General Information

Welcome

The 32nd European Solid-State Device Research Conference, ESSDERC 2002, will take place in Firenze, Italy, from Tuesday, 24 September to Thursday, 26 September 2002, and is being jointly organized with the 28th European Solid-State Circuit Conference, ESSCIRC 2002. The rationale behind this merging process is that the enormous progress in VLSI and MEMS technology from the one hand, and in circuit design from the other, offers today new and exciting opportunities for the development of full systems on chip. This is likely to require much more future interaction between the two communities of technology experts and circuit designers. We believe that merging the two conferences is consistent with such a trend. For the time being, the scientific programs have been separately set up by the University of Bologna and the University of Pavia, respectively. The logistics of the joint Conferences, instead, is taken care of by the University of Bologna only.
This year, the joint program features six keynote presentations in plenary session, addressing such topics as nanoscale system-design challenges, prospects for single-molecule information devices, power-aware wireless microsensor systems, merging trends in nanoelectronics and biology, and high-speed converters for telecom applications. Also, the ESSDERC program offers three plenary invited presentations and three session invited presentations addressing new and exciting topics. The program also includes 111 oral presentations and 31 posters, carefully selected by well-known experts out of 269 contributions submitted from all over the world. Finally four workshops and a short course are being organized on Monday 23 September and Friday 27 September, 2002.
An appealing social programme has been set up. The latter features a welcome party on the evening of Monday 23 September in Palazzo Vecchio, a Concert in the Santa Croce Church and a gala dinner at the theatre "La Pergola". Thus, we are looking forward to an exciting scientific program within a culturally-stimulating environment, and welcome you to become a part of this major event in Firenze.

Giorgio Baccarani, Conference Chairman
Massimo Rudan, Program Chairman

About Firenze

For centuries the city of Firenze - undoubtedly one of the mankind's most important centers of culture and arts - has occupied a unique position among the world's most beautiful cities. Florentine history is closely linked to the history of Europe. Geniuses of universal importance flourished there, among them thinkers, poets, scientists, artists, statesmen and reformers as well as clever bankers who acted as shrewd merchants and enlightened patrons of the arts. Their names are familiar to people everywhere: Dante, Boccaccio, Lorenzo il Magnifico, Savonarola, Botticelli, Raffaello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Machiavelli, Brunelleschi, Galileo and innumerable others. Firenze was the cradle of the revolutionary ideas associated with Italian Humanism and the Renaissance in the 15th century and these quickly influenced the progress of the entire European continent. Only Rome and Venice can equal the historical interest and artistic treasures of architecture, painting and sculpture. Outstanding among these are the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi's masterpiece, surpassing even that of St. Peter's in Rome in boldness and architectural technique, and the Church of Santa Croce, adorned with frescoes by Giotto and Gaddi and containing the tombs of Macchiavelli, Galileo, Rossini and other renowned Italians. For centuries Firenze has also been an important center of craftsmanship, from jewelry and mosaics to furniture, embroidery, ceramics and leather work. Firenze remains today, as it was in the past, a forum for all sorts of intellectual and literary activity. Two other important academies, the Accademia della Crusca (1583) and the Accademia dei Georgofili (1753), the first dealing with the Italian language, the second with economic and agricultural sciences, are still operating. The Central National Library is the most important in Italy and is regularly attended by students from all over the world. A European University, as well as schools for foreigners, are located in the city center and in the hills outside (Fiesole, Careggi, Settignano, Bellosguardo, Arcetri, Carmignano,...). 

Climate

September is usually a sunny month with an average temperature of 20-25° C. Since rain showers are possible, light clothing and a raincoat are recommended.

Time Zone

Central European Summer time (GMT+2).

Electricity

Electricity is supplied at 220 Volts, 50 cycles AC. Round-pin plugs only can be used in Italian sockets. Please use an adapter plug and a voltage converter if you need 110/120 volt appliances.

Telephone System

In Italy, public phones are card and coin ones. Cards can be purchased at tobacco shops (Tabaccheria) and newspaper stands. All hotels are equipped with phones allowing international calls.

Currency & Value-Added Tax (VAT)

The Italian currency is Euro. 1 Euro is approximately 0.9 US$. Credit cards and traveler cheques are accepted almost everywhere. VAT (in Italian IVA) is charged on most goods except when purchased in duty-free shops. The current rate may range from 10% to 20% depending upon the item. If you produce items and tax invoices, VAT may be refunded at international airports.

Banks

Banks are generally open from 8:15 to 13:30 and some of them also in the afternoon from 14:30 to 15:30 on weekdays. Banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Automatic teller machines are located outside major banks (24 hour service).

Post Office

Opening hours are 8:30 to 12:30 from Mondays to Saturdays.

Tourist Office

Personnel of the Scaramuzzi Team Girovagare Viaggi Agency will be present at the Conference Center in order to give tourist information.

Shopping

Shops generally open from Monday through Saturday at 9:00 - 13:00. and 15:30 - 19:30. On Monday morning and on Sunday most shops are closed.

Emergency in Italy

In case of emergency dial 118 for ambulance and 113 for police.

 


 

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