Union South
The Fifth Meeting of the Data Assimilation and Observing Systems (DAOS) Working Group (WG) will be held at the new student Union South facility on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This beautiful new facility was designed in an organic prairie-style architecture, influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. In addition to its award-winning design, the building is LEED Gold certified. Several restaurants, an art gallery and a recreational area with billiards, bowling and climbing wall are available on the lower floors. Guest rooms are located in the upper floors of this facility, while the Working Group sessions will likely take place on the 3rd floor in the Northwoods Room. Meeting room assignments can change in the Union South scheduler, so please check the electronic daily agenda boards to verify room location.
Union South is located at 1308 West Dayton Street in Madison, between West Johnson and West Dayton Streets, not far from Camp Randall Stadium (map available on the Madison link above). From the airport, taxis to Union South should run around $25US, and are available just outside the doors near the Baggage Claim area. Be sure to clearly ask the drivers for Union South, as there is another student union on campus. For taxis back to the airport from Union South, pickup can be arranged with the hotel's front desk. If you are driving, please use the 10-minute parking circle off West Dayton Street opposite North Orchard. The door to the hotel (the only one that opens on that side of the building) is at the far end of the plaza. When you should check into the hotel, let them know you will need parking. They will give you a free pass for the underground lot.
Lunches during the two days of the meeting will be catered, and provided in the meeting room. During morning and afternoon meeting breaks, coffee, other beverages and snacks will also be provided. There is a group dinner planned for the evening of the first day at Steenbock's on Orchard at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery will be included. Breakfasts, and all other lunches and dinners during your stay will be on your own. There are several restaurants in Union South or within easy walking distance (please see the map on the Madison link). If interest is high enough, and the weather looks favorable, an informal al fresco icebreaker could be planned for Tuesday evening at the Memorial Union Terrace (photo on left) located on the shores of Lake Mendota.
Just across the street to the north, The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery (right) is a state-of-the-art research facility with restaurants, a Mesozoic garden, Fibonacci chimes and fossils in every floor tile. Located right across the street to the southeast is The Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences building (AOSS) building (tall building to the right in the first photo), also home of the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS).
For more information, contact Maria Vasys.
