2011 Annual Winter Conference
LODGE AT VENTANA CANYON
TUCSON, ARIZONA
January 19-23, 2011
INTRODUCTION
Bruce Magun, AACBNC President, is developing an exciting
and informative program for our Annual Winter Conference
in Arizona, January 19-23, 2011. Please see below information
about Meeting Registration, the Meeting Schedule in
Brief, Reservations at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon,
Pre-Conference tour to Mexico’s Copper Canyon,
January 14-19, 2011, and Post-Conference Baja California
Great Whales voyage, January 22-29, 2011. Morning activities
will be available, including transportation to a famous
art gallery and historic mission San Xavier del Bac.
Preliminary Program
Brian Druker from OHSU will be the keynote speaker. Brian is an HHMI investigator who pioneered the use of kinase inhibitors directed at BCR-ABL to cure chronic myelogenous leukemia. Brian won the Lasker award this past year. Similar to the keynote speaker in Curacao, Brian will emphasize translational research as an imperative for successful research-oriented departments in the future. There will be a panel discussion for the same day on promoting translational studies. A speaker and panel discussion on graduate education is also planned including someone from the NIH to provide information regarding the future of graduate education from the point of view of NIH. The focus of the panel will be newer graduate programs that encompass disease-oriented studies as a cornerstone of the program.
Marisa at Betchart Expeditions is coordinating all of
the Tucson reservations, transfers, and tours. Phone
Marisa (800)252-4910 or email  .
(You will remember Marisa assisted you for the AACBNC
Galapagos and Costa Rica trips.)
Let us know what questions you have -- email Bill Rhoten
( ).
1. AACBNC
MEETING REGISTRATION
The AACBNC Meeting Registration form can be viewed with
Adobe Acrobat reader and should be printed, completed,
and faxed to (304) 696-7290 or mailed to the Association
address on the form. For meeting registrations via credit
card, call (304) 696 7390. Please register for the Meeting
NOW and get your Lodge at Ventana Canyon reservations
booked!
If you have difficulty with the online form, please
email Karen Lucas at 
and provide your name and fax number to obtain a faxed
copy.
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2. AACBNC
ARIZONA MEETING SCHEDULE IN BRIEF
The fully detailed program of speakers will be available
by August, 2010. Or please contact Bruce Magun for more
Programmatic information.
Email: 
JANUARY 19, 2011 ARRIVE TUCSON
& WELCOME SOCIALIZER
Wednesday
AACBNC meeting attendees arrive in Tucson.
Transfer with other members to the Lodge at Ventana
Canyon (4 nights).
Welcome Socializer & Western Buffet Dinner, Catalina
Room.
(D)
JANUARY 20, 2011 AACBNC MEETING
& ARIZONA SONORA DESERT MUSEUM
Thursday
Breakfast Buffet at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon (7:30-9:30am).
8:30 Morning Session in the Cholla/Ocotillo Room.
10 -10:30 Coffee break.
12:30 pm Morning Session concludes.
Lunch on own.
1:30 Depart on optional excursion to the Arizona-Sonora
Desert
Museum** with Bob Nansen as your naturalist leader.
See the fantastic collection of desert wildlife at this
renowned museum/zoo and botanic garden.
Walk the trails and see the interpretative displays.
4:30 Return to the Lodge at Ventana Canyon.
Dinner on your own. (B)
JANUARY
21, 2011 AACBNC MEETING & BIOSPHERE II EXCURSION
Friday
Breakfast buffet (7:30-9:30am).
8:30 Morning Session in the Cholla/Ocotillo Room.
10 -10:30 Coffee break.
12:30 pm Morning Session concludes.
Lunch on own.
1:30 Depart on an optional excursion to Biosphere II.**
See where scientists spent months producing food, conducting
experiments and living together in a completely self-sustaining
mini-world.
Socializer with open bar.
Banquet Dinner, Catalina Room. (B,D)
JANUARY
22, 2011 AACBNC MEETING &
SABINO CANYON EXCURSION
Saturday
Breakfast buffet.
8:30 Morning Session in the Cholla/Ocotillo Room.
10 -10:30 Coffee break.
12:30 pm Session concludes.
