Online registration has now closed
To register, please come to the on-site registration desk during the hours below:
Sunday, July 21: 4 - 6 p.m., Amherst Room Foyer (Campus Center 10th Floor)
Monday, July 22: 8 - 10 a.m., Outside Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
After 10 a.m. on Monday, attendees may register in the Conference Registration Office,
located on the 8th floor of the Campus Center (open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday)
Parking: Attendees commuting and/or staying off-campus should park in the Campus Center Parking Garage, located at 1 Campus Center Way in Amherst, MA 01003. Parking coupons for the garage will be provided upon your arrival at the registration desk. These parking coupons will offer you a discounted rate of $6.50/day, valid for one exit.
AMS 2019 conference will be held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from July 21-25, 2019.
The Advancing Mass Spectrometry conference will bring together a wide array of experts that aim to both develop and apply new mass spectrometry (MS) methods in structural biology and biophysics, broadly defined.
Further details regarding the conference are available on the tabs above and the conference website.
Registration
Registration includes: conference programming; poster sessions; Sunday welcome reception; breaks and lunches on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; the Wednesday Conference Dinner. Click the Register Now button above to complete a registration. You will first be prompted to login to our registration system either by using an existing account or by creating a new account. Once you login you will be brought through the registration form, where you will select one of the registration options below. Payment is accepted online by credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover), or you can select to mail payment by check. For additional registration/payment related assistance, please contact the UMass Conference Services Registration Office (413-577-8102, registration@umass.edu).
REGISTRATION TYPE | BY JULY 5 | AFTER JULY 5 |
Student Registration | $225.00 | $265.00 |
Non-Student Registration | $425.00 | $465.00 |
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received in writing by the close of business (5PM ET) on July 12, 2019, will receive a refund less a $60.00 cancellation fee. No refunds will be granted for cancellations received after this date. To cancel send a written confirmation of cancellation to the UMass Conference Registration Office by fax (413-577-8130) or email (registration@umass.edu).
Poster Abstract Submissions
The Advancing Mass Spectrometry conference is accepting poster abstracts for consideration. To submit a poster abstract, please review the guidelines below, prepare an abstract accordingly, and then upload a PDF of your abstract during registration. Note: you may return to add a poster abstract to your registration at a later date (simply complete your registration now and, when your abstract is complete, log back into your account and click the "Edit Registration" button to add your abstract). A select number of poster presentations will be promoted to short oral presentations, but only upon consent of the presenting author. The deadline to submit an abstract is July 5, 2019.
- Author names and affiliations (i.e. institution or company)
- Title – Limit 20 words
- Introduction – Limit 120 words
- Methods – Limit 120 words
- Preliminary data – Limit 300 words
The maximum poster dimensions are 58 inches (147 cm) wide by 46 inches (117 cm) high.
Preliminary Schedule
SUNDAY, JULY 21
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.: Optional Native MS Workshop, Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor). Space is Limited. Click here for additional information.
4 - 6 p.m.: Registration,
Amherst Room Foyer (Campus Center 10th Floor)
5 - 6 p.m.: Welcome Reception,
Amherst Room (Campus Center 10th Floor)
6 - 7:30 p.m.: Plenary Session, Amherst Room (Campus Center 10th Floor)
6 - 6:15 p.m.: Welcome - Richard Vachet
6:15 - 7 p.m.: Michael Bowers - Assembly and Cross Talk in Amyloid Systems: ALS, Alzheimer's and T2D
7 - 7:20 p.m.: Hot Topic
MONDAY, JULY 22
8 - 10 a.m.: Registration, Campus Center 1st Floor Concourse
9 - 10:30 a.m.: Session 1 - Gas-phase biomolecules,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
9 - 9:25 a.m.: Scott McLuckey - Ion Attachment to Enable Mass Measurement of High Mass Heterogeneous Complexes
9:30 - 9:55 a.m.: Rachel Loo - Ion Pairs and Entropy in Dissociating Complexes
10 - 10:25 a.m.: Mike Guttman - Improving the reproducibility of solution-phase and gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange with internal exchange reporters
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.: Coffee Break, Campus Center 1st Floor Concourse
10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Session 2 - Glycans,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
