Who are we?
The Workshops and associated coursework hosted by evomics.org is led by a small group of faculty at various institutions around the world. Primary representation and support comes from several co-directors that manage faculty invitations, curriculum development and logistical arrangements for each event.
How much does the Workshop cost?
While this may fluctuate from year-to-year, however, the standard registration fee is $1,950 (USD) per Workshop. The price difference is primarily due to the number of faculty involved, but also relates to the computational infrastructure required for each course. This fee provides for attendance to all lectures and laboratories and all materials associated with the Workshop and laboratory sessions as well as group activities such as the opening reception. This fee does not provide for your travel, lodging or boarding (discussed in more detail below), and may be reduced through competitive scholarship competition (also see below).
Do I have to apply to attend the Workshop?
Yes. We attempt to accommodate as many qualified people into the Workshop as reasonable, but do attempt to eliminate individuals who we feel the content may not be relevant. The application/decision process is very rapid and we typically get back to each applicant within 1-2 weeks after the application deadline. You can apply for a Workshop here.
How do I get to Český Krumlov?
Cesky Krumlov is within 2.5 – 3.5 hours from several major European cities. Many people choose to fly into Prague, Vienna or Munich for convenience. There are trains and shuttle services available from each of these locations. More information about these will be made available on our Housing and Travel page.
How do I arrange lodging in Český Krumlov?
We have partnered with the Český Krumlov Infocentrum to arrange discounted lodging with a variety of hostels, pensions and hotels in Český Krumlov. Following acceptance into the Workshop we will provide each incoming participant with a list of lodging options covering a wide range of styles and pricing. You can see last years information on our Housing page. Pricing subject to change for upcoming years.
What are my dining options while in Český Krumlov?
The region is well known for it’s beer and meat (primarily pork) offerings. However, due to the touristic nature of Český Krumlov during the warmer months, there is an extensive array of dining options for individuals with dietary concerns. In addition, there are several markets for people who wish to prepared their own food.
What else is there to do in Český Krumlov?
There are a number of options for local site seeing and shopping in Český Krumlov. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and considered one of the best preserved medieval towns in all of Europe. We will offer several organized outings at discounted rates with the Český Krumlov Infocentrum while you are in town, and there are several opportunities during the weekend breaks to take in some tourism of your own. More information can be found on the official Český Krumlov information page or on Wikipedia.
Overall how much does the Workshop cost?
This is a tough question as the answer is heavily dependent on where you are traveling from. However, we realize this calculation is critically important so we would like to provide you with some basic guidance.
All of the values below are in USD ($). Please consider appropriate exchange rates between your own currency, the USD and the Czech Koruna (CZK) when planning (http://www.exchangerate.com/).
As of the writing of this, the primary currency in the Czech Republic is the Czech Koruna (CZK). While you may be able to use Euros at the airport in Prague, you probably won’t in Cesky Krumlov or many other places. As a rough estimate, for the previous 4 years the approximate exchange rate has been 20-24 CZK per 1 USD. This is obviously susceptible to minor and major fluctuations, so please investigate on your own.
To participate in the full Workshop you will need to pay for the following:
1) Travel: Highly variable
2) Registration fee: $1,950 USD
3) Lodging: Anywhere from $20 – $65 USD per night for 14 nights for a total of $280 – $910. This is just an average, and the rates are subject to change. For an idea of what type of lodging you will get and for what price you can see the previous years pricing (possibly this years depending on when we get updates) on our Housing page.
4) Food: On average food and drink is very reasonably priced in the Czech Republic. Plan on spending $15 – $30 per day. Breakfast is typically provided as part of your lodging expense.
What can I do to prepare for the Workshop?
This varies between the Workshops, but in general you should become familiar with the topics on the schedule. We have several readings posted. All Workshops are computer intensive. While we will provide some formal training on how to work with Unix-style environments, please be aware that these are incredibly important for every laboratory session. So familiarity with working with the command line environment either in a Unix distribution or the Mac OS terminal will greatly enhance your experience. This should not discourage you from participation, and specific time will be set aside for Workshop participants who require more training in this area.
Why hold a Workshop in the Czech Republic in the middle of Winter?
The primary reason: cost. The Czech Republic in general is much less expensive than surrounding European countries, and even more so in the off season. While cold, most people leave pleasantly surprised at the beauty and charm of the town even during the Winter months.
What is the best way to receive updates about Workshops?
The Workshop has a twitter account and Facebook pages as well as a mailing list which you can sign-up for at the bottom of any page on this web-site. The mailing list sends emails very infrequently, and only relevant to Workshop related activities.
Who organizes and manages the administrative portions of the Workshop?
All Workshop programs are primarily supported through registration fees alone. This strategy enables a great deal of flexibility and sustainability for future Workshop development. Financial management of each Workshop is handled by Fourth Culture, LLC which is operated by Dr. Scott Handley. This LLC structure is necessary to facilitate international banking and credit card transactions as well as to legally operate the Workshop on a non-grant, registration fee only basis. Questions regarding this or any other aspect of the Workshop operation can be sent directly to Dr. Handley using this contact form.