FAQ

Portland21 • Area Conference on Science Education

What do I need to do before arriving at the conference?

Ensure that you have updated the CLEAR Health Pass. As part of our commitment to provide a safe environment at the Portland conference, all attendees must register with CLEAR Health Pass and upload their vaccination card or their negative COVID test (taken within 48 hours of the start of the conference). Attendees must have an all-clear, green screen from CLEAR to access the Convention Center.

What airport is closest to the conference?

Portland International Airport (PDX)

What should I bring with me to the conference?

Please remember to pack masks, sanitizers, and cleaners.

Do the hotels require a credit card when checking in?

Yes. The conference hotels require a valid credit card for incidentals.

What time zone is Portland?

Portland is on Pacific Time

How do I get from the airport to the conference hotels?

If you are using Uber, Lyft, or Wingz to leave the airport, please follow the signs to baggage claim on the lower level. Once you have your luggage in hand and are ready to go, call your preferred provider and head directly to Island 2 outside of baggage claim.
Taxis and courtesy and hotel shuttles are also available on the lower level. Visit this page for more details: https://www.nsta.org/portland-housing

What are the conference hotels?

The Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center is adjacent to the Oregon Convention Center, and the Courtyard Portland Downtown is a couple of blocks away.

Is conference shuttle available during the conference?

As the two conference hotels are within walking distance of the Oregon Convention Center, no shuttle service will be provided.

Who do I contact if there are any problems with my housing reservation?

Please confirm your housing reservation prior to arrival. If you have any questions or encounter any difficulties upon arrival, contact Orchid Event Solutions, between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM Mountain Time, Monday–Friday, at:

877-352-6710 (toll free)
801-505-4611 (international)

Where is the conference located?

Conference Services, the exhibits, the NSTA Store, sessions, and events will be located at the Oregon Convention Center (777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Portland, OR 97232).

When does the conference begin and end?

The conference will begin with concurrent sessions on Thursday, October 28, at 8:00 AM and end on Saturday, October 30, at 4:15 PM.

I have received an email with my registration confirmation. What should I do when I arrive on-site?

Proceed to the Holladay Lobby entrance. Note: There will be limited entry points to the OCC to enforce the CLEAR processing. Upon entry, there will be two lines for check-in. Proceed to the CLEAR Check-in Line, before going to the Badge Pick-up Line.
After your participation has been cleared at CLEAR Check-in, proceed to Express Check-in.
Each day, a different color-coded wristband will be distributed at Exhibitor & Conference Services located in Pre-Function Lobby A. You will need to obtain the proper color wristband for entry into sessions and the exhibit hall.

What do I do if I have not received my registration confirmation e-mail?

Before arriving at the conference, please contact us at reg@nsta.org.
At the conference, please visit Conference Services located in Pre-Function Lobby A of the Oregon Convention Center.

Where can I retrieve my badge for the conference?

Badges can be printed at Exhibitor & Conference Services. Care kits will also be distributed at this location.

Colored stickers will also be available to identify distancing comfort levels:

red: let’s socially distance
yellow: I’m okay with minimal contact
green: totally okay with any contact

What is the protocol for unvaccinated children? Are they required to register/create an account and upload a negative COVID test via CLEAR?

Parents/guardians above the age of 26 can add minors ages 14–17 to their Health Pass flow and/or bring their negative test with them. However, it is recommended that anyone 18 and under provide their vaccination card and/or negative COVID test in advance to CLEAR to ensure a smoother and more practical process.

What happens with international attendees? Does CLEAR work with them as well?

The CLEAR Health Pass does not accept international verification of vaccination. Rather, anyone traveling from outside the U.S. is REQUIRED to provide a negative COVID test result within 48 hours of the conference.

What is the protocol IF I begin to exhibit signs of illness?

Go directly to the medical center, located in Pre-function Lobby A or visit the closest hospital or urgent care center listed below.:

Where is the closest medical and COVID Testing facilities located?

