DAVID L. LAWRENCE CONVENTION CENTER
We are looking forward to the in-person ICSE 2022 event. We provide here some more detail for presenters and participants.
The program for the main in-person conference is available here. Look at May 25-27 to get an idea of what to expect. The programs for the co-located events are also being installed in the schedule so keep a lookout for those.
For All Attendees:
As mentioned in the closing of the virtual ICSE 2022 event we are taking several measures to ensure the safety and well-being of ICSE in-person attendees:- You must bring the confirmation of your vaccination verification to the registration desk to receive your badge. You can get that confirmation using this process (link). You are expected to wear a high-quality, e.g., KN95/N95, well-fitted mask during the event. We will provide a KN95 mask with “ear loops” for you to wear at the conference when you check in. This mask makes it easy to remove your mask for a short time, e.g., to take a sip of water/coffee/beer, take a bite of a snack, etc., and thereby encourages mask usage.
- Staff in the venue have been asked to wear masks.
- Consider testing before arrival. At-home tests are widely available in pharmacies and testing sites are available across the city (e.g., https://curative.com/). We will also make COVID-19 antigen tests available at the registration desk for those who need them. Should you experience any symptoms of illness or if you have had contact with someone who has COVID within the last 5 days we ask that you take a test. If you have a positive result please take care of yourself, isolate, and let us know so that we discuss with you how best to inform people with whom you have made contact.
- We will be 500 people in a venue sized for over 2000 with plenty of space. All breaks, lunch, and receptions are set up in a large open space (with high ceilings) with plenty of space for some distancing.
- We will set up standing tables on the south terrace of the venue to allow for some outdoor dining.
Registration Desk:
The ICSE 2022 registration desk will be staffed Monday May 23 through Friday May 17 at the following times:- Monday May 23 : 8am-5pm
- Tuesday May 24 : 8am-7pm
- Wednesday May 25 : 8am-5pm
- Thursday May 26 : 8:30am-10am
- Friday May 27 : 8:30am-10am
For Presenters:
The paper session format for in-person is the same as for virtual. You will give a 5 minute talk - using your laptop connected to a projector rather than screen sharing - and then the session chair will facilitate a discussion among presenters and the audience. Please arrive in your assigned room 20 minutes prior to the session start to meet your session chair and test out your screen connection.
If you are presenting a poster then you have been assigned a slot in one of the three 1:30pm sessions where you can set up and engage in discussion. The room will have a stand for each poster that can hold posters up to 36 by 48 inches (landscape or portrait) for the duration of the 90 minute session.
The demo session format for in-person is the same as for virtual. You will give a 15 minute demo - using your laptop connected to a projector rather than screen sharing. Please arrive in your assigned room 20 minutes prior to the session start to meet your session chair and test out your screen connection.
The entry in conf.researchr.org for your contribution (paper/demo/poster) has been updated to show the session that you will present in.Venue: David Lawrence Convention Center
The conference will take place at the David Lawrence Convention Center, a modern convention center right in downtown Pittsburgh overlooking the Allegheny River. The conference center is the first LEED certified convention center in North America. It is right next to the conference hotel, the Westin Pittsburgh.
Sessions will take place on the third floor of the conference center. This map shows the locations of the rooms in the program, except for the FormaliSE workshop which is being held on the campus of CMU.
Hotel Accommodation
The conference hotel is the Westin Pittsburgh, connected directly to the conference center. You can reserve a room at the negotiated conference rate of $189 per night from May 19 to May 30 at this link. Reservations at this rate need to be made by Apr 21, 2022, after that date the guest may continue to accept reservations at this rate by directly calling the hotel if capacity is still available. The hotel will also accommodate early arrivals and stay-overs at the rate as long as rooms are available.
The address is:Westin Pittsburgh
1000 PENN AVENUE
PITTSBURGH,USA PENNSYLVANIA 15222
There are many other hotels within walking distance in downtown Pittsburgh, but there are many benefits to staying in the conference hotel. The main advantage is that the Westin Pittsburgh hotel is just next to the center of conference activity, allowing you quick access to the programs and functions, as well as the ability to network easily with other attendees. Staying at the conference hotel will also increase your chance of social encounters with other attendees.
