The Depot Project Update

TSRC is on course for purchasing the Telluride Depot from the Ah Haa School for the Arts in November 2019. After TSRC has purchased the Depot, Ah Haa would rent it back from TSRC for six months while Ah Haa finishes out their new space across from Baked in Telluride. TSRC would then begin restoration/renovations in Spring 2020 with the hope of fully occupying the Depot beginning with the Summer 2021 season.

This remarkable place in Telluride along the river and next to the ski area has always been one of our scientists’ favorite and optimal meeting spaces for promoting communication, collaboration, and creativity. The Depot will provide TSRC with consistent and reliable access to year-round programming space as it continues to organically grow and thrive and expands beyond the traditional Summer season. TSRC’s stewardship of the Depot will also allow the Depot to be shared with the Telluride community and present new opportunities for engaging interactions between TSRC scientists and Telluride residents and visitors.

The interest in pursuing the Depot originated from goals defined during the 2016 Strategic Planning effort. TSRC scientists and staff believe that by limiting the number of scientists per week to 150 (~six workshops), we can improve the sense of intimacy, a crucial component of TSRC workshops, as well as reduce the demand on lodging each week to reduce the overall cost of lodging. Once the Depot has been renovated (see conceptual drawings), TSRC will have three workshop rooms, plus the large “gallery” room for eating and socializing. There will also be a commercial kitchen and permanent offices for TSRC. We are now discussing different models as to how to optimally use the space for TSRC’s needs while still leaving space to other nonprofits and the community.

We are very excited about having a home at the Depot that will enhance the experience and the productivity of the workshop while helping to reduce costs for scientists when coming to TSRC.

Thank you to all the scientists who have already donated to the effort. If you would like to give, please send a check to TSRC, PO Box 2429, Telluride CO 81435 or donate online on TSRC's GoFundMe site.

Call for New TSRC Workshops

Annually, TSRC hosts approximately 50 workshops. To ensure that the workshops remain at the forefront and reflect new trends in molecular science and to diversify programming, we are inviting new proposals to be considered.

We are especially interested in proposals for new workshops in the areas of energy science, nanoscience, materials and polymer science, and atmospheric and environmental science, but other new topics in molecular science that are not covered by current workshops will be considered as well.

TSRC provides great support, making it easy to organize a workshop. Participants value these workshops as a place to discuss cutting-edge science at the highest levels in an intimate and informal setting.

Please share this opportunity with colleagues who might be interested in proposing a new workshop.

To be considered for 2020, we request proposals no later than August 31, 2019.

Details of TSRC’s proposal process can be found on TSRC’s website.

Consider Organizing a Fall or Winter Workshop!

We recently hosted the following three winter workshops;
- The Role of Fluctuations and Dynamics in Biomolecular Function
- Physical Genomics and Transcriptional Engineering
- Intermolecular Interactions: New Challenges for ab initio Theory (pictured)

Like last fall, we will also be hosting two workshops this coming fall. With the Depot, we will be able to host workshops anytime of year. All organizers and participants who have spent time with us outside of the busy summer season have relayed that these are some of their favorite workshops.

Scientist Communication Training with Judy Muller & George Lewis

Two Day Workshop: Tuesday, July 23 and Thursday, July 25, 11 am - 1 pm

Learn how to distill your message and communicate the essence and excitement of your work to a variety of audiences, from family and friends to journalists and other professionals. Veteran broadcast journalists Judy Muller (CBS, ABC) and George Lewis (NBC) will conduct two interactive workshops designed to sharpen your message for lay audiences.

Register Here for the Free 4-hour Workshop (limited to 12 registrants)

Town Talks 2019

With great thanks to our presenting scientists, we have an extraordinary lineup for the 2018 Town Talk Series. The full calendar may be found here. New this year, presenters will be mentored by Judy Muller, an award-winning journalist and former instructor at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. Ms. Muller will assist our scientists in crafting audience-engaging talks and will serve as interviewer and moderator for the audience Q&A.

TSRC Staff Changes

TSRC welcomed Sara Friedberg as TSRC's new Lodging Coordinator 2019. She replaces the role served by Kristen Redd who left TSRC in fall 2018. Since 2015, Sara has worked as a member of the summer programming staff and we are very pleased to have her part of the year-round team.

Board Changes

In January, Michael Feig, Michigan State University, replaced James Skinner, University of Chicago, as TSRC's new board President. Nancy Levinger, Colorado State University, is now Secretary and President-Elect. Bern Kohler, Ohio State University, continues to serve as Treasurer.

Anna Marie Pyle of Yale University became a new scientist Board Member at the beginning of 2019. We are excited about the experience and perspective she will bring to the Board.

Telluride residents, Carol Keogh and Mark Shambaugh, also joined TSRC’s Board of Directors in 2019. Both Carol and Mark have already played an instrumental role in our efforts to acquire and renovate the Depot.

Having left the board at the end of 2018, we are deeply indebted to our Past President, John Straub, Boston University, Ron Estler, Fort Lewis College, and Jody Miller for their great service and dedication to seeing that TSRC always remains healthy, viable, and a resource for the global scientific community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of them.

Important Notes!

• Register now for 2019. Registration is still open and lodging is almost full!
  
• 2019 Workshop Location. The majority of workshops will be held at the Telluride Intermediate School in 2019. This is the same location as last year and 2017, but a different school than where the workshops were held in 2015 and 2016. Be sure to check your workshop page for the location of your meeting.
• 2018 & 2019 Scholarships. The 2019 Paul Barbara recipients are Bryan Changala from the University of Colorado and Conor Perry from Georgia Institute of Technology. The 2018 Paul Barbara recipients were Caitlin Bresnahan, Louisiana State University, and Pablo Martinez-Bulit, University of Windsor. The Peter Salamon Award recipients for 2018 and 2019 can be found here.
• We Want Your Input & Advice: Your input is always welcome on any topic: summer schools, workshops, operations, food, or other topics. Please feel free to share you comments and good ideas. We appreciate your support.