Austin is in the heart of Texas and is the eastern marker for the Texas Hill Country. Life in the Texas Hill Country around Austin has two main focal points-the outdoors and live music. From Zilker Park's Barton Springs swimming hole, to Town Lake's gorgeous hike and bike path, this relaxed and informal city is the centerpiece of an area brimming with recreational jewels. Then, after dark, saxophones start wailing at Antone's, Austin's famous blues joint, and Sixth Street bustles with action as revelers stroll between a wide variety of live music venues. The city is considered "The Live Music Capital of the World," boasting more than 120 places to hear live bands.

In spirit, the city of Austin is part wild-west, hippie, and high-tech all mixed together. The city is the home of both the state capital and the main campus of the University of Texas. The city has 300 days of sunshine a year. Because Austin is placed at the transition from lush southeast Texas to the more desert-like southwest, the animal species are very diverse, ranging from white-tailed deer, the armadillo, the roadrunner, to the Mexican free-tailed bat.

Austin has the largest urban bat colony in the United States, which resides underneath the Congress Avenue bridge over Town Lake.

The conference location is the Hyatt Regency Austin (http://www.austin.hyatt.com), located downtown on the shores of Town Lake, within walking distance of Sixth Street, the entertainment district, and the State Capitol Complex.