SSLW2024 will be held at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, USA. All the sessions will take place on the third floor of the Student Union Memorial Center, located at the heart of the Tucson Campus (see Campus Map and Student Union Floor Plan).
UArizona is a land-grant university located in Tucson, about 100 miles from the US-Mexico border in the beautiful Sonoran Desert. Tucson is surrounded by four mountain ranges and is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. The University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
Arrival Information
University of Arizona Main Campus is about 8 miles/15-20 minutes from Tucson International Airport (TUS). To get to the campus from the airport, there are several transportation options available.
Taxi or Ride Sharing Services: You can request a taxi or a ride sharing service such as Uber or Lyft. Estimated cost in U.S. dollars from the airport to the University of Arizona campus is around $20.00. Please follow the directions at the airport terminal to find taxi stands and Uber/Lyft pickup points.
Shuttle Service: There are many shuttle companies that operate within the Tucson area; please contact them directly to learn more about details and fares. Your hotel may provide a free shuttle service; please check with them about details.
Public Transportation: Tucson’s public transit system, SunTran, operates buses and the streetcar within the Tucson area. SunTran fares are currently free for all passengers. Although there is no direct bus line to the University of Arizona campus from the airport, you can use Route 11 to travel towards the university. Please remember that this route may require transfers.
Car Rental: Several car rental companies have offices at the airport. Please contact them directly for information about rates.
Local Information
Accommodations. Please see here.
Local Transportation. The University of Arizona and Tucson offer various transportation options. You can walk to many hotels, restaurants, and shops or use the public transportation system, SunTran, SunTran offers bus services and the streetcar around Tucson both on weekdays and weekends. They are accessible and inclusive with equipment such as low floors for easy boarding. Fares are currently free. The SunLink streetcar operates along a 3.9-mile route that connects downtown Tucson, Mercado San Agustín, Fourth Avenue, Main Gate Square, and the University of Arizona. The route includes 23 stops, providing access to various attractions, restaurants, shops, art galleries, historic neighborhoods, and entertainment venues. Streetcar service runs every 10-30 minutes. Please check the SunLink website for up-to-date information about fares and stops. Many people also use ride sharing apps such as Uber and Lyft to get around.
Parking. Designated parking areas on UArizona campus are marked on the map below (in gray). The conference will be held at the Student Union Memorial Center (see the red location icon on the map). The closest parking to the Student Union is the Second Street Garage. If that garage is full, you can also check the Cherry Avenue Garage by McKale Memorial Center, the basketball arena. Parking during the weekend is free unless there is a special event on campus. Please see these details for visitor and hourly pay parking.
Dining Options: Your hotel might provide breakfast. Refreshments will be available in the conference’s exhibit area on all three days. In addition, the Arizona Student Unions offers various dining options, including a cafeteria, coffee shops, and fast food restaurants as well as a convenience store.
Outside the Student Union, there are a number of casual dining options just west of campus in Main Gate Square. Halal dining is available at Turkish Kebab House.
A bit farther from campus is the 4th Avenue and Congress Avenue area, a vibrant dining and shopping area accessible to campus (20-minute walk and 10-minute streetcar ride). This area provides a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and shops. For a bit of Tucson flavor in this area, consider Jo Jo’s (for a festive patio vibe), or BOCA (a James Beard Award semi-finalist). Just beyond downtown, but still on the streetcar route, is the Mercado District, which includes two adjacent areas with shops and restaurants in a unique Tucson setting. In addition, there are many good restaurants throughout the city, which is known for its vibrant local food community. You can find more information about local restaurants at ThisIsTucson.com, the Tucson City of Gastronomy, and VisitTucson.com websites. Feel free to ask SSLW Assistants for additional recommendations.
The Food Conspiracy Co-op, a full market and Tucson favorite, is located on 412 N. 4th Avenue, about 1 mile from the conference site. Time Market is a smaller speciality market and eatery, located at 444 East University Blvd, about 0.5 miles from the conference venue.
The Local Committee has prepared a list of lunch options in the Student Union and dinner options around town. (Special thanks to Dilara Avcı!)
Internet Access. UAGuest is a wireless network available to the visitors of the University of Arizona providing temporary access to the Internet. After selecting UAGuest network on your device, you can establish a UAGuest account by entering a username and phone number. The account will be valid for five days. EDUroam is also available on the University of Arizona campus and provides secure wireless access for visiting scholars from institutions that are EDUroam members. To access: 1. Choose EDUroam from the wireless networks detected by your computer or device; 2. Enter your institution’s login for the Username; 3. Enter your institution’s login password for the Password; 4. Click Join. You will be connected to the UArizona’s EDUroam secure wireless network.
Smoking. UArizona is a tobacco-free university. The University prohibits the use of products that contain tobacco or nicotine, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic smoking devices (such as e-cigarettes), bidis, kreteks, hookahs, water pipes, and all forms of smokeless tobacco.
Convenience Stores and Pharmacies. A convenience store (Arizona Market) is located on Level 2 (main level) of the Student Union Memorial Center (SUMC). The University of Arizona Bookstore also offers some products for daily use. The closest pharmacy to the Student Union Memorial Center is CVS Pharmacy, located on East University Boulevard.
