Particle Theory Seminars

Information for Visitors and Speakers to the LEPP Theory Group

This is a list of useful information to help you prepare your travel arrangements to visit the Particle Theory Group at Cornell University. If you have questions or you need more information, please don't hesitate to contact Katerina Malysheva (evm23@cornell.edu). We look forward to meeting you in Ithaca!

Physics building

Once you're in Ithaca, you can locate the new Physical Science Building (PSB) on this map (the building in the red circle). The Theory Group is on the 4th floor.

Travel to Ithaca

By plane

If you plan to fly here, there is a small airport in Ithaca, Tompkins County Airport. In some cases it might be substantially cheaper and more convenient to fly to the Syracuse airport. There is a local shuttle services to Ithaca that takes approximately 75 minutes and costs $130 (round-trip). Please note that Cornell University can only reimburse tickets issued by an American carrier.

If you fly into Syracuse, send Katerina detailed information about your flight (including airline used, flight number, point of departure, and arrival time), and they'll arrange for the transportation with a local shuttle service from the Syracuse airport to the hotel in Ithaca, and back.

By bus

There is also bus connection between Manhattan and Ithaca Downtown/Cornell campus, by Cornell bus, Greyhound Lines or Coach USA Shortline. It takes approximately 5 hours to get to Ithaca by bus.

If you take the Cornell Campus2Campus bus, the Statler/Sage stop is very close to the physics building and also the closest stop to downtown (about a 20 minute walk). The other buses will bring you to the Ithaca bus terminal. In either case, you'll need to get to the hotel; there are city buses, cabs, and the free shuttle service of the hotel in which you'll stay if they have one (see "Overnight Accommodations" below).

By car

Finally, for those who prefer to drive, Ithaca is within driving distance from a number of metropolitan areas: New York City (about 5 hours); Boston (6 hours); Baltimore (6 hours); Montreal (7 hours); Philadelphia (5 hours). You can find driving directions here.

Parking

Parking near the physics building requires a Cornell permit. Stop at any of the Visitor Information booths located at each entrance to the Cornell campus and purchase a visitor's parking permit (about $8/day). Or, if you contact Katerina at least two weeks in advance of your visit and request such, she will mail a parking permit to you for your first day on campus.

Overnight Accommodations while in Ithaca

For room reservations, all you need to do is to send your travel information to Katerina and she'll reserve a room for you. Our Lab has agreements with a few of the local hotels, so you will not need to pay for the room if we can get you into one of them. These agreements not only allow the room to be direct-billed to our department, but also give us a small break in the price of the room. However, being a "college town" with two large colleges/universities, and another nearby community college, there are many times when rooms are difficult to book; home sports events, council/trustee meetings, parents' weekends, and other typical college events (times 3!) often fill up the available rooms. Thus, it is important to make travel arrangements as early as possible if you hope to use this "directly-billed hotel room" option. (See below for further information about hotels and reimbursement.)

Some of the hotels in the area have free shuttle services which will pick you up from the Tompkins County airport and take you to the hotel. Some also offer this service from the hotel to other places in the area, including the Cornell campus and our Lab. When your room reservations have been made, we will e-mail the details to you, as well as let you know if such a free shuttle service is available.

Please note: With regard to the few hotels who will direct-bill room charges to our department, our agreement covers ONLY the actual room charge. If you opt to use other facilities within the hotels, you will be responsible for those charges.

Seminar Information

We have an LCD/laptop projector and a transparency/overhead projector in our seminar room.

Reimbursement of Expenses

Our Group's travel budget is relatively limited. Thus, we encourage visitors to make their travel arrangements early to be able to take advantage of super saver flights, etc. Please note that Cornell reimburses for actual expenses only; there is not a per diem reimbursement rate. This means that you need to obtain original receipts for any expenses incurred --- cab fares to the airport and back, toll booths, etc. The only expenses which do not require an original receipt are expenses for meals. Meal expenses can be reimbursed without receipts at a rate of up to $30

Things to do and see in Ithaca and on the Cornell Campus!

Buttermilk Falls State Park - Near the Ithaca College campus, the park lives up to its unique name.

Cayuga Lake - The longest of the Finger Lakes, it is beautiful year round.

Cornell's Johnson Museum of Art - Designed by architect I.M. Pei, this museum has an impressive art collection and an equally impressive view of Ithaca.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology - One of the nation's premier research institutes for birds, it is now housed in a new, state of the art building overlooking the 224-acre Sapsucker Woods.

Cornell Plantations - The Plantations is a museum of living plants with a network of trails through campus providing natural areas for hiking and nature appreciation.

Finger Lakes Wine Trail - encompasses both the Cayuga and Seneca wine trails. (The Cayuga Wine Trail is closest to Cornell.)

Ithaca Events - A calendar of local events.

Ithaca Farmers Market - A unique Spring-through-Fall market, it is a favorite of many locals.

Ithaca/Tompkins County Visitor Bureau - Newcomers to the area can request a copy of their comprehensive and well designed guide. 1 (800) 28-ITHACA

Ithaca Discovery Trail - A quick primer on some attractions popular to the area.

Museum of the Earth at PRI - A new public natural history exhibit facility for one of the nation's largest fossil collections.

The Sciencenter - An educational experience geared towards the younger view, it is equally fascinating for the young at heart.

Taughannock Falls State Park - The 783-acre park contains the highest straight drop waterfall east of the Mississippi River.

This is only a short list of the things to see and do in the Ithaca area. We are fortunate to be located in area rich in things to do and great places to eat --- a person can only be bored here if they want to be bored!

Again, we look forward to your visit with us!