Trinity University (TU) was pleased to host the Ninth Texas-Mexico Conference on Astrophysics, in conjunction with The Instituto de Astronomia at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), the University of Texas at Austin (UT-A), and Rice University (Rice). The purpose of the meeting was to bring together professional astronomers, astrophysicists and interested students from all institutions in the Texas- Mexico region in order to discuss forefront topics of astrophysics and to present their own research in various disciplines of astronomy and astrophysics.

The program began on the evening of Wednesday, April 13, with a reception from 7-9 p.m. in the Chapman Center Great Hall on the Trinity University campus, and it concluded at about noon on Saturday, April 16. All scientific sessions were held in the Chapman Center, and a Conference Dinner on Friday evening was held in the Skyline Dining Room on the Trinity Campus. A block of 20 rooms for the nights of April 13, 14, 15, and 16 was reserved at the historic Menger Hotel, which is directly adjacent to the Alamo and within short walking distance of the famous River Walk. There is parking (for a modest fee) available near the Menger Hotel. Shuttle transportation between the hotel and the Trinity University campus was provided for the opening reception, in the mornings (before the sessions) and afternoons (after the sessions), and also for the conference dinner.

The scientific program involved talks of 15 to 30 minutes duration, followed by questions for 5 to 10 minutes, and also ample time for viewing and discussing poster contributions. Proceedings are to be published in the Revista Mexicana de Astronomia y Astrofisica, Serie de Conferencias. Lengths of papers will be decided by the editors, with abstracts for poster presentations.

Please use the URL addresses below in order to obtain further information.

Conference Poster:
http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physics/TexMex9/TexMex9Poster.JPG

Listing of Members of Scientific and Local Organizing Committees:
http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physics/TexMex9/SOC&LOC.htm

Tentative Speakers and Events Schedule:
http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physics/TexMex9/Speakers&EventsSchedule.htm

Official web site for the Menger Hotel:
http://www.historicmenger.com/
Relevant phone numbers and a hotel e-mail address are given there. The block of rooms was held until March 15, 2005, and participants had to make reservations directly with the hotel as early as possible. The cost per room per night (single or double) was $119 when participants identified themselves as being with the Trinity University/Tex Mex group.

There was no general conference registration fee. The cost of the dinner on Friday evening in the Skyline Room was $30 per person. Lunch options on Thursday in the Woodlawn Room included a buffet, or individual orders from a menu, and the cost was about $10 per person. Lunch on Friday at the Holt Center was also $10 per person. Participants had to contact the Trinity University Physics and Astronomy Department secretary, Alan Brown, via e-mail at Alan.Brown@trinity.edu to reserve spaces for the conference dinner and lunches, and to let him know if they planned to attend the reception on Wednesday evening and if they preferred us to also arrange a lunch on Saturday . This had to be done by March 28. The costs for meals were collected from participants upon arrival. Participants from UNAM, UT-Austin, or Rice, could also reserve spaces for meals by contacting their local Scientific Organizing Committee member. However, room reservations had to be made directly with the hotel.

Potentially useful maps may be found at:

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physics/TexMex9/SanAntonioMap.jpg
(This is a crude schematic of the San Antonio area.)

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physics/TexMex9/CityCenterMap.jpg
(This illustrates the relative locations of the Menger Hotel and Trinity University.)

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physics/TexMex9/MengerHotelMap.jpg
(The hotel at 204 Alamo Plaza (red star) can be reached from the Houston Street exit. There is a separate parking garage, for a modest fee, east on Blum Street from the hotel.)

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physics/TexMex9/TrinityMap.ChapmanCenter.jpg
(After exiting from US281 at Hildebrand, one can take Hildebrand west to Shook, at the second traffic light, turn left on Shook, and then turn left again on Rosewood Ave. The Chapman Center is at the end of Rosewood Ave., marked with a hand-drawn star.)

As noted above, shuttle service between the Menger Hotel and the Chapman Center was provided. There was also some limited parking available on the Trinity University campus.

To give a poster presentation or for any questions, participants were to contact Gordon MacAlpine at Trinity University (gmacalpi@trinity.edu).