AMS Fall Central Section Meeting

Note: A reception will follow the Erdős Lecture on Saturday evening, 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in IES. All are welcome to attend.

Participants should make their own arrangements directly with the hotel of their choice. Special discounted rates were negotiated with the hotels listed below. Rates quoted do not include a room tax of 16.4% . Participants should mention 'AMS Meeting on the Loyola campus' to receive the discounted rates. The AMS is not responsible for rate changes or for the quality of the accommodations. Hotels have varying cancellation and early checkout penalties; be sure to ask for details!

• Best Western University Plaza, 1501 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201; 1-847-491-6400 (phone) or 1-847-328-3090 (fax); US$149.95/single or double; features coffee/tea in the lobby, fitness facilities, and seasonal outdoor pool, free WiFi in all rooms, and complimentary breakfast; parking is US$14/day; about four miles from campus. Deadline for reservations is September 2, 2015.
  

• Hilton Garden Inn, Chicago North Shore/Evanston, 1818 Maple Ave., Evanston, IL 60201; 1-847-475-6400; US$189/one king bed or two double beds; rooms have microwave; 24-hour business center, complimentary Internet access throughout the hotel; fitness center with pool; on-site restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner with bar service; in-room dining is available. Guests may make reservations toll free at: 1-877-STAY HGI. Or direct with the hotel at: 847-475-6400: Ask for “In-house reservations” Monday-Friday. Or online at: www.evanston.hgi.com – Enter the Group Meeting or Conference code "AMS" when prompted. Parking is US$13/day; about five miles from campus. Deadline for reservations is September 2, 2015.

• Hotel Indigo, 1244 Dearborn Parkway, Chicago, IL 60610; 1-312-787-4980 or 1-312-266-0978 (fax); US$170/single or double; standard internet is free for all guests and can be upgraded in your room for a fee; valet parking is US$47/day; located in the Gold Coast neighborhood with many restaurants nearby; located steps away from both bus and train CTA options; about seven miles from campus. When booking online, go here to utilize our reservation block: http://bit.ly/1UoN9CB. Deadline for reservations is September 1, 2015.

• Hilton Orrington/Evanston, 1710 Orrington Ave., Evanston, IL 60201, 1-847-866-8700 or 1-866 539-8117 (toll free) or email ordoe-reservations@hilton.com; US$169/single or double; US$179/triple; US$189/quad; rooms have a coffee maker, 24-hour room service; free WiFi in public areas; restaurant with bar on premises; business center; valet parking; about 4.5 miles from campus. When calling, please identify yourself as an attendee of the American Mathematical Society. Reservations can be made online at www.orringtonevanston.hilton.com by entering the code (AMATH) in the box marked "Group/ Convention Code. Deadline for reservations is September 2, 2015.

While the AMS has no agreements with the following properties, some participants may find them convenient:

• Super 8, 7300 North Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60626, 1-866-539-8117 (information) 1-800-454-3213 or 1-866-539-8117 (reservations); rates vary (US$100-147 at the time this announcement was published); rooms include coffee maker, microwave, refrigerator, free WiFi in public areas (included in some sleeping rooms); about 1.5 miles from campus.

• DoubleTree by Hilton, 9599 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, IL 60077; 1-847-679-7000 or 1-847-679-0810 (fax); rates vary and were US$152/single or double at the time this announcement was published; restaurant on premises (including room service); business center services including free printing; fitness center; indoor and outdoor pools; Internet available; parking is complimentary; about 8 miles from campus.

• Hotel Cass, 640 N. Wabash, Chicago, IL 60611, 1-312-447-2960; Room rates were approximately US$200 at the time of this printing; high speed Internet is available throughout the building; tea and coffee are complimentary in the lobby; complimentary hot breakfast; fitness center; complimentary use of the business center; about 7.5 miles from campus.

On Campus:

• The Damen Dining Hall will be open (all you can eat options) at the Damen Student Center, and coffee and snacks will be available at Center Stage in the Mundelein Center. For more information and a complete list of on campus dining options, visit Loyola Dining Services.

Off Campus: There are many restaurants and fast food options within walking distance of campus.