10:45 - 11:10 p.m.: Kevin Pagel - Sugars in the Gas Phase: From Structure to Reaction Mechanisms
11:15. - 11:40 a.m.: Cathy Costello
11:45 - 11:55 a.m.: Hot Topic
12:15 - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch,
Amherst Room (Campus Center 10th Floor)
1:45 - 3:15 p.m.: Session 3 - Proteomics,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
1:45 - 2:10 p.m.: Natalie Ahn
2:15 - 2:40 p.m.: Erin Baker - A Multi-Omic Investigation into the Molecular Signatures of Preeclampsia and Gestation Diabetes Mellitus
2:45 - 3:10 p.m.: Eranthie Weerapana - Chemical-proteomic strategies to investigate reactive cysteines
3:15 - 7 p.m.: Afternoon Free
7 - 8:30 p.m.: Session 4 - Proteins,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
7 - 7:25 p.m.: Josh Sharp
7:30 - 7:50 p.m.: Hot Topic
7:55 - 8:30 p.m.: Poster previews
8:30 - 10:00 p.m.: Poster Session 1,
Campus Center 1st Floor Concourse
TUESDAY, JULY 23
9 - 10:30 a.m.: Session 5 - Gas-phase biomolecules,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
9 - 9:25 a.m.: Philipe Dugourd, Electronic and structural dynamics of biomolecules
9:30 - 9:55 a.m.: Etienne Garand - Structure and microsolvation of protonated amino acids and peptides
10 - 10:20 a.m.: Hot Topic
10:25 - 10:40 a.m.: Coffee Break, Campus Center 1st Floor Concourse
10:40 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Session 6 - Glycans,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
10:40 - 11:05 a.m.: Tom Rizzo - Combining ultrahigh-resolution IMS with cryogenic ion spectroscopy for the analysis of glycans
11:10 - 11:35 a.m.: Isabelle Compagnon - Spectroscopy-augmented mass spectrometry: towards a post isomeric barrier glycomics
11:40 - 12:00 p.m.: Hot Topic
12:15 - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch,
Amherst Room (Campus Center 10th Floor)
1:45 - 3:15 p.m.: Session 7 - Nucleic Acids,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
1:45 - 2:10 p.m.: Renato Zenobi - Noncovalent Interactions Studied by Temperature-Programmed Native ESI-MS
2:15 - 2:40 p.m.: Dan Fabris - Top-down approaches for the investigation of nucleic acids structure and dynamics
2:45 - 3:10 p.m.: Kathrin Brueker - Studying RNA interactions by mass spectrometry
3:15 - 7 p.m.: Afternoon Free
7 - 8:30 p.m.: Session 8 - Hot Topics,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
7 - 7:20 p.m.: Hot Topic
7:25 - 7:45 p.m.: Hot Topic
7:50 - 8:30 p.m.: Session 4,
Room 163C
8:30 - 10 p.m.: Poster Session 2,
Campus Center 1st Floor Concourse
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
9 - 10:30 a.m.: Session 9 - Lipids, membranes, proteins,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
9 - 9:25 a.m.: Michael Marty - Stabilizing nanodiscs for native MS of membrane proteins and peptides in intact membranes
9:30 - 9:55 a.m.: Jim Prell - Gabor Transform Native IM-MS: From Membrane Toxins to ESI from Non-Volatile Salt Buffers
10 - 10:25 a.m.: Arthur Laganowsky - Native mass spectrometry of mammalian potassium channels
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.: Coffee Break, Campus Center 1st Floor Concourse
10:45 a.m.- 12 p.m.: Session 10 - Glycans,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
10:45 - 11:10 a.m.: Igor Kaltashov - New mass spectrometry-based approaches to characterization of highly heterogeneous macromolecules: focus on heparin
11:15 - 11:35 a.m.: Hot topic
11:40 - 12:00 p.m.: Hot topic
12:15 - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch,
Amherst Room (Campus Center 10th Floor)
1:45 - 3:15 p.m.: Session 11 - New advances in instrumentation,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
1:45 - 2:10 p.m.: Ruwan Kurulugama
2:15 - 2:40 p.m.: Roy Martin
2:45 - 3:15 p.m.: Hot topic
3:15 - 6 p.m.: Afternoon Free
6 - 10 p.m.: Conference Dinner,
Marriott Center (Campus Center 11th Floor)
THURSDAY, JULY 25
9 - 10:30 a.m.: Session 12 - Proteins,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
7 - 8:30 p.m.: Michal Sharon - Rapid Analysis of Recombinant Proteins
7 - 8:30 p.m.: Tara Pukala - Using structural mass spectrometry approaches to walk the pathways of protein misfolding
7 - 8:30 p.m.: John Engen - Multiprotein systems in protein folding and unfolding
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.: Coffee Break, Campus Center 1st Floor Concourse
10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Plenary Session,
Room 163C (Campus Center 1st Floor)
10:45 - 11:05 a.m.: Hot topic
11:10 - 11:55 a.m.: Lila Gierasch - A multi method approach to explore the allosteric methanism of Hsp70 molecular chaperones
Conference Location
The conference will be held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Conference programming will be held in the Campus Center. On-campus lodging is available at Hotel UMass (located in the Campus Center) and the North Residential Apartments. Parking is available in the Campus Center Parking Garage. Click here to take a look at a campus map.
