Kickoff Meeting

The AMPED project kickoff meeting will be held in Sète, France on May 25-27, 2009.

Schedule

The draft of the kickoff meeting schedule can be downloaded here. If you are scheduled to present something at the meeting, please email me as soon as possible to confirm that the placement and length of your talk slot is adequate. Also, please provide a formal title for your talk. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have other suggestions for modifications or additions.

Travel arrangements and per diem

The nearest airport to Sète is Montpellier (MPL), though travel through Marseille, Paris and other smaller regional airports with appropriate train or plane connections is possible. Transport from the airport to Sète will be arranged shortly before the meeting.

University of Nantes project participants should arrange travel in coordination with Gwenaelle PROUTIERE-MAULION. For project participants that will be paid for via the IRD (notably South African participants and the project Steering Committee), please forward as soon as possible the following information to David M. Kaplan via email or fax (+33 4 99 57 32 95):

1. A document from your superior(s) at the organization where you work testifying that your own organization will not be paying for your travel (an "attestation de non prise en charge" in French).
2. For transferring per diem into your bank account we will need a document from your bank indicating that you have an account at that bank, as well as all the information necessary for making the transfer. For French bank accounts, this means a RIB. For foreign accounts, the document must contain the bank name, address and phone numbers, your account number and the numbers necessary for international bank transfers (IBAN, Swift, etc.; in French, an "Attestation de domiciliation bancaire").
3. A filled out travel form with your preferred travel arrangements, etc. French speakers can use this form. For non-French speakers, we have created a simplified form in English with just the necessary information. Please do not purchase travel tickets directly; the IRD will do that for you.

Normally, plane tickets are purchased by the IRD’s travel agent and you will receive an E-ticket via email. Per diem is usually reimbursed several weeks after the meeting. If you have any problems or questions about arranging travel, please contact David M. Kaplan.

Hotel information and maps

A list of recommended hotels in Sète can be obtained from the CRH website and we have created a special google map indicating the locations and contact information of hotels, the CRH, etc.

Each participant should make his or her own hotel reservation. You must pay for the hotel yourself and then be reimbursed for the cost after returning from the meeting. When placing your reservation, please mention that you will be visiting the Ifremer/IRD center in Sète to receive a reduced fee. If you desire to share a hotel room with someone or have any other difficulties, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance.

After returning from meeting

In order to reimburse your travel after the meeting is over, we will need to receive the original travel (airline ticket stubs, train tickets, etc.) and hotel receipts. Please hold on to all such receipts. Food receipts will not be necessary.