[AG-TECH] AG Retreat 2003

[Many Ayromlou]

Hi everyone,

As the principal technical support person for the AG project at Ryerson 
University, I'm writing this to inform everyone of the regulations that have 
been put into place for agretreat 2003 by the Department Of Energy and how 
this has affected me. I'm a researcher currently working from Ryerson 
University in Toronto, Canada. I'm a Canadian Citizen and have been living in 
Cananda for 16 years. Previous to that I lived in Salzburg, Austria for 5 
years. I was also born in Tehran, Iran 34 years ago in September 1969.

As you can see below the AG Retreat 2003 was announced on Sat. March 01 2003 
in the following Email that went out on this list:

On March 1, 2003 09:02 pm, Michael E. Papka wrote:
> ACCESS GRID RETREAT 2003
>
> http://www.mcs.anl.gov/fl/events/agr2003/
>
> The Access Grid Technical Retreat 2003 will be taking place at Argonne
> National Laboratory, April 15-16, 2003. Program topics are provided below,
> with the major
> focus on moving the community from AG 1.0 to AG 2.0 and increasing the
> community involvement in the development of tools and infrastructure for
> AG 2.0. There will be a nominal registration fee for this retreat (details
> follow).
>
>
> PROGRAM Topics:
>
>     PLENARY TRACK
>     How does the AG become platform for Grid computing?
>     How to build a community?
>     Security
>     AG X.X wish list
>     Innovative uses of the AG
>     Use of the AG in private sector
>     Scheduling
>     SCGlobal
>
>     DEVELOPERS TRACK
>     Building applications on top the AG 2.0 platform.
>     Extensions to Virtual Venues (Core, Services, Applications)
>     Voyager 2.0 architecture
>     Globus
>     pyglobus
>     AG 2.0 packaging and install
>
>     USERS TRACK
>     Development status and timelines geared towards users.
>     Bringing folks into AG community
>     Troubleshooting AG sessions
>     Operation of AG 2.0
>     Effects of AG 2.0 on meeting and event planning
>     Issues of interest to managers
>
> LOCATION INFORMATION:
> Argonne National Laboratory
> 9700 South Cass Avenue
> Argonne, Illinois 60439
> 630.252.2000
>
> AG RETREAT LOCATION:
> Advanced Photon Source (APS) Conference Center
> Building 402, APS Auditorium
>
> REGISTRATION FEES:
> $35 for Argonne employees
> $50 for U.S. Department of Energy employees
> $85 for all others organizations
> (All payment information and options found on AG Retreat 2003 website
> listed above.)
>
> MEETING REGISTRATION:
> You need to formally register for these meetings.
> Registration is REQUIRED in order to enter Argonne's site. Please read over
> the AG Retreat 2003 web pages listed above for detailed information.
>
> Deadline for housing is March 28, 2003.
> Deadline for registration will be determined upon volume of attendees
> registered.
> Deadline for registration of all non-U.S. citizens is 10 days prior to
> their arrival onsite.
>
> HOTEL ARRANGEMENTS:
> Deadline is March 28, 2003
> Please note, the above meeting registration will only "register" you for
> attendance at the meeting. You will need to call the hotel directly to make
> your room arrangements. To make hotel arrangements, please contact:
>
> Argonne Guest House (Marriott Hotel)
> Argonne National Laboratory
> 9700 South Cass Avenue - Building 460
> Argonne, IL 60439
> Reservations: (800) 632-8990 or (630) 739-6000
> Fax: (630) 739-1000
> argonne-guest-house at anl.gov
> The rate is $65.00
>
> GENERAL INFORMATION:
> You will need to bring your driver's license for entry to the Laboratory.
> If you are from a DOE Laboratory, please bring your badge with you. If you
> will be off-normal hours, please proceed directly to the guard gate. If you
> are arriving on 8:30-5 Monday through Friday, please stop at the Argonne
> Information Center.
>
> VISITOR PAGES: http://www-fp.mcs.anl.gov/division/information/visitors/
> Argonne Home Page: http://www.anl.gov/OPA/anlil.html
> Chicago Area Map: http://www.anl.gov/OPA/photo/chimap3.gif
> Argonne Site Map: http://www.anl.gov/OPA/ilsitemap.html
>
> Limousine Information:
> The following are available limousine services between O'Hare or Midway
> Airport and ANL. To make advance reservations call: American Limousine
> 630-920-8888 United Limousine 630/969-3865 or out of state 800/826-034
>
> Argonne National Laboratory is about 45 minutes by car from each of the two
> major Chicago airports, O'Hare and Midway. Limousine service is available
> from each airport, and major car rental agencies serve both airports. (Make
> sure limousine takes you all the way to conference center, hotel, or
> building destination.)

