The afternoon of Wednesday, August 16th is free time. The conference organizers have arranged optional tours, all of which depart from or start in College Park at 2 p.m. Seats are limited and sign-up is required at registration.
- The National Cryptologic Museum
- The National Cryptologic Museum (NCM) is a museum of American cryptologic history affiliated with the National Security Agency (NSA). The first public museum in the U.S. Intelligence Community, NCM is located in the former Colony Seven Motel, just two blocks from the NSA headquarters at Fort George G. Meade. A bus will leave UMD at 2:30 p.m. for a guided tour of the museum and return at approximately 5:30 p.m. Tour is
limited to 40 participantsFULL.- The Smithsonian
- Located along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Institution is a group of free museums, education, and research centers, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Buses will leave UMD at 2 p.m. for the Peace Circle/Garfield Monument, with return buses leaving from the same location at 5:30 p.m. Excursion is limited to 100 participants.
- UMD Campus Tour
- This guided tour of the University of Maryland campus visits many notable landmarks, including Testudo, an iconic bronze statue of UMD's beloved terrapin mascot on McKeldin Mall; the Memorial Chapel; and the Rossborough Inn, constructed circa 1803, it is the oldest building on campus. Limited to 50 participants, this one-hour tour will meet at the Iribe Center.
- IonQ and Q-Lab — CANCELLED
- A leading developer of quantum computing devices, IonQ joined forces with UMD in 2021 to create the National Quantum Lab at Maryland, known as the Q-Lab. Located in the Discovery District, it’s the nation’s first user facility that enables the scientific community to pursue world-leading research through hands-on access to a commercial-grade quantum computer. This tour requires a non-disclosure agreement and prohibits cellphones and photography. Pre-approval by IonQ is required. If approval is not secured, you will have the opportunity to select another excursion option. This tour is limited to 24 participants and will meet at IonQ's headquarters which is a 20-minute walk from the Iribe Center. This tour will take about 1–1.5 hours.
- Joint Quantum Institute (JQI)
- JQI is a world-class research institute at UMD that brings together leading quantum scientists from the University of Maryland, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Laboratory for Physical Sciences. Each institution brings major experimental and theoretical research programs that are dedicated to controlling and exploiting quantum systems. This tour is limited to 24 participants and will meet at the Physical Sciences Complex on Stadium Drive. Due to construction detours, this is a 10-15 minute walk from the Iribe Center.