Lunch on own.
1:30 Depart on an optional excursion to Sabino Canyon*,
located at the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
The canyon is a haven for Sonoran Desert plants and
wildlife.
You will take a tram up the canyon.
Look for Gambel’s quail, Harris hawks, and roadrunners,
as you explore with naturalist Bob Nansen.
Evening at leisure. (B)
JANUARY 23, 2011 AACBNC NETWORKING
BREAKFAST & TUCSON TO HOME
Sunday
Networking breakfast buffet.
Transfers from Lodge at Ventana Canyon to the Tucson
Airport for flights home.
**Optional
excursions to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Biosphere
II are $60 each per person and include transportation,
entrance fee and guided tour by Bob Nansen.
*Sabino Canyon Excursion is $50 per person and includes
transportation, entrance fee, tram, and leadership by
Bob Nansen.
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3.
RESERVATIONS AT LODGE AT VENTANA
CANYON:
We have booked the Lodge at Ventana Canyon in Tucson
for our conference. (It will be tremendous to have the
entire lodge to ourselves!) There is a wonderful dining
room overlooking the golf course, meeting room, bar,
spa, heated swimming pool, and special rates for golf
on the resort’s golf courses (which are two of
the best courses in the Tucson area). The Santa Catalina
Mountains form a spectacular backdrop to the resort.
Overall it is an idyllic situation which will allow
us to relax and enjoy our meeting activities in a convivial
location.
This privately owned resort has 50 large suites for
accommodations. Each suite is complete with a lovely
view, living area, dining and kitchen areas, as well
as a very comfortable bedroom area, and oversized bathrooms.
A few two-bedroom suites are available. All suites have
complimentary wireless Internet access and private balconies
or patios.
It is imperative to MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS PROMPTLY
to ensure room availability. The price for an 800 square
foot 1-bedroom suite for our group is $299 per night
including service fees, tax, and breakfast for 1 or
2 persons per room. You can reserve a king suite or
queen-queen suite.
Suites are Mountain View or City View. For a guaranteed
Mountain View room, there is a supplement of $50/night.
For a two-bedroom, two-bathroom loft suite (1500 sq.
ft) the cost is $350/night (king + 2 queens).
You may book pre-nights for the Lodge at Ventana Canyon
at the same rates for up to 3 days before and 3 days
after the conference IF THE ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE. Check
in time is 3 pm and check out time is Noon on January
23rd.
For the conference, your room reservations should be
from Wednesday, January 19 - Sunday, January 23, 2011
UNLESS you are taking the Baja California Great Whales
Post-trip which departs on January 22nd.
FOR LODGE AT VENTANA CANYON RESERVATIONS, EMAIL
or
phone (800) 252-4910. Then mail a check for the first
night’s payment as a deposit (credit card payments
are not accepted). Marisa will send you an invoice for
the balance or $897/room (+ pre or post-nights) which
will be due October 1, 2010.
MAIL DEPOSITS of $299/room + $50 for Mountain View (if
desired) to:
AACBNC ARIZONA 2011
Betchart Expeditions Inc. Trust Account
17050 Montebello Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
A one night deposit is required to guarantee the reservation.
It is non refundable unless your room can be resold.
The final payment of $299 x 3 nights = $897 per single
or couple sharing a room is due October 1, 2010. If
you miss this deadline, there will be a surcharge of
$50/night or $200. The final payment is non refundable
unless your room can be resold.
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4. WEATHER
& CLIMATE:
Tucson is blessed with balmy sunny days in January,
with temperatures in the 60s to low 70s and sunshine
350 days a year.
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5. RECOMMENDED GROUP FLIGHTS
& GROUP TRANSFERS:
For participants taking the Copper Canyon pre-trip:
Please fly into Phoenix from your nearest convenient
airport and connect with these flights to Los Mochis
and back from Chihuahua (Schedule must be updated in
Spring 2010 before you book or ticket).
-
January 14 Phoenix / Hermosillo AeroMexico #465 2:55
pm/4:10 pm
-
January 14 Hermosillo / Los Mochis AeroMexico #2277
5:15 pm/6:15 pm
-
January 19 Chihuahua / Hermosillo AeroMexico #2344
9:25 am/10:30 am
-
January 19 Hermosillo / Phoenix AeroMexico #464 12:35
pm/1:55 pm
-
A van transfer will be provided from the Phoenix airport
to the Lodge at Ventana Canyon to begin
the conference.