The Campus Center, including Hotel UMas and the Campus Center Parking Garage, are located at 1 Campus Center Way, Amherst MA 01003. Click here to obtain turn-by-turn directions to the Campus Center Parking Garage. The North Residence Halls are all located on Eastman Lane, Amherst MA 01003. Click here to obtain turn-by-turn direction to North (please note this link will provide directions to North D, but as all 4 North buildings are located next to each other these directions can be used regardless of your final building assignment).
Traveling by Air
If you are traveling to Amherst by plane, the closest airport is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut (near Hartford). This airport is approximately 45 miles from the UMass campus. Another option is Logan International Airport in Boston, located approximately 90 miles from the UMass campus. While more flight options are typically available into Logan, please remember to account for extra travel time to campus. Please also be sure to organize transportation to/from the airport to campus in advance of your arrival.
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
- Valley Transporter, 800-872-8752
- Seemo Shuttle, 800-908-2829
- Exclusive Car Service, 877-695-4665
- Bluebird Transportation, 413-221-4512
- Enterprise
Driving to Campus
FROM THE SOUTH, VIA I-91 NORTH
Take Exit 19 in Northampton. From the exit ramp, stay to the right to merge onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North. Turn left onto 116 and go one mile to the UMass Exit. Stay to the right as you exit to merge onto Massachusetts Avenue. Take a left at the second set of lights onto Commonwealth Avenue.
For commuters and Hotel UMass guests: continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights. Turn right onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left to go up the hill - you will see the garage entrance up the hill on your right.
For North Apartment guests: Commonwealth Avenue will become Governors Drive. Stay on Governors Drive until you reach the rotary. Take the second exit onto Eastman Lane. Take your second left (immediately after Totman) onto the one-way street. You will see the first two North Apartment buildings on the right. Based on the housing assignment email you will receive in July, pull into the small half circle in front of your building and check-in.
FROM THE NORTH, VIA I-91 SOUTH
Take Exit 25 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp turn left onto Routes U.S. 5/10/116. Follow until the lights and then turn right to stay on 5/10/116. Go one mile and turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow Route 116 South for eight miles to the UMass exit. Turn left at the stop sign. Take a left at the second set of lights onto Commonwealth Avenue.
For commuters and Hotel UMass guests: continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights. Turn right onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left to go up the hill - you will see the garage entrance up the hill on your right.
For North Apartment guests: Commonwealth Avenue will become Governors Drive. Stay on Governors Drive until you reach the traffic circle. Take the second exit onto Eastman Lane. Take your second left (immediately after Totman) onto the one-way street. You will see the first two North Apartment buildings on the right. Based on the housing assignment email you will receive in July, pull into the small half circle in front of your building and check-in.
FROM THE NORTH, VIA I-93 SOUTH
Follow I-93 to I-495 South. Follow to Route 2 West. Continue on Route 2 to U.S. 202 South. Follow for about 15 miles to the blinking light at the Pelham exit marked “Route 9 and 116 Amherst.” Turn right and follow for seven miles to Amherst center. Turn right onto North Pleasant Street. Stay on North Pleasant Street (you will need to turn left twice to remain on North Pleasant Street, - follow signs to the UMass Campus).
