Fun facts about Eugene, Lane County, and Oregon:
36th Annual ABLE Meeting
The University of Oregon
June 17-20, 2014
The 36th annual workshop/conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education was held in Eugene, Oregon on the campus of the University of Oregon, June 17 to 20, 2014. Eugene (www.eugene-or.gov) is the second largest city in the state (population = 156,185) and is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, 100 miles south of Portland, Oregon (www.portlandonline.com) at the confluence of the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. Eugene is located in Lane County, Oregon (www.lanecounty.org) which is about the size of the state of Connecticut. Lane County stretches from the crest of the Cascade Mountains to the east to the Pacific Ocean, fifty miles to the west. Eugene is noted for its natural beauty, recreational opportunities (especially cycling, running, rafting, kayaking and sailing), focus on the arts, political activism and citizens with “alternative” lifestyles. Eugene is also home to numerous excellent microbreweries and wineries in the region produce some of the best Pinot Noir and other varietals in the world. Eugene’s motto is “A Great City for Arts and the Outdoors.” It is also sometimes referred to as the “Emerald City” or “Tracktown, USA” for its storied history of hosting the US Olympic Track and Field trials and as the birthplace of the Nike corporation.
The University of Oregon (www.uoregon.edu) was founded in 1878. It is spread over 295 acres and is home to 21,000 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students in 269 degree programs. The campus is a virtual arboretum with over 500 varieties of trees.
The UO Biology Department was excited to host the 2014 ABLE meeting and enjoyed welcoming ABLE members to our campus. In addition to attending the major- and mini-laboratory workshops and other conference activities, guests also had an opportunity to enjoy the friendly culture of Eugene and the surrounding area and some even came early and stayed after the meeting to explore the many beautiful areas in Lane County (www.eugenecascadescoast.org) and the state of Oregon (www.traveloregon.com).
Thanks for helping make the conference in Eugene a success,
Carl Stiefbold, Conference Host