The conference will take place in the Nguyen Engineering Building at the Fairfax campus of George Mason University. Fairfax, VA, is located in the US National Capital Region, about 30 miles east of Washington, DC. Fairfax is well connected to many international and domestic locations by two international airports, one domestic airport, the Northeast rail network, and major highways.
Accommodation
George Mason campus is close to many hotels in and around Fairfax City. Airbnb and Vrbo also have several offerings in the vicinity of the conference venue. The following hotels are connected to the conference venue by a shuttle bus (see Conference Shuttle Schedule for details):
- Courtyard Fairfax Fair Oaks. A limited number of rooms are available for a special rate ($124 per night, including Wifi) until July 4, 2024. Use the link above to take advantage of the special rate. In addition to the conference shuttle, a CUE bus stop (yellow route) is right next to the hotel and takes about 25 minutes to the conference venue (15 minute bus rise and 10 minute walk). By car it takes about 15–20 minutes.
- Hampton Inn Fairfax City. Besides the conference shuttle, a CUE bus stop (yellow route) is close by, taking about 30 minutes to the conference venue (10 minute bus ride and 20 minute walk), or 10 minutes by car.
Other hotels in the area include:
- Residence Inn Fairfax City. Directly next to a CUE bus stop (green route), getting from this hotel to the conference venue takes about 20 minutes by bus (10 minute bus ride and 10 minute walk) or 10–15 minutes by car.
- Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks. A 15–20 minutes drive to the conference venue.
- Hilton Fairfax. A 20 minute drive from the conference venue.
Local transportation
The local CUE bus system is free and connects George Mason campus and the City of Fairfax with the Vienna Fairfax-GMU metro station (green and yellow routes). During weekdays the bus runs every half hour and bus stops are densely placed throughout the City of Fairfax. The CUE bus stop on the George Mason campus is located at the north end of campus, a 10 minute walk from the conference venue (see the campus map for details).
George Mason campus and the City of Fairfax are walkable and have a robust network of bike lanes. Several restaurants and bars in the “Old town” part of the City of Fairfax are within 30 minutes walking distance. Capital bikeshare is a bike sharing service with a station directly outside the conference venue and many stations in the City of Fairfax. An account and the mobile app are required to use this service. Shared E-Scooters (operated by Bird and Lime) are available on campus and in the City of Fairfax.
Ride hauling services (e.g., Uber, Lyft) are highly available in the Fairfax region with wait times typically less than 10 minutes. They tend to be more reliable than local taxi companies. If using a ride hauling service to go to the conference venue, use the address 4520 Patriot Cir, Fairfax, VA 22030 (the Aquatic and Fitness Center). This is easily accessible by car and will get you right outside the building.
Ample parking space is available on George Mason campus. The Shenandoah parking deck is right next to the conference building and is $19 per day. Lots L & K are within 10 minutes walking distance and cost $11.50 per day or $35 for the week. See the campus map for detailed location information of the parking spaces and the conference venue. More information about parking is available at the website of GMU Parking & Transportation services.
Arriving by air
The closest international airport is Dulles International Airport (IAD), about 25 miles from the George Mason campus. Ride hauling services (e.g., Uber, Lyft) are available and take about 25 minutes to the City of Fairfax or George Mason campus and cost about $70–$130 (depending on demand). IAD is connected to the Washington Metro system but a trip to the City of Fairfax is overly complicated and takes more than an hour (Silver line from IAD to East Falls Church, then transfer to Orange line to Vienna Fairfax-GMU).
Another option is the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), which is north of Washington, DC. A shuttle connects the BWI airport to the MARC/Amtrak train station with trains to Washington, DC. From the train station, take the MARC train (southbound) to “New Carrollton” and transfer to the Orange Metro line to Vienna Fairfax-GMU. The WAMTA website has further information about this itinerary. The Vienna Fairfax-GMU metro station is connected to George Mason campus and the City of Fairfax through the CUE bus system (see local transportation below).
A third option for domestic flights is Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA). DCA is directly linked with the DC Metro system. To get to the Vienna Fairfax-GMU metro station, take the Blue line from DCA towards Largo and transfer at Rosslyn to the Orange line towards Vienna Fairfax-GMU. The WAMTA website has detailed information about this itinerary. Ride hauling services (e.g., Uber, Lyft) are available and take about 30 minutes to campus and cost $50–$60.