DIAC 2013: Directions in Authenticated Ciphers

11–13 August 2013, Chicago, USA

Travel and accommodation

Chicago [Wikipedia] is the third-largest city in the United States. 2.7 million people live in the city proper, 9.5 million live in the metropolitan area, and the city hosts 45 million visitors in a typical year. The city center is full of sights and activities [Wikitravel] easily reached by walking, thanks to the systematic use of skyscrapers for residences and offices.

Chicago has two major airports: O'Hare (ORD, 10000 Bessie Coleman Drive, 27km from downtown), which handled 66 million passengers in 2012, and Midway (MDW, 5700 S. Cicero, 13km from downtown), which handled 19 million passengers in 2012. O'Hare is one of the best-connected airports in the world, offering flights to more than 60 international destinations and more than 100 domestic destinations. Midway offers flights to more than 60 domestic destinations, notably on Southwest Airlines. Note that Southwest is not visible through most search engines.

Both O'Hare and Midway are conveniently connected to the city center by metro lines operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). This web page originally continued saying "metro" for general comprehensibility but the reality in Chicago is that nobody says "the metro"; it's the "L" or "El", referring to the fact that many of the tracks run on elevated lines. Taxis are faster but the L is simple and reasonably fast. O'Hare has a Blue Line L connection to the city center and UIC every 10 minutes. Midway has an Orange Line L connection to the city center every 10 minutes. Google Maps has a good understanding of Chicago's public-transportation system, including L and bus schedules. There is also live tracking of L trains and buses.

To find the O'Hare L station from Terminals 1, 2, or 3, look for signs saying Trains to City. The airport train station is underground:

To find the O'Hare L station from Terminal 5 (international arrivals), look for escalators up to the Airport Transit System at the top level. Get off at Terminal 3, and look for signs saying Trains to City.

There is a machine at the O'Hare L station that sells 3-day CTA passes, currently $20, and 7-day CTA passes, currently $28; same for the Midway L station. Sometimes the machine has trouble taking cash but it should still take cards:

These passes provide free travel on the L and on the CTA's bus network. There are also single-ride passes, but the 3-day pass will be the best option for most DIAC 2013 attendees. CTA says that a 3-day pass is valid for 72 hours from first use and does not expire at the third midnight.

All lectures will take place at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), specifically Student Center East (also known as Chicago Circle Center) at 750 S. Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60607. Student Center East is a 5-minute walk from the UIC L stop on the Blue Line:

Inside Student Center East, go up to the Cardinal Room on the 3rd floor (2 levels above ground):

Hotels

Chicago hotels are generally bookable through booking.com and reviewed on tripadvisor.com. Relevant points on Google Maps for evaluating hotel options:

• 41.977343,-87.904261: O'Hare airport. For L information: Get Directions, enter your hotel address, and click on the bus symbol.
• 41.786610,-87.737875: Midway airport.
• 41.872006,-87.647692: Chicago Circle Center at UIC. This is the conference venue.
• 41.8755,-87.6472: UIC-Halsted L stop (east exit) on the Blue Line. This is the closest L stop, 0.5 km north of the conference venue.
• 41.880871,-87.646991: Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro. This hotel is in Greektown, just west of the city center, 0.6 km north of the UIC-Halsted L stop. Rooms are available for DIAC 2013 participants at a special rate of $149/night until 20 July, subject to availability.
• 41.8780,-87.6293: Jackson L stop on the Blue Line. City center, 5 minutes from the UIC-Halsted stop. There are many comfortable hotels in the area.
• 41.8807,-87.6294: Monroe L stop on the Blue Line. City center, 6 minutes from the UIC-Halsted stop. There are many comfortable hotels in the area.
• 41.8830,-87.6293: Washington L stop on the Blue Line. City center, 7 minutes from the UIC-Halsted stop. There are many comfortable hotels in the area. Rooms are available for DIAC 2013 participants at the Burnham Hotel at a special rate of $185/night until 25 July, subject to availability.

The following hotels are officially designated as DIAC 2013 conference hotels:

• Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro.
• Burnham.
• Silversmith.

Adjacent conferences

• United departing ORD 08:25, arriving YVR 10:56.
• WestJet departing ORD 08:45, arriving YVR 11:14.
• United departing ORD 12:34, arriving YVR 15:03.
• United departing ORD 15:49, arriving YVR 18:18.
• United departing ORD 17:52, arriving YVR 20:23.
• United departing ORD 20:30, arriving YVR 23:01.

DIAC 2013 is also immediately before USENIX Security '13, the 22nd USENIX Security Symposium, which begins in the morning of Wednesday 14 August. There are many direct flights each day from Chicago to the D.C.-area airports: DCA, IAD, and BWI.

Crypto 2013 begins Sunday 18 August in Santa Barbara, and CHES 2013 begins Tuesday 20 August in Santa Barbara.

Weather

• 12 August 2012, 61-77 deg F (16-25 deg C), 4.3mph winds.
• 12 August 2011, 65-82 deg F (18-28 deg C), 7.6mph winds.
• 12 August 2010, 75-90 deg F (24-32 deg C), 5.5mph winds.
• 12 August 2009, 63-82 deg F (17-28 deg C), 8.1mph winds.
• 12 August 2008, 62-77 deg F (17-25 deg C), 4.0mph winds.
• 12 August 2007, 68-87 deg F (20-31 deg C), 7.1mph winds, 0.23 inches rain.
• 12 August 2006, 63-78 deg F (17-26 deg C), 8.3mph winds.
• 12 August 2005, 73-85 deg F (23-29 deg C), 9.1mph winds, 0.52 inches rain.
• 12 August 2004, 52-63 deg F (11-17 deg C), 7.8mph winds.
• 12 August 2003, 68-76 deg F (20-24 deg C), 12.8mph winds.
• 12 August 2002, 73-90 deg F (23-32 deg C), 14.5mph winds.
• 12 August 2001, 70-84 deg F (21-29 deg C), 10.7mph winds.
• 12 August 2000, 70-81 deg F (21-27 deg C), 7.25mph winds.