Accommodations

Participants should make their own arrangements directly with a hotel of their choice. Rates quoted do not include sales tax. The AMS is not responsible for rate changes or for the quality of the accommodations. When making a reservation, participants should state they are with the American Mathematical Society group (AMS Meeting). None of the hotels listed are within walking distance of the meeting. Cancellation and early checkout policies vary; be sure to check when you make your reservation.

The Great Highway Inn, 1234 Great Highway, San Francisco, CA, 94112; 800-624-6644, 415-731-6644, fax: 415-731-5309. Rates are US\$110/single and US\$125/double. Cancellation policy requires a 72-hour notice. Cancellation and early checkout policies vary; be sure to check when you make your reservation.

Hampton Inn, 2700 Junipero Serra Blvd., Daly City, CA; 650-755-7500 or 866-519-4851. Rates are US\$109 a night, based upon single or double occupancy, plus 10% tax. All terms and conditions are subject to availability. Recently built, the Hampton Inn is located on Junipero Serra Blvd. ,just two miles South of the campus. All rooms include telephone with complimentary local calls, data ports, cable television, and hairdryers. Free parking on property, hot breakfast, and heated pool are also included. Deadline for reservations is March 31, 2006. Cancellation and early checkout policies vary; be sure to check when you make your reservation.

Sheraton Gateway Hotel-San Francisco Airport, 600 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA, 94010; 650-340-8500, http:// www.sheratonsfo.com. Rates are US\$100 single/double. There is an additional \$15 fee per person for triple or quad occupancy. Deadline for reservations is April 7, 2006. Cancellation and early checkout policies vary; be sure to check when you make your reservation.

Food Service

A list of restaurants will be available at the registration desk.

Local Information

Please visit the websites maintained by San Francisco State University at http://www.sfsu.edu, the Department of Mathematics at http://math.sfsu.edu, and the site maintained by the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau at http://www.sfvisitor.org.

Other Activities

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.

Book Sales: Examine the newest titles from the AMS! Many of the AMS books will be available at a special discount available only at the meeting. Complimentary coffee will be served courtesy of AMS Membership Services.

Special Presentation

The American Mathematical Society sponsors a series of public lectures in mathematics entitled The AMS Einstein Public Lecture in Mathematics. The lectures began in 2005, to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of
Einstein's annus mirabilis. They are to be given annually at one of the Society's eight sectional meetings. The Department of Mathematics at San Francisco State University is honored that the AMS has chosen the San Francisco meeting for its second public lecture and that Wolf Prize winner Benoît Mandelbrot, Yale University, will be the speaker. He will speak on "The Nature of Roughness in Mathematics, Science, and Art", Saturday, April 29, in Jack Adams Hall at 8:00 p.m.

Dinner Buffet: Saturday, April 29, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Dinner Buffet at the Seven Hills Conference Center on the San Francisco State University campus. There will be a wide selection of salads, entrees, and desserts, including vegetarian entrees. Cost is \$25.00 per person, which must be prepaid by sending a check or money order to:

AMS Dinner Buffet
Department of Mathematics
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

Make the check or money order payable to Math. Dept. SFSU. The deadline for reservations is April 15.

Parking

Parking is available in the university parking structure located on South State Street. For more information regarding parking please visit http://www.sfsu.edu/%7Eparking/text/tocampus.html.

Registration and Meeting Information

The registration desk will be located on the third (main) floor of Thornton Hall, and will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 8:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Talks will take place in the Science Building and Thornton Hall.

Registration fees are US\$40 for AMS or CMS members, US\$60 for nonmembers; and US\$5 for students, unemployed mathematicians, and emeritus members. Fees are payable on site by cash, check, or credit card.

Travel Information and Campus Map

San Francisco Airport (SFO): From the departure area take the I-280 North entrance. Take I-280 North, exit at 19th Avenue. Take Junipero Serra Boulevard to Holloway Avenue; turn left on Holloway Avenue to campus at 19th Avenue.