For commuters and Hotel UMass guests: as you enter campus you will come to a set of lights. Stay to the left to turn onto Massachusetts Avenue. Follow Massachusetts Avenue through campus until you come to a set of lights. At the lights take a right onto Commonwealth Avenue. Continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights. Turn right onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and go up the hill - you will see the garage entrance up the hill on your right.
For North Apartment guests: as you enter campus you will come to a set of lights. Stay in the right line and take a right to stay on North Pleasant Street. Follow North Pleasant to the traffic circle. Take the first exit onto Eastman Lane. Take your second left (immediately after Totman) onto the one-way street. You will see the first two North Apartment buildings on the right. Based on the housing assignment email you will receive in July, pull into the small half circle in front of your building and check-in.
FROM THE EAST OR WEST, VIA I-90
Travelers have a choice of four routes:
- Off Exit 8 (Palmer/Ware): Follow Route 32 South to Palmer; take Route 20 West to Route 181 North into Belchertown, and then Route 9 West to Amherst. Follow signs to UMass.
- Off Exit 7 (Ludlow): Follow Route 21 North to U.S. 202 North to Route 9 West to Amherst center. Follow signs to UMass.
- Off Exit 5 (Chicopee): Follow Route 33 North to Route 116 North to Amherst center. Turn left at the light onto Route 9 West. Follow signs to UMass.
- Off Exit 4 (West Springfield): I-91 North to Exit 19 to Route 9 East to Amherst. Follow signs to UMass.
Traveling by Bus
The Amherst area is serviced by Greyhound, Peter Pan Bus Lines and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority. Based on the service you select and route availabilities you should take a bus to Amherst UMass if at all possible instead of Amherst Center (Amherst Center is about 1.5 miles from the UMass Campus). Please be sure to review bus schedules and campus maps before your arrival as both the area and the campus can be confusing to navigate.
Conference Location
The conference will be held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Conference programming will be held in the Campus Center. On-campus lodging is available at Hotel UMass (located in the Campus Center) and the North Residential Apartments. Parking is available in the Campus Center Parking Garage. Click here to take a look at a campus map.
The Campus Center, including Hotel UMass and the Campus Center Parking Garage, are located at 1 Campus Center Way, Amherst MA 01003. Click here to obtain turn-by-turn directions to the Campus Center Parking Garage. The North Residence Halls are all located on Eastman Lane, Amherst MA 01003. Click here to obtain turn-by-turn direction to North (please note this link will provide directions to North D, but as all 4 North buildings are located next to each other these directions can be used regardless of your final building assignment).
Parking
HOTEL UMASS GUESTS
Guests staying at Hotel UMass will receive a complimentary parking pass to the Campus Center Parking Garage at hotel check-in. The Campus Center Parking Garage is located at 1 Campus Center Way in Amherst MA 01003. Follow the signs down to park on Level 2. Take your gate with you and enter the Campus Center using the marked hallway. Stay to the left to walk through the main concourse. Take the elevators to the hotel lobby, located on the 3rd floor, to check-in (available after 3PM on your date of arrival). Provide your garage gate ticket to the hotel desk clerk to have your parking validated.
NORTH RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT GUESTS
Guests staying in the North Residential Apartments will receive a complimentary parking pass to Lot 44, the large surface lot located adjacent to the North Residential Complex, at check-in (located in the lobby of your assigned building). Once you obtain this pass you must fill out the required information and display the pass on your dashboard throughout the conference to avoid any ticketing and/or towing. Lot 44 is located a 10 - 15 minute walk from conference activities. Click here for directions to Lot 44..
COMMUTING/OFF-CAMPUS ATTENDEES
Attendees not staying at Hotel UMass should park in the Campus Center Parking Garage, located at 1 Campus Center Way in Amherst, MA 01003. Parking coupons for the garage will be provided upon your arrival at the registration desk. As you pull into the garage you will take a gate ticket. Prior to leaving for the day, but before you get to your car, take your gate ticket and the parking coupon to one of the garage paystations (paystations are located on levels 2, 3, and 4). Enter your gate ticket and, when prompted, scan the parking coupon. This will offer you a discounted rate of $6.50/day, valid for one exit. Once your coupon has been applied you will submit payment and your now validated gate ticket will be returned to you. Return to your car and drive the garage exit. Insert your validated gate ticket to lift the exit gate as you drive out of the garage. This process will need to be repeated each day you attend the conference.
