Travel and lodging

Location:

All conference events will occur on the East Bank Campus of the University of Minnesota. The conference venue for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is the University Recreation and Wellness Center, 123 SE Harvard St, Minneapolis, MN 55455. 

Schedule:

A Welcome Reception will be held at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (2021 6th St SE) from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, October 2, 2025. Light breakfasts will be offered in the Beacon Room at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, followed by scientific programming from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, 2025. Afternoon refreshments will be offered on Friday and Saturday; lunch will be on your own.

Banquet / Dinner:

A conference dinner will be hosted at the Huntington Bank Stadium from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. on Friday, October 3, 2025. Additional dinner tickets for guests can be purchased as an add-on with conference registration.

Accomodation:

We encourage participants to take advantage of the discounted block of rooms reserved for us at the Graduate Hotel, right across the street from both the conference venue and the Huntington Bank Stadium, less than 1 block away from the East Bank Light Rail station. Booking Link: Optica Room Block (cutoff date: 9/11/2025; guests can also call the hotel at (612) 379-8888, press 2 for reservations, and request the Optica room block, Group Code 90Z).

Transport to the Twin Cities

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul offer a refreshing mixture of green space and urban energy. In early October, you can expect mild weather, the beginning of fall color on the trees, and great opportunities for patio dining. 

The cities are served by MSP International Airport, which is 10 miles south of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus (30 minutes by car, or 45 minutes by light rail, with a transfer in downtown Minneapolis).