VisSym '99	Call for participation / lab visits Style files, instructions for authors Venue, travel information / accomodation Registration / on-line registration form Program / abstracts / trip 2 Wachau Photos / participants / acks.

This page: [ Austrian Academy of Sciences | Finding VisSym '99 | Arrival | Equipment | History ]

VisSym '99 @ the Austrian Academy of Sciences

VisSym '99 was held in the main building of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (see photo), the biggest Austrian extra-university research institution. It is situated right in the center of Vienna, next to famous sights as St. Stephan's cathedral, the opera, museums, etc. Modern conference facilities are provided in a venerable baroque environment, breathing an air of history and inspiration.

Finding VisSym '99

Due to its central location and as an important point of interest, the main building of the Academy of Sciences at Dr-Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 2 can easily be reached by public transport (Subway, Tram, Bus). The list below shows the nearest stops:

• Line U3 (subway), station ``Stubentor''
• Line 1A (bus), station ``Riemergasse''
• Lines 1 & 2 (trams), station ``Stubentor''

Arrival

Should you arrive in Vienna by plane, you can take either a shuttle bus to the City Air Terminal at Hotel Hilton or a Schnellbahn (local train) to the central Wien-Mitte station. The bus departs every 20 min. and costs appr. ATS 70. The train leaves every 30 min. and is somewhat slower but cheaper - appr. ATS 50. Both stations are very close to each other and just across the Stadtpark from the Parkring and thus within convenient walking distance of the conference venue, which of course you won't need to check out immediately after your arrival, but still, who knows...

If you arrive by rail, it is also extremely easy to get to the center of town (and the conference location :-)). From Südbahnhof you just take the Schnellbahn to Wien-Mitte, and from Westbahnhof you simply take the U3 Subway to Stephansplatz.

You need a ticket you can use on all Viennese public transport which you can buy from slot machines either in the stations. However, there is a variety of different ticket passes and prices according to durations and needs. For up-to-date price and product information see the Vienna public transport site (sorry, only in German).

An attempt to reach the conference location by car could present a major problem for foreigners, not so much in terms of driving but parking, since parking space is scarce and basically non-existent in downtown Vienna. The nearby underground garages at Stephansplatz or Karl-Lueger-Platz offer (costly) alternatives.

Equipment

As a primary location for conferences and meetings of all kinds, the Academy of Sciences is well equipped to create a comfortable atmosphere for lectures and discussions. For VisSym '99 we managed to secure the Sitzungssaal, the Seminarraum, and the Aula (for a possible industrial exhibition) of the Academy.

The Sitzungssaal is a modern conference hall providing overhead, slide, and video projectors as well as sound equipment. Thanks to the endeavors of the Academy computing center a number of networked PCs will be provided, too. These can be used for email or live demos.

The Seminarraum is a smaller, but interesting lecture hall for more intimate meetings. We intend to set up here the speaker's preparation corner with an equippment for slides preview.

History

Ever since its founding in the pre-revolutionary year 1847 on the premises of the old university, the Austrian Academy of Sciences has been a place of meeting and scientific exchange for the most brilliant scientists of the country such as Christian Doppler, Ludwig Boltzmann, Erwin Schr"odinger and many others. The best muisicians of their time performed in its beautiful fresco-decorated halls.

Nowadays, the Academy of Sciences is home to more than 500 scientists organized in 56 units (institutes and commissions) with reseach fields in humanities and natural sciences. Lively publishing activities through the Academy's own publishing house and a busy scientists exchange program with major international research institutions round up the Academy's field of activities.

Leonid Dimitrov & Helwig Löffelmann, 1998-1999, mailto:leonid.dimitrov@oeaw.ac.at & mailto:helwig@cg.tuwien.ac.at.