My manager and I registered for this conference (thru fax) on Fri. March 21 
2003 (see below for the response from anl):

On March 21, 2003 02:11 pm, you wrote:
> We have received your registration form for the Access Grid Retreat 2003.
> Please remember to make your accommodation arrangements directly with the
> hotel.  The number for the Argonne Guest House is 800. 632.8990 or
> 630.739.6000.  A block of rooms has been reserved under the meeting name
> "Access Grid Retreat".  Please reference that when you make your
> reservation.
>
>
>
> Please enter Argonne at the Northgate entrance on Cass Avenue.  If you do
> not have a U.S. Department of Energy badge, you need to go to the Argonne
> Information Center, identify yourself as an attendee at the Retreat, and
> pick up your Gate Pass.  You must prominently display your pass while on
> site.  After normal business hours and on weekends, your name will be at
> the Guard Post.  A photo I.D., such as a driver's license or passport, is
> required for site access.  All vehicles entering the site are subject to
> search.
>
>
>
> A second confirmation will be sent to you when your credit is processed for
> the $85 registration fee.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Marianne (630.252.5587)

On the same day I also booked a flight from Lasvegas to Chicago, since I'm 
down in vegas for the NAB conference (National Association of Broadcasters). 
I also did hotel reservations at the hotel on ANL Campus. All this has cost 
me directly C$1500 (Had to burn my CC since I was buying the ticket online).

Today I received an Email from Michael Papka telling me that I can NOT attend 
this years conference because I was born (literally) in the WRONG COUNTRY!!!

On March 25, 2003 11:24 am, you wrote:
> Many,
>
> New guidance from the DOE requires additional review and approvals for
> persons from particular countries and this process may take from 60 to 120
> days to complete.  We regret we cannot accept your registration for the
> Access Grid Retreat 2003 this year.  We will be happy to provide you with
> proceedings post-meeting.
>
> Michael E. Papka
> Futures Laboratory
>
>
> The following participant was successfully registered for the Access Grid
> 2003 Retreat.
> (remember it is the place of birth, not citizenship at issue now)
>
> >Name              : Many  Ayromlou
> >Company           : Ryerson University
> >Address           :
> >350 Victoria Street
> >City, State ZIP   : Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2K3
> >Country           : Canada
> >Phone             : 416-979-5000 x7642
> >Fax               : 416-979-5203
> >Email             : mayromlo at ryerson.ca
> >Track             : developer
> >Arrival Date      : 04/13/03
> >Departure Date    : 04/17/03
> >Registration Type : General ($85)
> >Special Needs     :
> >None
> >
> >This participant is a Non-U.S. Citizen. The relevant citizenship
> >information follows.
> >
> >Country of Citizenship : Canada
> >Place of Birth         : Tehran, Iran
> >Date of Birth          : 09/07/69
> >Passport               : %%%%%%%
> >Passport Exipration    : Nov. 01, 2005
> >Immigrent Alien        : no
> >Gender                 : male
> >Duties            :
> >IT Specialist - ResearchAG

Now considering that ANL only announced the conrefence URL's on March 1, how 
was I supposed to get clearance fully 60-120 days prioir. Also why was this 
not mentioned on the registration website at the time I registered. I've now 
spent a lot of money out of my own pocket to attend this conference which I 
can not get back (no refunds on plane ticket and I have no idea what happens 
to the hotel reservation).

I was about to send this email out to the list on Tuesday March 25, but I 
didn't. My manager has since talked to Mary Fritsch and Michael Papka and 
they have been more than willing to try to help with this matter (Thank you 
guys). But it turns out that even if the conference was not taking place on 
ANL grounds, since DOE is sponsering the conference the same rules would 
apply.

I have no beef with the ANL staff since they have been trying to get this 
resolved on my behalf. I just wanted everyone to know....up to this point I  
thought AccessGrid was a worldwide phenomena.....but apprently not according 
to DOE.

Thank you,
Many Ayromlou
System Engineer, Research and Projects
Ryerson University.