Frequently Asked Questions


  1. Q: Do I need a visa to enter the US?
    A: Please use VISA WIZARD at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html to determine if you need a visa to enter US. If you do need a visa, follow the instructions provided by the WIZARD.

  2. Q: I need an invitation letter to apply for a visa. Whom should I contact?
    A: Please email the organizing committee at AIMSConference@uncw.edu with subject “Visa: Invitation Letter”. You also need to register as a participant and/or submit your abstract(s) first. The invitation letter will be mailed to the address of your institution.

  3. Q: I am an invited speaker by a special session organizer. Should I submit my abstract to the organizer?
    A: No. Everyone should submit their abstract online. Please register at http://www.aimsconference.org/registerConference.html first, then proceed to the submit-abstract section.

  4. Q: To whom should I send my request for scheduling the time of my talk if I have a special circumstance?
    A:
        • For a special session talk, send your request to the organizer(s) of your session.
        • For a contributed session talk, please email the organizing committee at AIMSConference@uncw.edu with subject “Schedule Request”.
        Such requests must be received prior to March 31, 2016. Due to the size and complexity of the conference, there is no guarantee that your request will be honored.

  5. Q: I am an invited speaker for a special session. Do I need to pay the registration fees? What if I am a special session organizer?
    A: Yes. All participants are required to pay the registration fees.

  6. Q: How will the registration fees be used?
    A: AIMS Conference is a non-profit organization. The registration fees are used exclusively for the conference. According to the preliminary estimate, the conference will need to spend a minimum $250 per participant just to cover the daily lunches, coffee and refreshments, meeting rooms and audio/video equipment. There will be many other expenditures as well, such as the conference program/schedule, student helpers, internet, materials, etc.

  7. Q: How do I pay the registration fee and other charges?
    A: Please register at http://www.aimsconference.org/registerConference.html first and then proceed to the make-payment section. The details will be available later.

  8. Q: Is there any financial support available for travel and local expenses?
    A: No.

  9. Q: How do I make my hotel reservation?
    A: Go to http://www.aimsconference.org/conferences/2012/2012_Accommodation.html.

  10. Q: Do I have to pay a parking fee?
    A: The hotel provides Self-Parking for overnight guests at $5 plus tax and Complimentary Self-Day-Parking.

  11. Q: What kind of equipment will be provided in each meeting room?
    A: Each meeting room will have one screen, one data projector, and one laptop computer with Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat Reader. No personal laptops are allowed. You should prepare your presentation in PowerPoint or PDF and carry your file on a flash drive. Please report to your session chair 10 minutes before your session starts so you can upload your file to the provided computer in the meeting room.

  12. Q: What if I need an overhead projector?
    A: No overhead projector will be available.

  13. Q: Can I participate in a contributed talk and a special session at the same time? Can I participate in several special sessions?
    A: Yes with restriction. Any participant can present at most two talks in different special sessions or, a contributed talk and a talk in a special session.

  14. Q: Do I need to present a talk in order to attend the conference?
    A: No. The conference is open to anyone interested in attending. Registration fees still apply.

We will update this FAQ list as often as needed. Please contact Dr. Xin Lu at lux@uncw.edu if you have questions not listed here.