sunday night, you must register on Monday morning, June 12. If you arrive after registration hours Sunday night, please check the hotel information boards to locate the USPAS Office. If you are scheduled to arrive for classes the second week only (June 19-23), information will be provided so that you know when and where meals will be served, what your classroom assignment is, and to remind you to check-in with the USPAS Office on Monday morning (June 19). The USPAS Office will be open weekdays beginning Monday June 12, during normal business hours.
Study Rooms
USPAS Study is scheduled at the hotel every evening from 7:00 p.m. to midnight (including the weekend).
Computer Lab and Internet Access
The USPAS will provide a Computer Lab with wireless Internet access for classroom, homework and email purposes. Participants are free to use the PCs in the Computer Lab when the room is not scheduled for class. The Computer Lab is open from 6:30 a.m. to midnight (including the weekend).
Airport and Ground Transportation
There are two airports from which to choose:
1) Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) is 24 miles from the hotel. The hotel has a special relationship with "American Taxi" who will bring you to the hotel for $36.00 plus tip each way. Please make a reservation ahead of your arrival by contacting American Taxi, phone 847-673-1000; www.americantaxi.com and please remind them of the $36.00 flat rate to the Sheraton Lisle Hotel. Before getting into any cab make sure you confirm that it is a "suburban taxi" and not a "city taxi". Due to licensing fees, a city taxi will cost about 3 times as much. The trip should take about 40 minutes.
2) Chicago Midway International (MDW) is 30 miles from the hotel. The hotel has a special relationship with "American Taxi" who will bring you to the hotel for $36.00 plus tip each way. Please make a reservation ahead of your arrival by contacting American Taxi, phone 847-673-1000; www.americantaxi.com and please remind them of the $36.00 flat rate to the Sheraton Lisle Hotel. Before getting into any cab make sure you confirm that it is a "suburban taxi" and not a "city taxi". Due to licensing fees, a city taxi will cost about 3 times as much. The trip should take about 50 minutes.