Special Session on

Probabilistic and Asymptotic Aspects of Group Theory

   Spring Central Sectional Meeting of the

Athens, OH, March 26-27, 2004

List of speakers
Miklos Abert University of Chicago
Goulnara Arzhantseva
 University of Geneva
Noel Brady
 University of Oklahoma
Cornelia Drutu
 Lille I
Kenneth Dykema
 Texas A&M University
Murray Elder
 Tufts University
Robert Gilman
 Stevens Institute of Technology
Erik Guentner
 University of Hawaii
Vadim Kaimanovich Rennes I
Ilya Kapovich
 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Anders Karlsson
 KTH Stockholm
Olga Kharlampovich
 McGill University
Jon McCammond
 University of California at Santa Barbara
Alexei Miasnikov
 City University of New York
Alexander Y. Ol'shanskii Vanderbilt University
Denis Osin
 Vanderbilt University
Mark Sapir
 Vanderbilt University
Paul Schupp
 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Said Sidki
 University of Brasilia
Zoran Sunik
 Texas A&M University
Tatiana Smirnova-Nagnibeda
 University of Geneva and KTH Stockholm
John S Wilson
 University of Oxford


Organizers
Rostislav I. Grigorchuk Texas A&M University
Mark Sapir
 Vanderbilt University
Zoran Sunik
 Texas A&M University


Talks in the Special Session are 20 minutes long with 10 minute breaks in between (parts of which are used for questions). All talks will be scheduled in the following four sessions

Friday, March 26, 8:30 - 11:30 am Saturday, March 27, 8:30 - 11:30 am
Friday, March 26, 3:00 - 6:00 pm  Saturday, March 27, 3:00 - 6:00 pm

There are other talks at the AMS Meeting Program. In particular, Rostislav Grigorchuk will present a plenary Invited Address.

The AMS imposed deadline for Abstract Submission is February 3, 2004. No talk can appear on the AMS Program if an abstract is not received by this date.


Travel and Lodging Notes:

The AMS web page provides information on travel and lodging arrangements.

Here are directions from Columbus Airport (CMH) to Athens, OH. The distance is about 80 miles (130 km). Directions from other places are also available.

The car rental rates provided by AVIS and Dollar on January 7, 2004, were as follows.

Type of Car Three days AVIS Three days Dollar
 Two days Avis
 Two days Dollar
Compact
 $77.97
 $53.97
 $51.98
 $39.98
Intermediate
$83.97
 $59.97
 $55.98
 $45.98
Full
 $101.97
 $62.97
 $67.98
 $49.98

The rates above do not include the appropriate taxes and/or surcharges and are valid only if the car is picked up at and returned to Columbus Airport. When you go to AVIS web page to make a reservation make sure to use the airport code CMH, choose the option check my corporate rate (rather than check lowest rate) and fill in the AWD code B159266 in the appropriate window. No special codes are needed for Dollar.

Of course, the Organizers cannot guarantee the above rates nor have any control over them, but the rates were valid on January 7, 2004, and will probably be valid for some time.

We compiled below links to some hotels in Athens, OH, along with some basic information such as approximate rates, distances and Yahoo Directions from the hotel to Morton Hall (the site of the AMS Meeting). If you make a reservation in any of the first two hotels, you will need to mention the AMS Meeting in order to get the rate.

Hotel
 Approximate price
per night per room
 Distance and
Yahoo Directions		 Need to
mention
The Ohio University Inn , 331 Richland Ave, Athens, OH
 $109.95
  0.9 miles (1.5 km)
 AMS Meeting
Amerihost Inn and Suites , 20 Home St, Athens, OH
 $89.99
  1.7 miles (2.7 km)
 AMS Meeting
Days Inn , 330 Columbus Road, Athens, OH
 $41.25 - $90.00
  3 miles (4.8 km)
Super 8 , 2091 E. State Street $49.88 - $65.00
  5.9 miles (9.44 km)

The rates are not much higher (if at all) when two people share a room. The other hotels listed at the Extensive Lodging List are more than 10 miles (16 km) away from the site of the meeting. Some of them are quite nice and are not more expensive than the above.

The Organizers cannot guarantee the above rates nor have any control over them, but the rates were valid on January 7, 2004, and will probably be valid for some time. Please make your arrangements as soon as possilbe in order to obtain these rates.

Also, the Organizers cannot guarantee the accuracy of the Yahoo Directions, but they are usually good enough. In any case the Yahoo Directions should get you close enough to Morton Hall and then the campus map near Morton Hall (building #78 on the map) could prove to be useful. Good news is that the parking in front of Morton Hall is free and has no restrictions. A campus map is also available.



AMS links AMS , Meeting Program , Deadlines ,
Location Ohio University, Athens OH, USA, Campus Map , Math Department , Morton Hall , Campus Map near Morton Hall (#78 on the map)
Lodging Info provided by AMS , Extensive List
Travel Info provided by AMS , Directions from Columbus Airport (CMH), Other Directions , AVIS , Dollar