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Tephra 2014 - Venue, Travel, and Accomodations Venue: Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA On-site Host Committee: Scott Burns, Michael Cummings, and Martin Streck Portland State University (PSU) serves as a center of opportunity for nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Located in Portland, Oregon, one of the nation's most livable cities, PSU's motto, "Let Knowledge Serve the City," inspires the teaching and research of an accomplished faculty whose work and students span the globe. About Portland: Portland is a vibrant, accessible city with a strong environmental stewardship ethic. Portland lies at the junction of two major river valleys, between two mountain ranges, and in the middle of some of the most beautiful scenery a traveler can find. Whether your interests include summertime skiing, or long ocean beaches, the influence of soils on wine, or the effects of explosive volcanic eruptions, Portland serves as a central travel hub for all these experiences and more. Portland takes pride in a 5,000-acre urban forest and adopted its own strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 1993. The University, government agencies, and private sector (even our brewers) are all recognized for commitment to and innovation in sustainable practices and development. While Portland's reputation is for rain, the skies clear in May and we enjoy dry, mild weather through the summer. On an average July day, our high temperature is 26.7 C (80 F) and the low is 14.4 C (58 F). The average total July rainfall is 16 mm. Travel: Travel to and around Portland is easy. Portland International Airport (PDX) has direct connections to major airport hubs throughout the United States, as well to Europe, and Asia. Portland's public transportation system is, extensive, easy to use, and rail is free downtown. When you arrive at the airport, buy your ticket at the airport station, board the Max (light rail) Red Line, and about 45 minutes later, exit the train at Pioneer Courthouse Square, only a few blocks away from the University. The PSU BikeHub maintains a small fleet of rental bicycles available to students, staff and visitors. For workshop attendees planning to also attend the 2014 AMQUA biennial meeting 8-9 August in Seattle immediately following the workshop, Amtrak offers regular service to Seattle on the Amtrak Cascades train. Greyhound also offers scheduled bus service between Portland and Seattle. Travel time by Amtrak or Greyhound is approximately 4 hours. If there is sufficient interest, group transportation may be arranged. Accomodations: We are planning low-cost housing in University facilities. For those seeking other options, numerous hotels are available in the Portland area, including the University Place Hotel & Conference Center and Hilton Portland, both located within walking distance of the University.