ACCESSIBLE PARKING
Attendees with a valid state-issued reserved accessible license plate or placard may park in any marked Handicap Space or any nonrestricted, nonreserved space or lot, at no charge, as long as your plate or placard is clearly displayed at all times during your stay. To locate reserved accessible parking, visit the UMass Parking Map, select the blue parking icon on the right, and click the "Handicapped Parking" option. You may also click here to view a complete campus accessibility map.
Please note: you should not park at UMass without first obtaining a valid permit as detailed above: parking on campus without a valid permit, pass, placard, or license plate will result in ticketing and/or towing.
Local Transportation
There are multiple transportation options to get you from campus to amenities and attractions in the surrounding area. Amherst center, with local shops, restaurants, and small convenience stores, is a 15-20 minute walk or 5 minute drive from campus. If you find you need to visit a grocery store, large retail store, or pharmacy during your stay, numerous options are located on University Drive and Russell Street (also known as Route 9) in neighboring Hadley, about a 5-10 minute trip from campus by car or bus. Retailers include CVS, Big Y, Stop and Shop, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Target, Walmart, JC Penney, Marshalls, and more.
Local buses, operated by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, run regularly between Amherst center and the University, with additional services traveling throughout the Pioneer Valley, including Northampton, Springfield, and Greenfield. If you'd rather take a car, UMass has partnered with Zipcar to bring on-demand car sharing services right to campus. The area is also serviced by a variety of cab companies, including Uber, Lyft, Celebrity Cab Company and Taxi Express. There are also a number of bicycle rentals around campus, including Laughing Dog Bicycles, Hampshire Bicycle Exchange, and ValleyBike Share.
Lodging is not included in the cost of registration but there are many convenient on-campus and local options. If you have any questions about the area or lodging options below, please don't hesitate to contact the UMass Conference Services Registration Office at registration@umass.edu or 413-577-8102.
On-Campus Lodging
HOTEL UMASS - $149.00/room/night + fees
Rated the best hotel in Amherst and seated in the center of the picturesque UMass Amherst campus, Hotel UMass blends a tranquil countryside escape with the bustling energy of campus life, making it your ideal destination when staying in the area. Located in the Campus Center just an elevator ride from many meeting spaces and amenities, including the University Store and several newly renovated dining options, Hotel UMass offers unbeatable convenience for a discounted conference rate of $149.00/room/night (plus applicable fees, currently 6% plus $1.00 per room, per night). Check-in is available after 3 p.m. on your date of arrival. Check-out is by 11 a.m. on your date of departure. Click here or call 877-822-2110 to complete a reservation. Reference group code AMS19C to receive the discounted group rate.
Rooms are available for the night of Sunday, July 21, through the night of Wednesday, July 25 (checking-out Thursday, July 25). Guests wishing to book outside of these dates should call the hotel to inquire about availability.
NORTH RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS - $60/person/night
The North Residential Apartments combine the convenience of being on campus with the affordability of Residence Hall living. North consists of suite-like, air-conditioned apartments, each with four single bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. The individual, lockable bedrooms have a twin bed, desk, and bureau, providing you with your own private retreat, while the shared common spaces offer you the opportunity to get to know your colleagues. The kitchen has a full-sized refrigerator, microwave, and stove-top oven ready for your use, but silverware, cookware and plates are not provided. Toiletries are not included. Complimentary parking is available in a surface lot located adjacent to the North Residential Area (Lot 44). Guests will be housed with other conference attendees based on age and gender, but specific suitemate requests and/or accessibility needs can be detailed during registration and will be accommodated accordingly.
Rooms are available in North for $60.00/person/night for the nights of Saturday, July 20, through Wednesday, July 24 (checking-out Thursday, July 25). Rates include linen (two flat sheets, a pillow with case, a blanket, and two towels). Reservations can be completed online during conference registration.
If you wish to learn more about the North Apartments please contact the UMass Conference Services Registration Office at 413-577-8102 or registration@umass.edu.