To get to the parking garage, continue on Holloway Ave. to Font Blvd. Turn right onto Font Blvd. and continue to Lake Merced Blvd. Turn right onto Lake Merced Blvd., then take an immediate right onto State Drive which is the entrance to the parking garage.

By Public Transportation: BART: Exit the Daly City BART Station then take the SFSU shuttle or the MUNI 28 bus. SuperShuttle: Call 800-258-3826 for reservations or find supershuttle vans outside of Departures.

By Car: From the North: Take Highway 101 South, cross the Golden Gate Bridge. Take 19th Avenue/Highway 1 exit. Follow 19th Avenue to campus at Holloway Avenue.

To get to the parking garage, turn right onto Holloway Ave. and continue to Font Blvd. Turn right onto Font Blvd. and continue to Lake Merced Blvd. Turn right onto Lake Merced Blvd., then take an immediate right onto State Drive which is the entrance to the parking garage.

From the South: Take I-280 North, exit at 19th Avenue. Take Junipero Serra Boulevard to Holloway Avenue, turn left on Holloway Avenue to campus at 19th Avenue.

To get to the parking garage, continue on Holloway Ave. to Font Blvd. Turn right onto Font Blvd. and continue to Lake Merced Blvd. Turn right onto Lake Merced Blvd., then take an immediate right onto State Drive which is the entrance to the parking garage.

From the East: Take I-80 West across the Bay Bridge to Highway 101 South. Take 101 South to I-280 toward Daly City. Take the San Jose Avenue/Mission St. exit (immediately after the Ocean Avenue exit), bearing right onto
Sagamore Street to Brotherhood Way to Junipero Serra Boulevard North. Take Junipero Serra Boulevard to Holloway Avenue, turn left on Holloway Avenue to campus at 19th Avenue.

To get directly to the parking garage stay on Brotherhood Way and turn right onto Lake Merced Blvd. Turn right onto State Drive which is the third light after turning onto Lake Merced Blvd. and immediately after Font Blvd.

Car Rental: Avis is the official car rental company for the sectional meeting in San Francisco, California. All rates include unlimited free mileage. Weekend daily rates are available from noon Thursday to Monday at 11:59 P.M. Rates for this meeting are effective April 22, 2006 to May 7, 2006, and begin at US\$24.99/day (weekend rate). Should a lower qualifying rate become available at the time of booking, Avis is pleased to offer a 5% discount off the lower qualifying rate or the meeting rate, whichever is lowest. Rates do not include any state or local surcharges, tax, optional coverages or gas refueling charges. Renters must meet Avis's age, driver, and credit requirements. Reservations can be made by calling 800-331-1600 or online at http://www.avis.com. The Avis Discount Number for this meeting is B159266.

Special Travel Information for International Participants

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 http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ visas/Traveling_to_US.html and http://travel. state.gov/visa/index.html. If you need a preliminary conference invitation in order to secure a visa, please send your request to wsd@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).

This list is not to be considered complete. Please visit the websites above for the most up-to-date information.

Reminder: Machine-Readable Passports Required by June 26, 2005.

The Department of Homeland Security reminds travelers from the 27 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that as of June 26, 2005, they must have a machine-readable passport to enter the United States without a visa. Beginning June 26, 2005, transportation carriers will be fined US\$3,300, per violation, for transporting any VWP traveler to the United States without a machine-readable passport. Similarly, VWP travelers arriving in the United States on that date without a machine-readable passport should not anticipate being granted one-time entry into the country. As an alternative for persons with immediate travel plans who are unable to obtain a machine-readable passport in time, the individual may apply for a U.S. visa at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy abroad.

Weather

The weather in April is variable, with temperatures from 70º Fahrenheit to 85º Fahrenheit. The weather can turn cold, overcast, and windy due to the close proximity of the San Francisco State University campus to the ocean.