Expo and Awards Ceremony Announcement

All teams that have submitted a final report are invited to attend the Expo Monday, April 26th and Awards Ceremony Tuesday, April 27th at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A schedule and a checklist to help you prepare for the event are below.

Activities Include:

  • Tours of supercomputer center
  • Demonstrations of the latest in hardware and software technology
  • Demonstrations of scientific computing projects — simulations and graphics
  • Talking with scientists
  • Meeting other students and teachers
  • Display Board presentations of AiS Challenge projects (the Expo)
  • Awards Ceremony

Registration Procedures

The deadline for registering online is April 7th.

Each person who attends the Expo and Awards Ceremony activities must be pre-registered so paperwork required by the Department of Energy can be completed. We also need an accurate count of those attending so that we can organize the program, the housing, and order the food.

Teachers are responsible for supervision of the students.

The Expo will take place in room 203 of the Los Alamos Research Park building, across from the Los Alamos National Laboratory's TA-3 site (see the detailed map).

On Monday, April 26th, each team will be assigned a half-hour time slot between 8:30 and 11:30 to present their project to a set of judges. In addition to the poster display, a (laptop) computer can be used during the presentation. Some morning tours will take place for teams that have finished their presentations. Afternoon tours will visit several different Laboratory sites to learn about the ongoing research at Los Alamos. The Awards Ceremony is on Tuesday, April 27th from 9:00 to 11:00 in the Physics Division Auditorium (see the detailed map) and will be followed by a lunch reception from 11:00 to 1:00.

Parking is available in the Research Park area. Download a parking permit (PDF File) to print and display in your vehicle.

Tour Information

Everyone must bring a picture ID because you will have to present it to take the tours. A driver's license is adequate. If you do not have a driver's license, you can have a picture ID made at the Department of Motor Vehicles. If we have your picture from Glorieta, that will do, but bring a picture ID just in case.

There can be NO last-minute substitutions; only those students and teachers whose names have been sent in may attend the Laboratory tours that go inside the security area.

Only US citizens will be allowed on the tours inside the security area, but foreign nationals may participate in the parts of the tours that are outside of the security area.

Teams wanting to go on the tours together MUST go through the registration line together. Tours will take place from 10:00 to 5:00 on Monday, April 26th.

The following articles are PROHIBITED inside the security area:

  • Firearms, other dangerous or deadly weapons, explosives, incendiary & explosive devices. (This include pocket knives with blades longer that 2.5 inches.) So leave your big knives, leather-mans, and such at home or in the car/bus.
  • Privately owned recording equipment (audio, video, optical, or data). So leave your cameras in the car/bus.
  • Privately owned electronic equipment with a data exchange part capable of being connected to automated information systems equipment.
  • Privately owned cellular telephones. So leave your cell phones in the car/bus.
  • Privately owned radio frequency transmitting equipment.
  • Privately owned computers and associated media.
  • Controlled substances including illegal drugs and associated paraphernalia (less prescription medicine).
  • Other items prohibited by law.

Safety is very important at Los Alamos National Laboratory. If you see something that you feel is unsafe while at the Laboratory, report it to the group escorts or to the AiS Challenge coordinators.

Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony will be held 9:00 to 11:00 on Tuesday, April 27th at the Physics Division auditorium. A lunch reception will be provided from 11:30 to 1:00 in the side rooms of the Otowi Cafeteria.

In addition to the winning team and individual scholarship awards, all teams who submit a team project will receive a certificate and a memento of the 14th Annual AiS Challenge.

Finalists will receive special certificates and awards. Other awards will be given, including prizes and special recognition for winners in the Poster Competitions as well as door prizes for students and teachers.

Projects Due

Remember! Noon on April 7th is the deadline for submitting the final team project reports (electronic-copy via email to finalreport@challenge.nm.org) and registering to attend the Expo and Awards Ceremony, and the individual scholarship applications are due April 14th.

Project Advisor

Please invite your Project Advisor to attend the activities with your team. If your Project Advisor plans to attend, please be sure to let us know by including his/her name on the registration form. Also, be sure to tell your Project Advisor that a photo ID is required for the tours.

Remember To Bring Your Display Board and (optional) Graphical Poster

What to Wear

You will be doing a lot of walking during the day, so wear comfortable shoes. Bring a jacket or sweater because Los Alamos weather can unexpectedly turn cold and rainy or snowy. Please dress nicely. Bring your swimming suit if you would like to go swimming in the evening at the Larry R. Walkup Aquatic Center in Los Alamos.

Lodging

Lodging will be available in Los Alamos Sunday and Monday evenings for Expo registrants from more than 100 miles from Los Alamos and on Monday evening for all Expo registrants.

The AiS Challenge will pay for room (one or two nights at hotel and breakfast included); any other lodging charges will be your responsibility. Note that you will possibly share a room with people from other teams (students will be placed four to a room and teachers two to a room). Students and teachers from more than 100 miles from Los Alamos will be housed at the Los Alamos Inn, 662-7211 on Sunday and Monday nights and students and teachers from less than 100 miles from Los Alamos will be housed at the Hilltop House/Best Western Hotel, 662-2441 on Monday night.