Legacy Emanuel Medical Center is the closest hospital. It is located at 2801 N Gantenbein Ave., Portland, OR 97227, 503-413-2200 (1.7 miles from the convention center).

Zoom+Care Super is the closest urgent care facility and it is located at 607 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232, 503-684-8252 (less than 0.1 mile from the convention center).

Located directly across the street from the convention center, Curative provides a COVID-19 mobile testing site for the convention center on the Convention Center Plaza. This is a walk-up testing site that provides rapid antigen and PCR testing at no cost. The current operating schedule is Monday–Saturday, 8:00 AM–3:00 PM.

Are vendors, hotels, and convention center staff also following the NSTA COVID protocol?

NSTA has provided its guidelines to the vendors, hotels and convention center and has requested that only individuals who meet these guidelines be assigned to the conference and have contact with attendees and NSTA staff.

Is there complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the convention center? If so, what is the access code?

Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in the meeting rooms and all public spaces of the Oregon Convention Center. To access, click on the “OCC Free WiFi” network. No password is required.

Are meals included?

No.

Is there any place to eat in the convention center?

The Center’s restaurant, Portland Roasting, will be open Thursday–Saturday during the week of our conference. They will be selling coffee/beverages as well as pastries and grab-and-go lunch/snack items. Portland Roasting is located in Pre-Function Lobby B and will be open Thursday–Saturday, 8:00 AM–3:00 PM.

Where can I find a schedule of events and other information about the conference?

Visit the Portland conference onsite page here: https://www.nsta.org/portland21/onsite.

What are the hours for Conference Services?

Located in Pre-Function Lobby A of the convention center, Conference Services will be open during the following hours:

Thursday, October 28 7:00 AM–5:00 PM

Friday, October 29 7:00 AM–4:30 PM

Saturday, October 30 7:30 AM–4:15 PM

What are the hours for the NSTA Store?

Located in Rooms B112/B113/114/115/116 of the Oregon Convention Center, the NSTA Store will be open during the following hours:

Friday, October 29 10:45 AM–3:00 PM

Saturday, October 30 9:00 AM–12 Noon

What are the Exhibit hours?

Located in Rooms B112/B113/114/115/116 of the Oregon Convention Center, Exhibits will be open during the following hours:

Friday, October 29 10:45 AM–3:00 PM*

*with exclusive Exhibit Hall/Exhibitor Workshop hours, 2:00–3:00 PM

Saturday, October 30 9:00 AM–12 Noon

How can presenters upload materials for their sessions?

To share session materials, presenters should click here. Choose session day and title, find your session documents on their computer, and click Upload. To upload multiple files, simply repeat the process.

How can attendees download session materials?

If a presenter has uploaded resource for his or her session, a link will appear in the session description in the Portland session browser that is visible to all users. Users can click on the link to download the file directly from the session browser.

How can I document professional development experiences during the conference?

There are two options offered to document your professional development during the Portland Area Conference:

NSTA will acknowledge up to 25.5 clock hours for the NSTA Portland Conference. Please note that these hours are not graduate/ continuing education units. To document see instructions for creating your own transcript/certificate at: https://www.nsta.org/graduate-credit.

You can also earn one (1) or two (2) graduate-level credit/units in professional development through Dominican University of California course EDUO 9071. To obtain credit/units, you must be registered for NSTA Portland Area Conference, complete the required assignments, and pay a fee of $104 for one credit/unit or $208 for two credits/units. An NSTA transcript is also required. Register for graduate-level credit by Saturday, November 20, 2021, and submit the required assignments by Monday, November 29, 2021. Click here for complete details.

How do I get around town?

There are a number of ways to get around Portland. Hop aboard the MAX Light Rail or take a Shuttle, Taxi, Uber/Lyft.

Where do I park?

There are five downtown parking lots:

There is also on-street parking. Click on Parking to learn more about the different parking options and prices.