CURIOSS Members Winter Workshop 2025

Stephanie Lieggi

REGISTRATION LINK

All sponsored participants must register by December 6 in order for us to arrange your travel. All other participants should register by January 3.

Workshop Details

The CURIOSS Winter Workshop 2025 is a one-day event designed to foster collaboration and community among Open Source Program Offices within academic and research institutions. Participating OSPOs will be invited to share accomplishments, discuss challenges, and explore how CURIOSS can continue evolving to best support the growing OSPO ecosystem.

Schedule

  • The full agenda will be posted by mid-December.
  • We are tentatively expecting to be arranging an evening event on January 8 at or near the Dream Inn. More details to be provided soon.
  • The meeting will run from 9am to about 5pm on January 9, followed by a dinner at the meeting venue.

Meeting Venue

UC Santa Cruz Seymour Marine Discovery Center La Feliz Room and Terrace

Our meeting room has an ocean view with an attached terrace on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. The Seymour Center includes a small aquarium that is open for participants to walk through during breaks and after the meeting adjourns. It is also part of the Coastal Science Campus which includes scenic walks for those who want to take their breaks outside. This venue is not on the main campus, which means that it is nearer to hotels and other amenities.

Address: Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Shuttle transportation will be provided between the hotel and the workshop venue the morning and evening of January 9th.

Meeting Venue Parking

If you are driving to the meeting venue, please use ParkMobile to validate your parking. The ParkMobile zone is 15154. Parking is enforced Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM, except holidays.

Travel to Santa Cruz

The UCSC OSPO event team will arrange for flights and a hotel room from Jan 8th to Jan 10th for one person per institution and the CURIOSS organizing group. Other CURIOSS members who plan to attend (self-funded) should also register for the event and indicate if they want us to include their names on the hotel room list.

For participants local to the Bay Area, mileage reimbursement will be provided based on established rates for one person per institution. To receive mileage reimbursement, submit a request including a copy of a Google Map of your route to Yelena (ymartyno@ucsc.edu).

Shuttle and Ground Transportation

We will arrange for airport shuttles for those arriving on Jan 8 and departing Jan 10 from San Jose airport (SJC). The shuttle schedule will be based on flight schedules and we will attempt to group people together based on arrival times. More information on this will be provided once travel schedules become more clear. If you are a self-paying attendee, please let us know if you would like to be included on the shuttle service. Attendees not taking the group shuttle can arrange their own transportation with Uber or Lyft, or pre-arrange a local shuttle If you are arranging your own transportation, from San Jose Airport the average Uber travel time is 47 minutes and the average price is $70.

Airports

San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is 34.2 miles from the Dream Inn Hotel in Santa Cruz. This is the preferred airport and group shuttle will be provided for those arriving on Jan 8 and departing Jan 10. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 63 miles from the Dream Inn Hotel in Santa Cruz. If you are flying into SFO you will need to arrange your own transportation, the average Uber travel time is 73 minutes and the average price is $150.

Hotel

Dream Inn Santa Cruz is located 3 miles from the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Hotel amenities include a heated beachfront swimming pool and hot tub, pool bar, direct access to Cowell Beach, and it is home to the Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge. The hotel is at the end of the scenic route via West Cliff Drive and next to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Wharf. Visit Dream Inn Santa Cruz website for more information about the hotel.

A hotel room from Jan 8th to Jan 10th for one person per institution will be covered. For other participants, the room rate is $179 plus tax per night for the nights of January 8th and 9th. Instructions for booking hotels if you are paying for yourself will be available soon.

Note that if you intend to extend your stay, the room rate is $229 plus tax per night for the nights of January 10th and 11th.

Self-parking at the Dream Inn hotel is complimentary.

Weather and Things To Do

The hotel and conference venue are located on the coast near many beautiful beaches and scenic walks. Note that while winters are relatively mild in Santa Cruz, December and January are the rainy season. Temperatures typically range from evening lows of 45 degrees F / 7 degrees C to daytime highs of 65 degrees F / 18 degrees C, and temperatures can vary throughout the day. It is smart to dress in layers.

Santa Cruz has so many natural and cultural attractions, it is hard to just pick a few to highlight. This travler’s guide might be of interest if you plan to explore the area.

  • Natural Bridges State Beach: A refuge for wintering Monarch Butterflies, this park boasts a sandy cove, tidepools, a nature trail through the Butterfly Preserve, and several hiking trails. There is also a bicycle path around the perimeter of the park.

  • Redwoods: Santa Cruz is surrounded by redwood forests and there are numerous state parks where you can enjoy walking through these majestic trees. Henry Cowell State Park is the most easily accessible redwood area from Santa Cruz. It is about a 20 minute drive from the Dream Inn and has numerous trails. It is also notable that UC Santa Cruz main campus is situated among the redwoods and is easily accessible via public transport from the Dream Inn.

  • Downtown Santa Cruz: A 20 minute walk (.8 mi) from the Dream Inn. Downtown Santa Cruz offers a wide range of shopping, dining and nightlife activities.

  • Santa Cruz Wharf: Right next to the Dream Inn, the Wharf offers scenic views and is great for a leisurely stroll and sea lion sightings. Also offers dining options and gift shops.

  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: During the winter months, the boardwalk is open in limited capacity on the weekends. However, the largest arcade in the country is located at the Boardwalk and is open daily year round.

  • Mystery spot: The Mystery Spot is a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz. It is a circular area of effect around 150 feet or 46 meters in diameter. You can experience the puzzling variations of gravity, perspective, and height.