Off-Campus Lodging
The Amherst area is full of many hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts. A variety of hotel chains offer their familiar comforts just a short 5 - 10 minute drive from the UMass Campus on Route 9/Russell Street in neighboring Hadley, while charming independent inns and B&Bs dot the area, offering a true taste of Pioneer Valley living.
Below are some popular off-campus lodging options, including the estimated drive time to the Campus Center. Click here for a full listing of area lodging courtesy of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. Interested in staying at a local Bed and Breakfast? Click here for more information on what the Pioneer Valley has to offer, courtesy of the Five College Area Bed and Breakfast Association.
AMHERST
Allen House Inn - 413-253-5000 (9 minutes)
Amherst Airbnb
Black Walnut Inn - 413-549-5649
Lord Jeffrey Inn - 413-253-2576 (10 minutes)
University Lodge - 413-256-8111 (6 minutes)
HADLEY
Courtyard Marriott - 413-256-5454 (8 minutes)
Econo Lodge - 413-582-7077 (9 minutes)
Hampton Inn - 413-586-4851 (16 minutes)
Holiday Inn Express - 413-582-0002 (7 minutes)
Howard Johnson - 413-586-0114 (10 minutes)
Rodeway Inn - 413-584-9816 (13 minutes)
DEERFIELD
Deerfield Inn - 413-774-5587 (27 minutes)
Red Roof Inn - 413-665-7161 (19 minutes)
NORTHAMPTON
Hotel Northampton - 413-584-7660 (21 minutes)
Quality Inn & Suites - 413-586-1500 (21 minutes)
UMass Dining
Recently named "Best Campus Food in America" by the Princeton Review for the third year in a row, UMass Dining invites you to join our table! Our summer guests can find UMass Dining at every corner of campus. With dining commons, retail cafes, food trucks, and more, we welcome you to enjoy all that the UMass Dining experience has to offer. Note: registration includes the Sunday reception; breaks Monday through Thursday; lunches Monday through Wednesday; the Wednesday Conference Dinner.
DINING COMMONS
Served all-you-care-to-eat style, breakfast, lunch and dinner will be available from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m each day in our award winning Dining Commons. At each meal you will find a variety of cuisines, often including sushi, pho noodles, create-your-own stir-fry, pizza, dim sum brunch, pasta and salad bars, deli sandwiches, American fare, Halal dining, vegan and vegetarian options, a range of desserts, ice cream, and more. Daily menus will be available as your stay approaches on the UMass Dining website. Guests can pay for each meal by cash or card right at Dining Commons entrance.
CAMPUS CENTER EATERIES
The Blue Wall, located in the Campus Center, is one of the most popular and convenient dining options on campus. The Blue Wall has 10 different stations served a-la-carte. Offerings include pizza, salads, wraps, deli sandwiches, sushi, burgers, burritos, gelato, and more, ensuring that the Blue Wall has something to satisfy every craving. Harvest Market, located on the main concourse of the Campus Center, is a full service market serving healthy, sustainable, and delicious fare for our on the go customers. The hot bar often features Indian, Ethiopian, traditional American, and many other world cuisines, and the salad bar is always stocked with in-season ingredients and freshly prepared composed salads. Additional highlights include a Chobani yogurt bar, all natural and organic snacks, local cheeses and deli meats, grab-and-go salads and sandwiches, and a made-to-order juice and smoothie bar. Need a quick pick-me-up or caffeine fix? People's Organic Coffee, located on the main concourse of the Campus Center across from Harvest Market, serves People's Organic Fair Trade coffees, as well as a variety of specialty coffee beverages, organic teas, locally baked pastries, fresh cookies, salads and paninis.
UNIVERSITY CLUB AND RESTAURANT
The University Club and Restaurant, more fondly referred to as The UClub, is the eminent fine dining establishment at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Housed in two colonial era New England farmhouses, the University Club and Restaurant offers a contemporary dining experience steeped in historic charm. Long established as a private faculty and alumni club, the University Club offers the public and campus community a full-service restaurant & lounge featuring local beer, wine, and farm-fresh ingredients. Call 413-545-2551 to make your reservation.
FOOD TRUCKS
Our food trucks, Baby Berk and Baby Berk 2, are great options for a quick and convenient meal. Serving freshly prepared food truck fare, including burgers, wasabi steak tacos, grilled cheeses, tater tots and sweet potato fries, you are sure to leave satisfied. Checkout @UMassBabyBerk and @UMassBabyBerk2 on Twitter to find daily schedules and location updates, and look for the trucks around campus during your stay!