• Leona's: 6935 North Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-764-5757; www.leonas.com. Leona's offers affordable italian dining along with takeout and delivery options. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri & Sat 11am-midnight, Sun noon-11pm.
• Giordano's: 6836 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-262-1313; www.giordanos.com. Giordano's is known for their famous Chicago deep dish pizza. Open daily from 10:30am to midnight.
• Twisted Tapas: 1146 W Pratt Blvd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-856-3486; www.twistedtapas.us. This restaurant offers traditional and international fusion tapas as well as a full bar. Open Tue-Thu 5pm-10pm, Fri & Sat 5pm-11pm and Sun 5pm-9pm.
• SP Kebob: 6808 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-856-3755; www.spkebab.com. SP Kebabs serves kebabs straight-up or in wraps, sandwiches & cups, plus Cajun fries. Open daily 12pm-10pm.
• Royal Coffee: 6764 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-761-8100; www.royalcoffeechicago.com. Royal Coffee is a coffee shop up Sheridan Rd that also offers a selection of Ethiopian food. Open Sun-Thurs. 6am-9pm, and Fri & Sat 6am-10pm.
• bopNgrill: 6604 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-654-3224; www.bngrill.com. BopNgrill offers a selection of Korean food and fantastic burgers. It was even features of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Open Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat & Sun 12pm-10pm.
• Pita Pit: 6558 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-754-7080; pitapitusa.com/. Pita Pit specializes in customizable pita bread sandwiches, soups and salads. Offers takeout and delivery. Open Sun-Wed 11am-12am, Thu-Sat 11am-4am.
• Five Guys: 6477 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL, 60626, 773-262-9810; www.fiveguys.com. Fast-food chain with made-to-order burgers, fries & hot dogs, plus free peanuts while you wait. Open daily from 11am-10pm.
• Potbelly Sandwich Shop: 6464 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-596-5335; www.potbelly.com. Retro-style counter-serve chain known for made-to-order toasted sandwiches, salads & baked goods. Offers delivery. Open daily 11am-10pm.
• Felice's: 6441 North Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-508-7990; www.feliceskitchen.com. The only student-run pizzeria in the country. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri & Sat 11am-2:30am, Sun 11am-8pm.
• Pete's Pizza: 1100 West Granville Avenue, Chicago, IL 60660, 773-262-4040; www.petespizza.com. In addition to pizza and sandwiches, Pete's offers gelato, desserts, and a coffee bar. Open to dine in Mon-Thurs 9am-9pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm, and Sun Noon to 9pm. Additional hours for carryout and delivery.
• Dak: 1104 West Granville Avenue, Chicago, IL 60660, 773-754-0255; www.dakwings.com. Dak offers Korean chicken wings, rice bowls, and more at an affordable price. Open daily 11:30am-9pm.
• Nori: 1235 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60660, 773-262-5216; www.norichicago.com. Nori is a tasty sushi and noodles restaurant. Open Sun-Thurs. 11am-10pm, Fri & Sat 11am-10:30pm.
• Uncommon Ground: 1401 West Devon Avenue, Chicago, IL 60660, 773-465-9801; www.uncommonground.com. Uncommon Ground offers new american food with organic ingredients and live music daily. Their menu changes weekly and with the seasons. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri 11am-midnight, Sat 9am-midnight, Sun 9am-10pm
• Bar 63: 6341 North Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660, 773-942-6269. A sports bar with classic pub food. Open Mon-Thurs 4pm-2am, Fri & Sun 11am-2am, Sat 11am-3am.

Advance Registration

Save time and register NOW online! You may now register for this meeting through Monday, September 28, 2015. After that date, you may register at the meeting (see below).  Fees are US$57 for AMS members, US$80 for nonmembers, and US$5 for students, unemployed mathematicians, and emeritus members.

100% refunds will be issued for any advance registrations cancelled by Saturday, October 3, 2015.  After that date, no refunds will be issued.

To register online, go to https://www.ams.org/meetreg?meetnum=2219. You will be required to create a web account. This will be a quick setup process, requiring only a username (email address), password, name, and address. Once you create an account, you will be able to continue on to register for the meeting. The same username and password may be used to register for all future sectional meetings. If you have already set up a web account with the American Mathematical Society, you should use your current username and password. You DO NOT have to set up a new account.

Your badge and program will be ready for pickup when you arrive at the meeting; simply go to the registration desk (see below) at hours indicated. It is helpful if you bring a copy of your receipt.

We hope you find this new system easy to use. Once your information is in our system you will not have to enter your contact information for any future sectional meetings, unless it has changed; thus making your registration faster and easier. For any questions or concerns about this process, please contact the Mathematics Meetings Service Bureau at mmsb@ams.org or toll free at 800-321-4267 x 4144 or x 4137.

Onsite Information and Registration
The Registration Desk and the AMS Book Exhibit will be located in the Cuneo Hall, 6430 N. Kenmore Ave. Invited Addresses will be held in the Quinlan Life Sciences Building, 1050 W. Sheridan Rd. Friday session will be held in the Institute for Environmental Sustainability (6349 N. Kenmore Ave), Saturday and Sunday sessions will be held Mundelein Hall and Cuneo Hall (access from Campus Drive). The registration desk will be open on Saturday, October 3, 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 4, 8:00 a.m.–noon. Fees on-site will be US$57 for AMS Members, US$80 for nonmembers; and US$5 for students, unemployed mathematicians, and emeritus members. Fees are payable on-site via cash, check, or credit card.

The Fall 2015 Central Meeting will feature a poster session.

Please submit poster proposals at http://goo.gl/forms/bzHHOcEhWI

Space is limited, and priority will be given to graduate students and early career researchers who are not otherwise presenting at the conference. However, anyone is welcome to submit. The deadline is September 4, 2015, and we will send out decisions by Sept 8.

Questions should be directed to Dr. Peter Tingley (ptingley@luc.edu)

It is the goal of the AMS to ensure that its conferences are accessible to all, regardless of disability. AMS shall strive, unless it is not practicable, to choose venues that are fully accessible to the physically handicapped.

