Local and Travel Information
Visa Information
Non-US citizens should consult this important information on visas and reimbursements.
Tucson
Tucson is located in southern Arizona, about 60 miles from Mexico. (Here is an overview map which shows its relation to other areas of the state.) Tucson is in the heart of the Sonoran desert, surrounded by significant mountains, including the 9100 foot Mount Lemmon. As one of the oldest settlements in North America, it enjoys a rich mix of cultures.
The city's website is well-designed and highly informative if you're looking for things to do or places to eat here, as is the Tucson Guide. You can check out the New York Times travel guide for more information and interesting articles about Tucson as well. Try the Arizona Guide site for more information about the rest of the state.
The University of Arizona
The University of Arizona was founded in 1885 with 32 students and 6 teachers. Today the University of Arizona has about 39,000 students and about 2900 faculty members, half of whom are tenure-track or tenured. Its annual research grants and gifts total over $450 million.
The Mathematics Department of the University of Arizona has about 60 tenured or tenure-track faculty and about 55 graduate students. (There are also about 55 graduate students in the closely related program in applied mathematics.) The department is known for its strengths in applied mathematics, math education research and outreach, and number theory, among other areas.
Getting Here
The Arizona Winter School is funded by the National Science Foundation. NSF rules essentially require that reimbursed air flights be purchased on U.S. airlines. There are some exceptions for some European-based airlines. The Tucson International Airport is located south of the city, only about 8 miles from the University, and is served by six major airlines: Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United, and US Airways. The simplest way to get to the university or a hotel is to take a taxi, or else to use the Arizona Stagecoach van service (520-889-1000), which has a desk in the baggage claim area. A taxi is about $30, and the one-way fare on Arizona Stagecoach is about $26, so for two people going to the same destination a shared taxi is cheaper. The airport's web site has details on other transportation options.
It is also possible to fly to Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport and drive or take a shuttle service to Tucson. The one-way trip is about 100 miles and takes about 2 hours.
If you would like a much more leisurely mode of travel, then you might consider Amtrak's Texas Eagle service. It stops in Tucson on its way between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Hotels
The evening sessions are currently held in the Tucson Marriott University Park. For another option close to campus, consider the the Aloft Tucson University.
Maps and Directions
These directions will pop up in a new window for easy printing.- Driving from the Tucson airport to the department or nearby hotels
- Driving from the Phoenix airport to the department or nearby hotels
- For other destinations at the University, use the official UA map.
Weather
The weather in Tucson in March is quite pleasant: daytime highs are generally in the 70's or 80's with overnight lows in the 40's. There is only a very slight chance of rain, so you can expect blue skies.
Here is the National Weather Service forecast for Tucson.