On-Campus Attractions
You don't need to travel far to find something to do - there are numerous attractions located right here on campus!
- The UMass Fine Arts Center seeks to engage audiences in the arts, embrace diversity, and uphold the highest standards for arts education. Comprehensive in scope, the Center offers the region's only mix of classical music, dance, theater, jazz, Broadway, special events, and gallery exhibitions. The Fine Arts Center is also home to the University Museum of Contemporary Arts.
- The Mullins Center, our state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility, hosts diverse events from hockey and basketball to concerts and popular touring performance groups.
- The Augusta Savage Gallery, located in New Africa House, is a multicultural and multiarts facility that seeks to promote artistic works from a broad spectrum of cultures
- The Durfee Conservatory and Garden, established in 1867, is a historic plant conservatory that offers a sanctuary of calm and serenity among the hustle and bustle of campus.
- The Rausch Mineral Gallery, located in the Department of Geosciences in the Morrill Science Center, includes more than 250 large mineral specimens from around the world from the mineral collection of the late Dr. Marvin Rausch.
Fitness Centers
Day passes to the UMass Recreation Center are available for our conference guests. Contact us at registration@umass.edu for additional information, or for those staying at Hotel UMass inquire at check-in.
Libraries
The W.E.B. Du Bois Library and the Science and Engineering Library offer technology and space to work for our community guests, including printing/copying services, collections, and book stacks.
Local Transportation
There are multiple transportation options to get you from campus to amenities and attractions in the surrounding area. Amherst center, with local shops, restaurants, and small convenience stores, is a quick 10-15 minute walk from campus. Local buses, operated by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, run regularly between Amherst center and the University, with additional services traveling throughout the Pioneer Valley, including Northampton, Springfield, and Greenfield. If you'd rather take a car, UMass has partnered with Zipcar to bring on-demand car sharing services right to campus. A variety of bike rental options are also available, including Laughing Dog Bicycles, Hampshire Bicycle Exchange and ValleyBike.
Dining
Looking to head off-campus for a meal? There are so many wonderful and convenient options! Downtown Amherst, located about a 5 minute drive/25 minute walk from campus, has many unique restaurants, with fare ranging from Thai, Chinese, Italian, American, Indian and more. Some longstanding downtown favorites include Antonio's pizza by the slice, Judie's (try a popover), Bueno Y Sano, and Johnny's Tavern. About 5 minutes in the other direction, heading down University Drive, you will find some more popular local spots including The Hangar Pub and Grill, Rafters and Ginger Garden. Travel just a bit further (7 - 10 minutes from campus) and you will reach the Route 9/Russell Street area of Hadley, which is replete with familiar chains and fast-food spots including Friendly's, Panara, Chili's, Wendy's, Chipotle, Texas Roadhouse and more. Have a little more time on your hands? Visit downtown Northampton, about a 25 minute drive from campus, to explore the many restaurants and shops that make up this artistic, academic and countercultural hub. Click the links below for some more information on off-campus dining options, and be sure to take a look at the bus services offered by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority to help you get where you need to go! Note: registration includes the Sunday reception; breaks Monday through Thursday; lunches Monday through Wednesday; the Wednesday Conference Dinner.
- Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce: http://www.amherstarea.com/list/category/restaurants-281
- Visit Hampshire County: https://visithampshirecounty.com/eat/restaurants/
- Area Restaurant Guide (PDF)
Shopping
If you find you need to visit a grocery store, large retail store, or pharmacy during your stay, numerous options are located 5 - 10 minutes from campus in downtown Amherst, as well as on University Drive in Amherst and Russell Street (also known as Route 9) in neighboring Hadley. These locations are also serviced by PVTA buses.
- Downtown Amherst
- Amherst Shopping Center - retail/grocery stores and dining, including Big Y, Dunkin Donuts, CVS and Wings Over Amherst. Located at 181 University Drive in Amherst, MA.
- Hampshire Mall - retail/grocery stores, dining, and entertainment, including Target, Trader Joe's, J. C. Penney, Cinemark, Pinz Bowling, Autobahn Indoor Speedway, LaserBlast, and Planet Fitness Gym. Located at 367 Russell Street in Hadley, MA.