We hope that the low, negotiated room rate is an added incentive to stay at the conference hotel. The conference hotel rate is very favorable, and the lowest rate is available to the public.
Another advantage of staying at the conference hotel is that it helps the conference meet its contractual obligations to the hotel, and thus staying at the conference hotel will prevent the conference from paying penalties for empty rooms; the benefit to you and all other attendees will appear in the form of better coffee breaks, food, etc.
Travel
While the days as a US Airways hub are long gone, the Pittsburgh International Airport is still well connected within North America with frequent direct flights to all major hubs. Being oversized from its days as a hub, it is very efficient and reliable.From the Airport the 28X bus connects directly to downtown every 30 minutes for $2.75 (can pay cash to the driver or use an app; get off at either Liberty at Wood Street or 7th Street / William Penn P). Taxis and ride sharing apps Uber/Lyft are also available at the airport (about 20 min, $35-45).
For the more adventurous travelers who want to take the slower but scenic route or connect the trip with visiting other cities, Pittsburgh also has daily rail connections with Amtrak to New York City (9h), Philadelphia (7h), Washington DC (8h), and Chicago (10h) and budget-friendly long-distance bus connections to these and more cities. The train station and bus terminal are just next to the conference hotel.
For bragging rights, the Great Allegheny Passage provides a 335 miles continuous bike trail to Washington DC.
Visa Support Letters
ACM can provide visa support letters to attendees as well as authors with accepted papers, posters, or members of the conference committee.
For visa support letters, refer all requests to supportletters@acm.org. Please allow up to 10 business days to receive a letter. All requests are handled in the order they are received. The information below should be included with the request:
- Your name as it appears on your passport
- Your current postal mailing address
- Indicate that you are attending ICSE 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA
- Authors of accepted papers may request a visa support letter prior to registering for the conference; they should provide the title of their paper and indicate whether they are “sole author” or a “co-author"
- Non-authors may request a visa support letter after registering for the conference; they should provide their registration confirmation number
Things to do in and around Pittsburgh
Visit Pittsburgh is the official tourism site for Pittsburgh. The conference center is right downtown with many attractions nearby.
Local transportation
The downtown area is walkable and bikeable. There are trails along the rivers. The bike sharing system Healthy Ride has many stations throughout the downtown area. The downtown area is also well connected with buses to other parts of the city, including the airport and all major museums ($2.75 per trip). A light rail line runs underground through downtown and is free to use in the downtown area (stations First Ave to Allegheny).
Attractions and Museums in Walking Distance
Point State Park is a park at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, reachable with an easy walk along the river-side trail from the conference center. It also holds the Fort Pitt Museum covering the long history of this spot as a location of forts and conflicts and westward expansion.
Across the river from the park is a Science museum and the Andy Warhol Museum as well as the Steelers football stadium and the Pirates baseball park.
The National Aviary, the Mattress Factory (contemporary art) and the Children’s Museum are a little further walk on the north side. Bicycle Heaven is a somewhat unusual destination (free entrance) not much further away.
Walking north-east along the river one reaches the Strip District, an area of former converted warehouses that now provide a vibrant food, bar, and shopping scene. The Senator John Heinz History Center history center is a museum covering the history of Pittsburgh and has a massive exhibition on local sports too.
For a great view of the city, cross the Monongahela river and ride an incline up to Mt. Washington ($2.75, like buses).
The most active nightlife is in the South Side area along Carson Street.
Further Out
The Carnegie Natural History Museum with its massive dinosaur collection and the adjacent Carnegie Museum of Art are located in the Oakland neighborhood between the campuses of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. It’s reachable from downtown by the 61 and 71 buses. The Phipps Botanical Gardens are in the same area.
Kennywood amusement park is a longer bus ride for those wanting to ride a 100 year old rollercoaster or a modern 9 inversion recordholder.
Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece, is definitely worth a visit but requires renting a car (or a serious bike trip). For longer day trips by car, there are various attractions such as Niagara Falls (4h), Presque Isle State Park (2.5h), Washington DC (4h), Kinzua Bridge State Park (3h), Cedar Point (3h), Allegheny Portage Railroad and Horseshoe Curve (2h), Flight 93 National Memorial (1.5h), and the US’s newest National Park New River Gorge (3.5h).