Dear Interspeech 2013 participant, It will be a great pleasure for us to welcome you to the Lyon Convention Center within a few days, for the 2013 edition of the InterSpeech conference, the yearly international “rendez-vous” of the speech communication scientific community, under the umbrella of ISCA. We hope that you will enjoy the scientific programme with 4 plenary talks by internationally renowned experts, 50 regular oral sessions, 9 special sessions, 30 poster sessions, 3 show & tell sessions, 6 tutorials, an exhibition, a few special events and no less than 13 satellite workshops. In addition to the information available on the conference website (https://interspeech2013.org), we have compiled in this e-mail a few practical tips in order to facilitate your preparations and your arrival. Have a good trip to Lyon, and see you soon. The conference chairs Frédéric Bimbot, Cécile Fougeron, François Pellegrino CONFERENCE PROGRAMME The programme of the conference is accessible at: https://interspeech2013.org/content/programme-glance https://interspeech2013.org/content/detailed-programme REGISTRATION / BADGE Registration will be open on Sunday 25th from 14:00 to 19:00 and then from Monday 26th from 08:00 onwards. A special registration line will be available for exhibitors. Registration for tutorial attendees will also be possible on Sunday 25th from 08:30 on, before the morning tutorials. We remind you that you will have to carry your name badge at all time within the Convention Centre and other social event locations. Tickets for the social events will be distributed with your name badge. TRAVEL AND VENUE INFORMATION Weather info Lyon is located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the south east of France. Situated close to the Alps but also to the Massif Central mountains, and not far from the Mediterranean Sea, Rhône-Alpes climate is a blend of multiple influences. Summers are pretty hot because of some Mediterranean influences, but stay quite humid. Average day time temperature in August is about 21-26°C (69-79°F), while evening, temperatures can get as low as 14°C (57°F). Precipitation averages out to around 89 mm or about 3 ½ inches across the month. There are roughly 10 or 11 days that see some rain but overall visitors can expect to experience up to 11 hours of sunshine per day. We suggest you dress in layers to adjust your comfort from the warm days, to the Convention Centre air conditioning and potentially cool evenings. Time Zone The time zone in France is Central European Time. As France observes the Daylight Saving time, the time during the conference will be Summer Time, i.e. GMT+2. Languages The official language of France is French. The working language of InterSpeech 2013 is English. Currency and means of payments The only currency accepted in France is the Euro. Foreign currency may be exchanged at some banks, change offices in the city, exchange windows at the airport, Part-Dieu railway station, and in some hotels. Credit cards are widely accepted in France. A minimum purchase of about 10 euros may be required in small shops. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are available at most bank branches and at various public locations, including nearby the Convention Centre, on the Covered Street of the Cité Internationale. Electrical Current 220 Volts AC, 50 Hz. French Electrical outlets (CEE 7/5 or Type E standard) accept standard North American unearthed two-pronged or earthed three-pronged plugs through adapters only. Don’t forget your phone charger and a converter for your electrical appliances, if needed. Address The address and GPS location of the Convention Centre are: LYON CONVENTION CENTER / CENTRE DE CONGRES Latitude: 45° 47' 6.6042" Longitude: 4° 51' 10.4004" Maps of the conference premises are downloadable at: https://interspeech2013.org/content/venue Information on how to access the Convention Centre is available at: https://interspeech2013.org/content/travel-and-access Contacts If needed, conference organizers can be reached at the following (mobile) numbers: Damien LE MAREC: Elisabeth LEBRET: For matters which could only be dealt with by the conference chairs, you may want to contact: Frédéric BIMBOT: Cécile FOUGERON: François PELLEGRINO: The e-mail address can be used to reach all the above persons simultaneously. You can follow us on twitter: Local means of Transport We are very happy to inform you that, thanks to our gold sponsor Sytral-Tcl, each participant bag will include three day-passes for the Lyon Public Transport network (TCL). The main routes to travel in Lyon, as well as transport tips, are provided at https://interspeech2013.org/content/travel-and-access Lyon is also renowned for Velo’v, its large bike rental service, with around 4,000 bikes available from 340 stations. A 7-day ticket costs only 5 euros for short journeys. More information is available here: http://www.velov.grandlyon.com/?L=1 For participants traveling by car, several car parks are available onsite, but they are quite expensive (around 20 euros per day). However, in August, most of on-street parking is free, including in the Parc de la Tête d’or district. INTERNET ACCESS Wireless internet access will be provided free of charge, during the Conference, in the meeting spaces and public areas. TUTORIALS Registration to tutorials will start at the welcome desk on Sunday 25th at 8:30. Participants should have received an access code to their tutorial material. If you have not received it by Wednesday 21st, please contact On-site registration to tutorials may be possible, depending on available spaces. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESENTERS Guidelines for oral and poster presentations are available at: https://interspeech2013.org/content/instruction-presenters Remember that personal computers cannot be used for oral presentations and that presenters are requested to upload and test their presentation in the “Preview Room” at least 60 minutes before the presentation schedule Preview room will be open: Sunday 25th: from 4:00pm to 6:00pm Monday 26th: from 7:30am to 6:30pm Tuesday 27th: from 8:00am to 6:30pm Wednesday 28th: from 8:00am to 6:30pm Thursday 29th: from 8:00am to 4:00pm Posters have to be installed prior to the session (from 8:00am for the morning sessions, and during lunch time for the afternoon sessions). Each poster board number is indicated in the Book of Abstracts, but presenters can also go to the “Poster help desk” located in Forum 6, and get localisation information and material for posting their poster on boards. Show & Tell stands will consist of one counter table, two counter stools, an electrical connection, a multiple plug, an A0 poster board and access to the conference wifi. STUDENT ACCOMMODATION Students who have booked a student accommodation in the university residence will shortly receive a specific e-mail with details for the corresponding arrangements. SOCIAL EVENTS Along with the Welcome Reception on Monday evening and the Conference Banquet on Wednesday evening, a number of entertainment activities are planned during the conference. Stay tuned for more info to come on the 25th anniversary Grand Quiz, the Giant puzzle reconstruction, a daily fun-raffle, a Powerpoint karaoke,… All details will be provided when the conference begins and for those who were in Portland last year, do not forget to bring your puzzle piece (together with its key-ring) to the conference, as it may be the missing piece of the event or the lucky number!
