SLAS Annual Conference and Exhibition to Rotate from Coast to Coast

CHICAGO – Following the Second Annual SLAS Annual Conference and Exhibition (SLAS2013), Jan. 12-16, 2013, in Orlando, FL (USA), The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) will consistently rotate its annual conference between the east and west coasts of the U.S. “After comprehensive consideration and negotiation with many different locations and venues, it was unanimously agreed by the SLAS Board of Directors that San Diego, CA (USA) will become the stage for SLAS2014, SLAS2016 and SLAS2018; while Washington, DC (USA) will serve as home to SLAS2015, SLAS2017 and SLAS2019,” says SLAS President Dave Dorsett. “These two convenient and popular destinations make sense for the Society and conference participants alike.”

San Diego and Washington, DC, are both world-class international cities. Each is serviced by more than one major international airport and both offer Amtrak rail options. Both will welcome SLAS into beautiful, centrally-located convention centers and hotels that are competitively priced and well within walking distance of each other as well as scores of restaurants, museums, historical attractions, shops and nightclubs. An abundance of taxis will make getting around easy, and mild winter climates will make getting around comfortable. Washington, DC, also offers an outstanding and inexpensive public transportation system that includes subway and bus stops at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

At SLAS2015, SLAS2017 and SLAS2019 in Washington, DC, the conference headquarters hotel will be the much anticipated Washington Marriott Marquis, which is scheduled to open in May 2014. Connected to the convention center by an underground tunnel, this $520 million, four-star hotel, will be one of only four Marriott Marquis properties in the U.S. It will provide SLAS members with more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and assembly space, a grand lobby and five separate retail and restaurant outlets on the ground floor.

“The driving force behind this plan to establish and maintain a consistent rotation between the east and west coasts of the U.S. is accessibility,” says Dorsett. “California and the northeastern states house strong populations of laboratory science and technology professionals working in academic, corporate and government environments. In consideration of members traveling from outside the U.S., San Diego is regarded as more convenient for Asian members and Washington, D.C., is regarded as more convenient for European members.”

This plan was shaped by input from SLAS members. “Never doubt that SLAS listens and responds to what its members say they need and want,” says Dorsett. “Stated preferences, opinions and ideas become planning priorities for the SLAS Board of Directors and the network of committees, working groups and other ad hoc volunteers that support our organization.”

For more information, visit www.slas.org or contact SLAS Global Headquarters at +1.877.990.SLAS (5727) or slas@slas.org.

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The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) is an international community of more than 15,000 individual scientists, engineers, researchers, technologists and others from academic, government and commercial laboratories. The SLAS mission is to be the preeminent global organization providing forums for education and information exchange and to encourage the study of, and improve the practice of laboratory science and technology. For more information, visit www.SLAS.org.