Chicago, a world-class city bursting with first-class attractions, is a city with many nicknames. The Windy City. The Second City. The City of Big Shoulders. Well, the City that Works will work quite well for neurosurgeons. Chicago will host the 70th Annual Meeting of the AANS, April 6-11, 2002. William A. Friedman, MD, Annual Meeting Chairman, and Ralph G. Dacey Jr., MD, Scientific Program Chairman, are planning a blockbuster meeting. Neurosurgeons will be offered cutting-edge scientific sessions, highly relevant practical clinics and valuable breakfast seminars. The icing on the cake is Chicago itself, celebrated internationally for its museums, architecture, theatre, music, nightlife, restaurants and lakefront.
The scientific programs and exhibits will be held at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center. The headquarters hotel is the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers. Other hotels included in the room block are the Best Western Inn of Chicago, Embassy Suites Downtown Lakefront, Fairmont, Holiday Inn City Centre, Hyatt McCormick Place, Inter-Continental, Palmer House Hilton and the Ritz-Carlton. Shuttle service for the scientific program will be provided from all hotels except the Hyatt McCormick Place, which is within walking distance.
The exhibit floor, larger than ever before, will include the AANS Resource Center, a Residents’ lounge, poster presentations, and an area for lunches and breaks. The AANS is expecting more than 200 exhibiting companies, taking up 80,000 square feet of booth space.
The Opening Reception will be held on Sunday April 7 at the Field Museum. Start the meeting out by mingling with your friends in the shadow of Sue, the largest tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered. At the Field Museum, you can get a bug’s-eye view in Underground Adventure, descend into an Egyptian tomb, watch a glowing lava flow, be dazzled by sparkling gems, stand nose-to-nose with man-eating lions of Tsavo and learn about the world’s cultures.
The plenary sessions will include the Presidential Address, special lectures and the Cushing Oration. A very special event during the plenary session on April 8 will be a celebration of Harvey Cushing’s 133rd birthday. The joint sections will hold their sessions and business meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.
The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) will host a major concert fund-raiser on Monday evening in the Arie Crown Theater at McCormick Place. Music legend Ray Charles, accompanied by his 17-piece orchestra and five vocalists, will present an evening to remember. Watch for future articles in the Bulletin to find out how you can buy tickets to support the NREF.
Chicago is a particularly appealing destination for children. Navy Pier offers 50 acres of parks, gardens, shops and restaurants. Enjoy the towering Ferris wheel and visit the Chicago Children’s Museum. Children also will delight in the Museum of Science and Industry, the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium, Buckingham Fountain, Lincoln Park Zoo and the Sears Tower SkyDeck.
For the older set, the world-class attractions are endless: the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Second City, a host of theatres, historic architecture, outdoor sculpture, blues clubs and ethnic restaurants of every type. It’s a toddling town. It’s sweet home Chicago. It’s yours to enjoy for six days.
Registration materials for the annual meeting will be mailed in December. Updated information will be available on the Web at www.aans.org.