- Campus Farms Mall - retail/grocery stores and dining, including TJ Maxx, Super Stop & Shop, Dollar Tree, Liquors 44 and Johnny's Roadside Diner. Located at 440-454 Russell Street in Hadley, MA.
- Mountain Farms Mall - retail/grocery stores and dining, including Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Panera Bread and Whole Foots Market. Located at 335 Russell Street in Hadley, MA
Area Attractions
- Amherst is known for its rural charm and big city appeal. With many restaurants, bars and local shops, visitors get lost exploring our downtown. Located just a few minutes drive from the campus, it is a convenient and popular destination.
- The city of Northampton is a blend of historic, contemporary, intellectual, artsy, athletic and entrepreneurial. With cafes, bars, restaurants, clubs, shops, museums, rivers, parks and spas, Northampton is a place to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of budget.
- The Emily Dickinson Homestead, located right in downtown Amherst, was mentioned frequently in her intensely idiosyncratic and strikingly modern poetry. Devoted Dickinson readers visit the Homestead and The Evergreens, the Italianate home built next door by Emily's brother Austin Dickinson, to walk today where Emily walked and to see what Emily saw.
- The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, located in Amherst, looks to inspire a love of art and reading through picture books, just a short 15 minute drive from campus. Founded by Eric Carle and his wife Barbara, the Museum is for visitors of all ages: children and families, teachers and librarians, scholars, and everyone interested in the art of the picture book.
- The Yiddish Book Center is a nonprofit organization working to tell the whole Jewish story by rescuing, translating, and disseminating Yiddish books and presenting innovative educational programs that broaden understanding of modern Jewish identity. The Yiddish Book Center is located on the Hampshire College campus, about a 15 minute drive from UMass.
- The Amherst College Beneski Museum of Natural History, located about 5 minutes from the UMass campus, is one of New England’s largest natural history museums, boasting three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display, and tens of thousands of specimens available for use by scholars and researchers from across campus and around the world.
- Yankee Candle, located about 15 minutes away in South Deerfield, offers an enchanting mix of shopping and entertainment. You'll find 400,000 candles in over 200 different famous Yankee scents, but there are more than just candles at this flagship Village Store. It's a unique, entertaining world of New England charm, fairy tale fantasies, and hands-on, interactive candlemaking that's fun for every age.
- Historic Deerfield is an authentic 18th-century New England village. Tour beautifully restored museum houses with period architecture and furnishings, see yankee ingenuity at work in demonstrations of colonial-era trades, and explore the world-famous collection of early American crafts, ceramics, furniture, textiles and metalwork.
- The Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens is a 14,400 square foot facility that includes a 4,000 sq. ft. glass conservatory filled with butterflies, moths and tropical vegetation, about a 20 minute drive from campus in neighboring South Deerfield.
- Home to more than three hundred inductees and more than 40,000 square feet of basketball history, the Basketball Hall of Fame stirs the spirits of basketball fans everywhere. Hundreds of interactive exhibits share the spotlight with skills challenges, live clinics, shooting contests and enough basketball history to impress the world’s most avid sports fans.
- The Springfield Museums grant visitors access to the Springfield Science Museum, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Springfield History and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden and Museum, all under a single admission. The museums are located in the heart of downtown Springfield, about a 40 minute drive from UMass.
- Six Flags New England is home to many rides and attractions, from pulse-pounding roller coasters to gentler options for the youngest of thrill seekers. With some of the fastest, tallest, wildest, most gut-wrenching rides in the country (including a few record breakers), as well as family rides, kid rides, entertaining shows and the Hurricane Harbor Water Park, Six Flags New England has fun for everyone.
Interested in learning about more things to do in the Pioneer Valley? Click here!
Questions? Contact Us!
For questions regarding registration, payment, travel or the UMass campus, please contact the UMass Conference Services Registration Office by phone (1-413-577-8102, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m - 5:00 p.m. ET) or by email (registration@umass.edu). For additional conference information please visit the conference website.
UMass Conference Services
810 Campus Center
1 Campus Center Way
Amherst, MA 01003
t: 413-577-8102
e: registration@umass.edu