Conference Events
Through your proposals we are putting together a number of exciting events that currently include tours, dinners and socials, community engaged workshops, and professional development sessions for students. 

We are also planning events that celebrate and reflect on the history of the department (you are welcome and encouraged to submit proposals as well!). We will list these events here as they become concretized.

• A celebratory dinner
• Open labs and tours
• Receptions
• A participatory timeline showing the department's history
• A "full" moon walk up Mount Sugarloaf
• More in the works! 

PLENARIES
Distinguished Lecturer in the Anthropology of Europe
Lilith Mahmud, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of California Irvine

Soldiers and Kings: Visualizing Kinship, Race, and Violence on the Human Smuggling Trail
Jason De León, Professor of Anthropology and Chicana/o Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

Black Feminism Today
Whitney Battle-Baptiste, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amanda Walker Johnson, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dana-Ain Davis, Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for the Study of Women and Society, Graduate Center, CUNY
Riché J. Daniel Barnes, Dean of Pierson College and Affiliate Professor of Anthropology at Yale University

Engaging the Present, Envisioning the Future panel including:
Jodi Dean, Professor of Political Science at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Arturo Escobar, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Stephen Healy, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University and member of the Community Economies Collective.

Homo naledi and the Chamber of Secrets
Jeremy DeSilva, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College

Click here to view the conference program

Proposal Submissions
Registration for the conference is open and will remain open through the conference weekend. However, we are no longer accepting new proposals for papers, sessions, or events with the following exceptions:

1. If you are an undergraduate student participating in the undergraduate poster session, you may still submit your 100 word abstract and register for the conference through September
2. If you are in an academic panel that has already been submitted (prior to the deadline of July 21), you may submit your paper proposal.
   

Registration
Your registration fee will help offset some of our expenses. Discount rate could include, but is not limited to, graduate/undergraduate students and precarious faculty. Please pay whatever best fits your situation. Both General and Discount rates enable full conference participation.

COSTS
General Rate - $85.00 
Discount Rate - $20.00

Click here to view the conference program

Conference Code of Conduct
All attendees, speakers, sponsors and volunteers at our conference are required to agree with the following code of conduct. Organizers will enforce this code throughout the event. We expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everybody.

Our conference is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers.

Contact the conference organizers with any concerns or questions at UMassAnthro50@gmail.com.

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). 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. 

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. 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. 

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. 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.

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). 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. 

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.

Ridesharing and Homesharing
Here is a link to a spreadsheet that you can use to request and offer rides, as well as request and offer housing.

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. 

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.

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 (at most), valid for one exit. Once your coupon has been applied submit payment, accepted by credit/debit card on levels 2, 3 and 4 or by cash on level 2. After you pay the pay station will return your gate ticket 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.

Ridesharing and Homesharing
Here is a link to a spreadsheet that you can use to request and offer rides, as well as request and offer housing.

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-$249.00/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-$169.00/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 EAN19C to receive the discounted group rate (available until September 5 or until space fills). 

Rooms are available for the night of Wednesday, October 3, through the night of Saturday, October 5 (checking-out Sunday, October 6). Guests wishing to book outside of these dates should call the hotel to inquire about availability. Rates are $149.00/room/night (plus applicable fees) for the nights of Wednesday, October 3, and Thursday October 4. Rates are $249.00/room.night (plus applicable fees) for the nights of Friday, October 4, and Saturday, October 5.

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)

Ridesharing and Homesharing
Here is a link to a spreadsheet that you can use to request and offer rides, as well as request and offer housing.

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! 

• 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.

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Interested in learning about more things to do in the Pioneer Valley? Click here!

Questions? Contact Us!

Please contact the conference planning committee at UMassAnthro50@gmail.com with questions or for additional information.

Join the Facebook event site at https://www.facebook.com/events/225899184991945/ or visit the conference page for updates https://www.umass.edu/anthro/engaging-anthropology

Having difficulty submitting a registration or payment? Contact the Registration Office at 413-577-8102 or registration@umass.edu!