ACCOMMODATION

Conference Hotels

Preferred Hotel: Club La Serena
Av. del Mar 1000, 1710249 Coquimbo, La Serena, Coquimbo, Chile
Website: https://clublaserena.com/

The hotel is providing a breakfast.
Direction: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XG5pE8YJXVqDDXf3A

REGISTRATION

Please register by March 31, 2025.
https://forms.gle/f5oS8EbavzB5iaUn9

If you participate in person please also fill out this arrival/departure form: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SVk2_tYtIovcOdACn1cSdUUhLdwBv9QSnapTKTHNurA/edit?usp=sharing

VIDEO CONFERENCE

TBD

How to use ZOOM instructions

• Create a Zoom account for a more streamlined approach to our conference.
  • To create an account, visit https://zoom.us/signup and follow the instructions.

• • To download the Zoom software, visit https://zoom.us/download.
    • Click on the blue “Download” button under the section, “Zoom Client for Meetings.”
    • Open the download “Zoom.pkg” and follow the installation instructions.

• Helpful Commands in Zoom:
  • Share your screen
    • Please wait for the host to make you a presenter
    • Click on “screen share” and select your presentation
  • “Away” Status
    • Please use the away icon if you step away, as we don’t have many breaks built into the schedule.
    • Click on your profile icon in the top right corner. Set your status to “Away” by clicking the corresponding option in the drop-down menu.
    • Learn more about Zoom status icons here.
  • Chat:
    • While in a meeting, click “Chat” in the meeting controls.
    • This will open the chat on the right. You can type a message into the chat box or click on the drop down next to To: if you want to send a message to a specific person.
    • When new chat messages are sent to you or everyone, a preview of the message will appear and Chat will flash orange in your meeting controls.
  • Gallery View:
    • In the Zoom client, click “Settings,” and then click “Video” to display the video settings page.
    • Enable the option “Display up to 49 participants per screen in Gallery View.”
    • Start or join a meeting.
    • Click “Gallery View” in the top-right corner.
      • If the meeting has 49 or fewer attendees, all of them are displayed on a single page. If more than 49 attendees are in the meeting, 49 thumbnails are displayed on each page.
    • Learn more about Gallery View here.
  • Hide Non-Video Participants
    • When you are in “Gallery View,” right-click on any participant that either has their video off or dialed in via telephone, or you can click on the 3 dots at the upper right of their participant box.
    • Choose “Hide Non-Video Participants” to hide all users with their video off.
    • To show non-video participants again, click “Total non-video participants” at the top of your screen and select “Show non-video participants.”
    • Learn more about Video Layout here.
  • Polls + Q&A:
    • When a meeting host would like you to participate in a poll or answer a question, a message box will pop up on your screen.
    • You will have a limited amount of time to submit your answers.
  • Raise Hand:
    • During a meeting, click on the icon labeled “Participants” at the bottom center of your Zoom window.
    • At the bottom of the window on the right side of the screen, click the button labeled “Raise Hand.”
    • Click “Raise Hand” if you want to say something in the meeting.
    • Your digital hand is now raised. Lower it by clicking the same button, now labeled “Lower Hand.

CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS

TRANSPORTATION

Airports:

The nearest airport: La Florida Airport (SCSE/LSC) – La Serena, Chile
https://www.aeropuertolaserena.cl/?lang=en

Transportation

From airport to hotel:

• Taxi cost is approximately CLP 10,000 (~USD 10)
• Ride-share cost is approximately  CLP 6,000 (~USD 6)

From the hotel to venue:

Shuttle bus will be provided by REUNA

*NOTE: Please note that their is a transfer between the International terminal to the Domestic terminal in Santiago Chile.

DINNER

TBD

CURRENCY EXCHANGE

Money & Payments in Chile

• ATMs are widely available and accept most U.S. and international debit cards.
• Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, so you won’t have trouble using them.
• It’s a good idea to carry some cash (around 20,000–30,000 CLP) for small purchases or places that don’t accept cards.

Taxis & Transportation

• Most taxis do not have card machines. To avoid this inconvenience, we recommend using Uber or similar ride-hailing apps.
• If you’re driving from Santiago to La Serena, note that some toll booths only accept cash—be sure to have pesos on hand for those.

Local Area Information:

Places to Visit Nearby:

Humbold Penguin Reserve – You can choose a tour operator for this
Parque Nacional Fray Jorge – UNESCO biosphere reserve
Mamalluca Observatory – Tourist observatory in the valley
Pisco Elqui – Pisco production and tasting area – quaint villages along the way

• Los Nichos
• Doña Josefa
• Pisquera ABA

La Serena, Chile: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Serena,_Chile

Things to do in La Serena: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g303674-Activities-La_Serena_Coquimbo_Region.html

Restaurants in La Serena: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g303674-La_Serena_Coquimbo_Region.html

History:

What is the South American – African Astronomy Coordination Committee (SA3CC) Meeting?

The South American – African Astronomy Coordination Committee (SA3CC) Meeting is an annual gathering focused on advancing astronomical collaboration between South America, Africa, and beyond. Now in its 15th year, the SA3CC plays a critical role in advising the AmLight Principal Investigator (PI) and the Steering Committee on program and network infrastructure needs. It also serves as a key venue for coordinating the requirements of various astronomical projects and institutions, enabling better resource planning and the seamless implementation of operational connections between distant observatories, research facilities, and users across the continental United States and Latin America.

Meeting Goals

The primary objective of the SA3CC Meeting is to assess and understand the network infrastructure needs of the astronomy community, with a particular focus on researchers in Latin America. By bringing together experts, institutions, and stakeholders, the meeting facilitates discussions that help optimize data transfer, connectivity, and collaboration for astronomical research across continents.

Origins and Broader Impact

The SA3CC meetings originally stemmed from the WHREN-LILA project, which continues to foster research collaboration across the Americas. WHREN-LILA is now expanding its reach by participating in a new community of interest for oceanographic studies, hosted by CUDI. More details about this initiative can be found at Día Virtual CUDI de “Oceanografía”.

About WHREN-LILA

The Western Hemisphere Research and Education Networking (WHREN) Initiative is a collaborative effort dedicated to strengthening research and education infrastructure across the Americas. It serves as:

• A cooperative network connecting research and education institutions across the Western Hemisphere.
• A community-driven cyberinfrastructure fostering scientific collaboration.
• A platform for Pan-American cooperation in advanced networking.

Supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Award #OCI-0441095, WHREN funds Links Interconnecting Latin America (LILA), contributing to key networking advancements, including:

• Partially funding a fiber acquisition between San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, providing two 1 Gbps links, with plans to scale up to 10 Gbps over five years.
• Supporting a 2.5 Gbps connection between Miami, Florida, and São Paulo, Brazil, enhancing transcontinental research connectivity.

Through initiatives like SA3CC and WHREN-LILA, global astronomical research communities continue to strengthen their scientific and technological collaboration, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries.