8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Optional tours

(Bus will depart from BSRB 6767 Bertner St.)

DICentral

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

NASA, Johnson Space Center

Registration for the tours on December 27th was on a first come – first served basis.  Please note that the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the NASA, Johnson Space Center tours are now completely full.  Those who did not register or receive confirmation for a tour are now registered for the DICentral tour. 

On December 26th, VEF Conference Registration begins at 6:00 pm at the Marriott Medical Center, Salons D-G.  You will pick up your meeting book and name badge.  Inside each name badge you will find a ticket for the tour that you registered for.  You will use this ticket to get on the appropriate bus on December 27th. 

Please do not plan individual tours of NASA on the morning of December 27th.  We will be on a very tight schedule, and you will not have time to purchase the $20 ticket, pay for parking, take the Tram ride and tour the facility AND return to the conference by 12:30 for the opening remarks.   Please note that the NASA Johnson Space Center does not open until 10:00.

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Networking for Fellows not on tours

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Lunch

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Welcome and VEF Program Update

Lynne McNamara

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Leadership and Stewardship

Speakers:        Duy-Loan Le, Texas Instruments
                       Kien Pham, VietnamNet
                        Hoang Tuy, Institute of Mathematics, VAST

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Mixer with cash bar, sponsored by DICentral

Cocktail reception with light snacks. Alcohol available for sale with cash and valid ID.

7:00 pm

Dinner on your own

For suggested restaurants and transportation means, go to Texas Guide --> Houston --> Restaurants

9:00 pm

VEFFA Roundtable (optional)

Graduate School Experience Sharing

Informal discussions on graduate school experience.
A handout on presentation skills will be provided to first year fellows.