FOR CONFERENCE ATTENDEES, JANUARY 19 - 23, 2011
Please book your flights to arrive in Tucson on the
afternoon of January 19th (rooms will be available for
checkin at 3 pm) and depart by noon on the 23rd.
TRANSFERS
TUCSON AIRPORT TO LODGE AT VENTANA CANYON JANUARY 19th:
We will coordinate transfers from the Tucson Airport
to the Lodge at Ventana Canyon (transfer cost is $25
per person share basis or $50 per person if no share).
We must have a copy of your flight schedule AND know
if you’ll take the group transfers!
Please mail a copy of your flight schedule and confirm
you are taking the group transfer to: Marisa Eide, Betchart
Expeditions Inc., 17050 Montebello Road, Cupertino,
CA 95014. Phone (800) 252-4910; Fax (408) 252-1444 EMAIL
WE WILL ADVISE RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS to Tucson ten months
before the conference.
GROUP
OUT TRANSFERS:
Betchart will coordinate out transfers on January 23
to the Tucson Airport for $25 per person if 2 or more
(sole use of a transfer is $50). We will try to team
folks up so everyone can transfer at the lower rate.
You will be advised of the transfer schedule in your
final documents for the conference.
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6.
COPPER CANYON, MEXICO PRE-TRIP
JANUARY
14-19, 2011
** Highly recommended!
This 6-night pre-trip will introduce you to Mexico’s
greatest canyon --Copper Canyon -- home of the Tarahumara
Indians and one of the great train rides in North America.
Participants fly into Los Mochis, Mexico on the Sea
of Cortez for an overnight. You then board the train
to explore Copper Canyon, from sea level to over 8,000
feet! The striking volcanic scenery, bridges, tunnels,
and villages are seen from the “train in the sky”
and on walks. The Tarahumara live here much as their
ancestors did and are known the world over for their
endurance in foot races of over 200 miles across mountainous
terrain. We will have comfortable accommodations in
lodges along the canyon rim! $1,695 per person twin
share + air. A great adventure -- not to be missed!
For an itinerary in brief, please click
here. For reservations, contact Marisa@betchartexpeditions.com
7.
BAJA CALIFORNIA: GREAT WHALES
POST-CONFERENCE VOYAGE
JANUARY 22-29, 2011
** highly recommended
On this post-conference voyage, we will explore
the wonderful wilds of Baja California -- a desert paradise
and home to the California gray whales! You will fly
Tucson to Los Angeles, and then to La Paz in Baja California.
For three days, we will explore one of the great whale
habitats in the world -- Bahia Magdalena -- on board
the National Geographic Sea Bird and in zodiacs. Discover
mangrove forests by kayak, and watch magnificent frigate
birds, pelicans, terns, great blue herons, ibis, and
more, as you marvel at the activity of the California
gray whales. Continue to the Gorda Banks seamount to
look for humpback whales, as well as dolphins. Snorkel
at Isla Espiritu Santo, and explore the Southern Sea
of Cortez, one of the great wildlife and marine sanctuaries
in the Americas. From approx. $4,995 per person twin
share + air. Simply delightful and a great experience
we would like to share with you! For reservations, contact
Marisa@betchartexpeditions.com See itinerary in brief;
click here.
8.
Trip Cancellation Insurance:
Will
be offered which will allow you to get a full refund
of your payments and will cover pre-existing medical
conditions if you pay for your trip in full and the
insurance within 15 days of your confirmation letter.
Insurance coverage applies if you must cancel from the
trip due to unexpected illness, injury, or other "covered"
reasons.
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9.
Contacts:
For
Lodge at Ventana Reservations, Transfer Info, or General
Questions:
Marisa Eide
Phone
(800)252-4910
FAX (408)252-1444
For
Meeting Registration:
Karen Lucas
Phone (304)696-7390
FAX (304)696-7290
For
Meeting Program Details:
Bill
Rhoten
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