The Conference Site

The conference will take place on the main campus of New Mexico State University. NMSU is a comprehensive research, land-grant institution of higher learning, dedicated to teaching, research, and service at the undergraduate and graduate levels. NMSU is a NASA Space Grant College, a Hispanic Serving Institution and is home to the very first Honors College in New Mexico. U.S. News and World Report ranks NMSU in the top tier among Best National Universities.

The campus is located in the sunny city of Las Cruces, in the southern part of New Mexico. The activities of the conference will take place in the Corbett Center Student Union, which is located in the central part of the campus. The facility provides access to several dining options, including Einstein Bagels & Coffee, a food court with several fast food options, the Taos all-you-can-eat cafeteria, and Pete's Patio (food and drinks). A map of the campus can be found HERE. Another map can be downloaded HERE.

Getting to Las Cruces

By Car:

Las Cruces is located at the intersection between I-10 and I-25.

  • If you are traveling from the West (e.g., Arizona, California), you will be traveling on I-10. Take the Main Street Exit #142 (off of Interstate 10). Turn right on Main Street (Northbound), and then right on University Avenue. Continue to proceed East on University Avenue. Turn left on Triviz Street. Turn right on Arrowhead Drive and proceed to Stewart Street. Turn right on Stewart Street.
  • If you are traveling from the South (El Paso, West Texas), you will also be traveling on I-10. Take Interstate 10 to Interstate 25. Exit Interstate 25 North to University Avenue, Exit 1. Turn left on University Avenue. Turn left on Triviz Street. Turn right on Arrowhead Drive and proceed to Stewart Street. Turn right on Stewart Street. 
  • If you are traveling from the North (Albuquerque, Colorado), you will be traveling on I-25. Take Interstate 25 South to University Avenue, Exit 1. Continue heading right on the exit ramp. Proceed West on University Avenue. Turn left on Triviz Street. Turn right on Arrowhead Drive and proceed to Stewart Street. Turn right on Stewart Street. 

Please note that on-campus parking requires a permit. You can print out a parking permit. Please make sure to print out the permit before coming to campus.

By Plane:

The closest airport is located in El Paso, Texas. The El Paso International Airport (code ELP) is served by mos major US air carriers:

  • United Airlines: this airline has daily direct flights to ELP from Denver, Houston and Chicago.
  • Delta Airlines: this airline has daily direct flights to ELP from Atlanta
  • American Airlines: this airline has daily direct flights to ELP from Dallas Fort Worth, Chicago, Phoenix and Los Angeles
  • Southwest Airlines: this airline has daily direct flights to ELP from Houston/Hobby, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas/Lovefield, Austin, Denver and San Antonio
  • Allegiant Airlines: this low-cost airline has occasional flights to ELP from Las Vegas
  • Alaska Airlines: this airline has daily flights to ELP from Seattle and San Diego.

The El Paso International Airport is located 49 miles from the conference location. The best way to reach Las Cruces is by using the Las Cruces Shuttle, which travels each hour from the airport to any location in Las Cruces, from 5am to 9:30pm. The fare each way is $50 per person. Reservations need to be made in advance by calling the toll-free number 1-800-288-1784 or the local number 575-525-1784. They also provide a taxi service for transportation outside of the regular shuttle operation. El Paso Airport is also served by Uber (transportation to Las Cruces estimated between $60-$80). Additional options (e.g., limousine services) can be found in the ELP web site.

The El Paso International Airport houses the most commonly found car rental companies.

Hotels

There are a number of hotels located at reasonable walking distance from the conference location. We recommend that you make your researvations as ealry as possible, as the period of the conference is peak time for events in the area. We also suggest you explore booking sites such as Hotels.com and Booking.com as they often offer better prices for hotels in the area.

Visiting the Area

Las Cruces experiences a typical desert climate - dry, with warm temperatures during the day and cooler temperatures during the night. The typical September weather is sunny, with daily temperatures up to 30 Celsius/85 Fahrenheit and night temperatures down to 13 Celsius/55 Fahrenheit.

Las Cruces is a growing city with several local attractions. If you are in the area on saturday, you can enjoy the largest Farmer's Market in the state - all morning in the downtown area. A calendar of events and information about local attractions can be found in the Visit Las Cruces web site.

The southern New Mexico region is rich of history and natural attractions. Several national monuments are closeby and perfect for a day excursion, such as: