Siena 2005 IUCr CompComm Crystallographic Computing School -  preliminary announcement
           
                 (preliminary announcement)
           Siena Crystallographic Computing School
  Certosa di Pontignano, University of Siena, Tuscany, Italy
          Thursday 18th - Tuesday 23rd August 2005
      (just prior to the Florence IUCr 2005 congress)

      http://www.iucr.org/iucr-top/comm/ccom/siena2005/

School Organisers: Prof Anthony Spek (Utrecht), Prof. Marcello Mellini
   (Siena), Prof. Alessandro Gualtieri (Modena), Dr Harry Powell
   (Cambridge), Lachlan Cranswick (NRC Chalk River)
Consultants:   Dr David Watkin (Oxford), Dr Simon Parsons (Edinburgh)


Introduction:

IUCr Computing schools have played in the past an important role in
making crystallographic computing efforts known on a wider scale. An
excellent example is the 1969 school where a lot of least-squares and
absorption correction code was presented in considerable detail and
still in use to the present day. Most of the people that attended this
1969 school are now retired or close to retirement. With the computing
school to be held in Siena prior to the Florence IUCr2005 congress we
hope to provide a similar experience for the next generation of software
developers.


School Aims:

To have the crystallographic computing experts of the present, help
train and inspire a generation of experts for the future. This will be
achieved by the use of an excellent (and full) program of lectures,
workshops and projects.

      http://www.iucr.org/iucr-top/comm/ccom/siena2005/program.html

Each day of the school is focussed on a difference theme:
  "principles & methods"
  "joining things together"
  "crystallographic implementations"
  "selected topics in crystallography"
  "special methods"


The Venue 

The Certosa di Pontignano has its origins as a medieval 14th century
monastary. It is now run by the University of Siena. Attractively placed
on the top of a hill, it is surrounded by vineyards; with a direct view
to the town of Siena, and a famous Chianti winery.

      http://www.iucr.org/iucr-top/comm/ccom/siena2005/venue.html

The City

Siena is described as one of the finest examples of a Medieval city. It
is in the Italian province of Tuscany and has direct bus connection to
Florence (1 hour) and Rome (3 hours).


Costs (and accomodation)

These have not been finalized. Thanks to the generous support of the
University of Siena in providing these school facilities, we are
confident that we may be able to keep the entire costs for participants
(including accomodation and meals) below 500 Euros. We expect to further
lower the registration costs with workshop sponsorship from
crystallographic organisations and companies that also rely on
crystallographic computing to have a productive future. 

      http://www.iucr.org/iucr-top/comm/ccom/siena2005/accomm.html


Promotional Poster:
 (please feel free to print this out and pin up on your department 
  notice-board)

 http://www.iucr.org/iucr-top/comm/ccom/siena2005/files/siena2005.pdf