If special needs accommodations are necessary in order for you to participate in an AMS Sectional Meeting, please communicate your needs in advance to the AMS Meetings Department by:

• Registering early for the meeting
• Checking the appropriate box on the registration form
• Sending an email request to the AMS Meetings Department at mmsb@ams.org or meet@ams.org

• Book Sales: Stop by the on-site AMS bookstore and review the newest titles from the AMS, enjoy up to 25% off all AMS publications, or take home an AMS t-shirt!

• Complimentary coffee will be served courtesy of AMS Membership Services.

• AMS Editorial Activity: An acquisitions editor from the AMS book program will be present to speak with prospective authors. If you have a book project that you would like to discuss with the AMS, please stop by the book exhibit.

• Erdős Lecture: The 2015 Erdős Memorial Lecture will be held at the Loyola meeting. The lecturer will be Peter Sarnak, Institute for Advanced Study and Princeton University. The title of his talk will be Markoff Surfaces, Numbers and Strong Approximation (abstract).

This meeting will take place on Loyola's Lake Shore Campus. Below are some useful links:

• Campus Map
• Department of Mathematics and Statistics Homepage
• University Website

Visitors can park in Loyola's Main Parking Structure located off Sheridan Road or the Fordam Garage. The garages can be found on the Lake Shore Campus Map. Both cost $7 and can be paid for with cash, credit, or purchasing a parking pass. For more information about parking, visit campus transportation.

• Driving: For full details on driving directions to our Lakeshore Campus, click here.
• By Air: The closest airport to the university is O'Hare International Airport, 10000 Bessie Coleman Dr., Chicago, IL 60666; www.flychicago.com. The distance from O'Hare International Airport to the campus at the Loyola University Chicago is approximately 11 miles.
• Taxis: Taxi service is available from the airport for approximately US$40 to US$50 to the listed hotels and the university. Taxis are readily available at the airport. For your protection, do not accept rides from drivers outside the cab stand or in the departure area of the terminal roadways. All taxis should have a working meter to calculate the fare based on time and mileage.
• Trips to suburbs and not from the airport: The rate of fare is straight meter to the city limits PLUS one-half the straight metered fare from the city limit to the suburban destination.
• Driving Directions: Please visit your favorite travel website to determine the best routes (e.g. Google Maps; MapQuest.com, etc).
• Public Transportation: See www.transitchicago.com for bus and CTA schedules to chart courses to your meeting and hotel destinations. The Lake Shore Campus (LSC) is conveniently located off the CTA Red Line, the Loyola “L” station at 1032 W. Sheridan Rd. The CTA bus 147 also drops off directly in front of the LSC.
• Shuttle: We have commissioned shuttle service between Evanston hotels and campus. Scheduled departure times are indicated below. Times may vary slightly. Please plan accordingly as service cannot be guaranteed.
  • Evanston Hotels to Loyola Campus

    Hilton Garden Inn, 1818 Maple Ave, Evanston, IL 60201 Oct 3, 4 Departures: 7:00 am, 7:20 am, 8:00 am, 8:20 am

    Hilton Orrington, 1710 Orrington Ave, Evanston, IL 60201 Oct 3, 4 Departures: 7:10 am, 7:30 am, 8:10 am, 8:30 am

    Best Western University Plaza, 1501 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL 60201 Oct 3, 4 Departures: 7:20 am, 7:40 am, 8:20 am, 8:40 am

    Loyola University Lake Shore Campus (Circular Drive) Oct 3, 4 Arrivals: 7:35 am, 7:55 am, 8:35 am, 8:55 am

  • Loyola Campus to Evanston Hotels

    Loyola University Lake Shore Campus (Circular Drive) Oct 3 Departures: 6:30 pm, 7:45 pm (Dropping off at all three hotels listed above)

Visa regulations are continually changing for travel to the United States. Visa applications may take from three to four months to process and require a personal interview, as well as specific personal information. International participants should view the important information about traveling to the U.S. found at https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/all-visa-categories.html.

If you need an official conference invitation in order to secure a visa, please send your request to aba@ams.org.

If you discover you do need a visa, the National Academies website (see above) provides these tips for successful visa applications:

•  Visa applicants are expected to provide evidence that they are intending to return to their country of residence. Therefore, applicants should provide proof of “binding” or sufficient ties to their home country or permanent residence abroad. This may include documentation of the following:
  • family ties in home country or country of legal permanent residence
  • property ownership
  • bank accounts
  • employment contract or statement from employer stating that the position will continue when the employee returns;

• Visa applications are more likely to be successful if done in a visitor's home country than in a third country;

• Applicants should present their entire trip itinerary, including travel to any countries other than the United States, at the time of their visa application;

• Include a letter of invitation from the meeting organizer or the U.S. host, specifying the subject, location and dates of the activity, and how travel and local expenses will be covered;

• If travel plans will depend on early approval of the visa application, specify this at the time of the application;

• Provide proof of professional scientific and/or educational status (students should provide a university transcript).