Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is the ISCB?
A: ISCB or the International Society for Computational Biology (http://www.iscb.org/) is the parent organization and primary sponsor of the annual ISMB conference. The ISCB is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of living systems through computation, with a special emphasis on the role of computing and informatics in advancing molecular biology. The Society aims to serve its membership by facilitating scientific communication and raising awareness through meetings, tutorials, publications and by electronic means. ISCB membership offers many benefits including reduced conference registration fees and reduced subscription prices for the Journal of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is the official journal of the society. There are currently over 1700 active members from 42 countries including more than 300 students and trainee members. A member's meeting and a meeting of the Board of Directors for the society are held annually in conjunction with the Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB) conference. Officers are elected on an annual basis and serve voluntarily.

Q: What is the ISMB conference?
A: ISMB (Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology) is an international conference sponsored by the International Society for Computational Biology. Over the past ten years, the ISMB conference has grown to become the largest bioinformatics conference in the world. For 2003, more than 1500 delegates from nearly 40 countries were in attendence. The ISMB conferences provide a multidisciplinary forum for disseminating the latest developments in bioinformatics. ISMB brings together scientists from computer science, molecular biology, mathematics, and statistics. Its principal focus is on the development and application of advanced computational methods for biological problems.

Q: Where is Brisbane?
A: Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland, Australia and is located in the south-east corner of the state. Lying amid the subtropics of South-East Queensland, Brisbane is ideally placed as Australia's most northern capital on the Pacific Rim. At Latitude 27 S, Brisbane lies roughly the same distance from the Equator as Miami Florida, Johannesburg or New Delhi.

Q: What language is spoken in Australia?
A: Australia is a multi-cultural nation and the official language spoken is English.

Q: Do I need vaccinations to visit Australia?
A: No.

Q: Do I need my passport to visit Australia?
A: Valid Passports are required for all visitors to Australia.

Q: How much is an Australian dollar?
A: The Australian Dollar is approximately AU$1 = US$0.54, depending on the exchange rate at the time of conversion. The following currency converter will allow you to convert Australian dollars to other currencies. currency converter = http://money.cnn.com/markets/currencies/crosscurr.html

Q: How much do things cost in Brisbane?
A: Australia is reasonably inexpensive. Big Macs cost AU$3 (US$1.63). A can of Coke costs AU$1.50 (US$0.82). High quality restaurant meals are generally priced between AU$12 (US$6.52) and AU$20 (US$10.87) per person. Luxury hotels are typically priced at AU$190 (US$104) to AU$285 (US$155) per night. Public transportation (buses, trains and ferries) in the inner city ranges from AU$2.20 (US$1.20) to AU$2.60 (US$1.42) on weekdays, and taxis cost approximately AU$8 (US$4.35) per 5km. The costs of most other goods (clothing, electronic items, books etc.) are quite cheap based on the current conversion rates.

Q: How do I get from the airport to my hotel?
A: The Brisbane International Airport is located about 20 km from Brisbane’s Central Business District. You may take a cab, limousine, bus, train or you can rent a car. Details about how much these options cost can be found here.

Q: Where do I register when I arrive?
A: Registration (badge and conference material pick-up) will take place at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on the Foyer Level) of the Conference Centre, inside the main entrance doors. View this convention center map as it shows where the Conference Centre is located in Brisbane. Conference attendees may start to register at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on the morning of June 29, 2003 (0730 hours). The conference registration desk will be open during the following hours:

• Sunday 29 June 2003 0730 – 1830 hours
• Monday 30 June 2003 0730 – 1800 hours
• Tuesday 1 July 2003 0730 – 1800 hours
• Wednesday 2 July 2003 0730 – 1800 hours
• Thursday 3 July 2003 0730 – 1700 hours

Q: Which expenses does a Travel Fellowship cover?
A: Travel Fellowship applicants and awardees will be required to pay their own ISMB conference registration fees, airfare and housing, ISCB will provide a check for the amount awarded which can be picked up upon arrival at the ISMB registration desk. Travel Fellowships awards vary according to region of origin, please refer to the Travel Fellowship page for more information. Undergraduate students, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows are eligible for travel fellowships. In some hardship cases, students and PDFs may request registration fee waivers.

Q: Where do exhibitors go to set up their booths?
A: Exhibitors must register at the conference registration desk (see above) prior to setting up their exhibits. Exhibitor’s bump-in will be between 1300 – 1630 hours on Sunday June 29, 2003. An individual or individuals at the conference will assist exhibitors with their exhibit assembly. Special audio, visual or internet requirements for exhibitors should be worked out with the conference organizers prior to arrival. Exhibitors must clear and disassemble their exhibits/booths by 21:00 hours on Wednesday July 2, 2003. http://www.iscb.org/ismb2003/showschedule.shtml

Q: Where do I set up my poster?
A: Conference attendees who are presenting posters will be assigned poster board locations within Exhibition Hall 1 (see map) at the time of registration and badge pick-up. Posters must be placed at the assigned location prior to the first poster session (1800 hours on Monday June 30, 2003). Posters must be removed by 18:00 hours on Thursday July 3, 2003.

Q: What is the Cyber Cafe?
A: The Cyber Cafe is an industry sponsored facility offering web and email access to conference attendees. To avoid long lines, we recommend that users limit their access times to 15 minutes per session.

Q: Where is the Cyber Cafe?
A: The Cyber Cafe is located in Great Hall 3 and can be accessed via the exhibition hall shown here.

Q: What do I do if I lose something?
A: ISMB 2003 will operate a lost and found centre and information centre at the registration booth on the foyer level.

Q: How much does ISMB 2003 registration cost?
A: Conference registration including conference badge, conference proceedings, on-site breakfast and lunch, reception tickets, drink tickets and industry night reception costs US$310 ~ US$750. Tutorials (on June 29) are US$85 ~ US$130 each. The registration fees do not cover hotel or travel costs, nor do they cover dinners. registration page: http://www.iscb.org/ismb2003/reg.shtml

Q: GST and the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)?
A: The TRS enables you to claim a refund of the goods and services tax (GST) and wine equalisation tax (WET) that you pay on goods you buy in Australia. The refund only applies to goods you take with you as hand luggage or wear onto the aircraft or ship when you leave Australia. It does not apply to services or goods consumed or partly consumed in Australia. However, unlike other tourist shopping schemes, you can use the goods before leaving Australia.

The GST refund is calculated by dividing the total amount of the purchase by 11. The WET refund is 14.5 percent of the price paid for wine. Customs will calculate your refund for you. For example, if you buy goods for a GST-inclusive price of $660 you will receive a refund of $60. If the $660 is made up of a camera ($460) and wine ($200), you will receive a total refund of $89 (total GST refund of $60 and $29 WET refund on the wine). The TRS is open to all overseas visitors and Australian residents, except air and sea operating crew. Further information is available at the Australian Customs web site http://www.customs.gov.au/.