Printing and Copying Facilities. You can print at any of the CATPRINTS kiosks that are available in the Student Union Memorial Center and throughout the Libraries. Guests can get a reloadable CatCa$h visitor card or purchase a WEPA print card. You can also create a guest WEPA account that allows you to print multiple documents during one credit/debit transaction. Another printing option, UAFastCopy, is located in the Student Union Memorial Center.
ATMs. There are ATMs located on the ground floor of the Student Union Memorial Center, near the stairs at the southeast corner of the building (see floorplan). You can find more ATMs near campus on this map.
Questions. If you have any questions or need help with local information, you can ask SSLW Assistants wearing a Symposium button.
Area Information
The University of Arizona is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. The university is classified among “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity.” Take a break from SSLW and enjoy walking around campus, or visit one of the many museums, galleries, or other venues located on campus or just outside campus–some of the most popular are listed below.
Campus Arboretum. The University’s Campus Arboretum is spread across the campus, featuring native plants and desert landscapes. You can learn more here from this interactive map.
The Center for Creative Photography. The Center for Creative Photography is recognized as one of the world’s finest academic art museums and study centers for the history of photography. The Center opened in 1975, following a meeting between University President John Schaefer and Ansel Adams. Starting from the archives of five living master photographers—Ansel Adams, Wynn Bullock, Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, and Frederick Sommer—the collection has grown to include 270 archival collections. Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am to 4:30pm. Admission cost: free.
Arizona State Museum. The Arizona State Museum is the oldest and largest anthropological research facility in the U.S. Southwest, with expansive collections that are exceptional resources for the study, teaching, and appreciation of the region’s 13,000-year human history. Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Admission cost: regular admission $8 (see website for details).
University of Arizona Poetry Center. The Poetry Center is among the most extensive collections of contemporary poetry in the United States. It is the largest such collection which is “open shelf.” Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9am to 5pm. Saturday 9-3. Admission cost: free
Those interested in learning more about the Sonoran Desert and Southwest flora and fauna shouldn’t miss the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum. The museum is a 98-acre zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum, publisher, and art gallery founded in 1952. Located west of Tucson, it features two miles of walking paths traversing 21 acres of desert landscape.
Hiking. For hiking enthusiasts, Tucson provides access to four mountain ranges and parks. Perhaps most notable is Saguaro National Park, home to the iconic Saguaro Cacti, symbol of the Southwest. There are two districts in the park, west and east, which offer access to the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains respectively. All levels of hiking are available, from casual strolls to longer, more strenuous treks. The Santa Catalina Mountains are often accessed through Sabino Canyon, a national recreation area, with tram tours to view the mountains and numerous stops to take pictures, or to access hikes of various levels of difficulty. Also popular with walkers is Tumamoc Hill, west of campus, which offers a paved pathway up to beautiful views of Tucson and the surrounding area .
Gyms. Some of the local hotels provide fitness facilities.
Local Museums and Attractions. Art lovers will enjoy the Tucson Museum of Art and the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, which features the art of Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia and is located in the Santa Catalina foothills. San Xavier Del Bac Mission, a historical church, is located just south of Tucson on the Tohono O’odham reservation. Biosphere 2 is the world’s largest controlled environment, used to study the impact of climate change and run by the University of Arizona. The Pima Air & Space Museum features a large collection of historical aircraft. Plant lovers should plan to visit Tohono Chul and the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Tucson is also home to a large number of local murals; you can take your own walking tour!
Shopping. You can find many quirky shops up and down 4th Avenue, which is within walking distance of campus and also on the streetcar route. La Encantada is a mall 9 miles north of campus with many shops, including an Apple Store for anyone who may need Apple services.
Wild West. To enjoy the flavor of the Wild West, you can visit Old Tucson (west of the city, where many western movies were filmed) or Trail Dust Town on the northeast side of Tucson. If you wish to try horseback riding, there are many riding stables in the vicinity. The city of Tombstone, an old western town that was the site of the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, is an hour and a half’s drive from Tucson.
Resorts. There are several resorts in and around Tucson, including the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Miravel Arizona Resort & Spa, Hacienda del Sol Resort, and the Westward Look Resort & Spa. Tanque Verde Ranch and White Stallion Ranch offer an Old West experience.
Parks and Recreation. In addition to the local parks listed in and around Tucson, Arizona offers a wide variety of natural and historic attractions, including Grand Canyon National Park, Sedona, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Chiricahua National Park,, and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. More information is available at Visit Arizona.
For Kids. For those with children, the well-run Reid Park Zoo is 10 minutes from campus by car/taxi. There is also a small-train ride for children in the park. Other kid-friendly spots include the Tucson Children’s Museum, Old Tucson, Trail Dust Town, Tucson Botanical Gardens, and the Toy Train Museum.
Disclaimer: The information here is provided as a service to SSLW participants. SSLW is not sponsored by these organizations or companies, and the inclusion of their information here does not constitute an endorsement. Enjoy at your own risk!