Conference and Group Meeting Facilities

BML Lecture Hall [photo credit Fred Greaves] — Bodega Marine Laboratory Lecture Hall

Conference & Meeting Facilities

The Bodega Marine Laboratory offers a variety of meeting rooms and comfortable housing units to accommodate meeting and conference participants during the UC fall and winter quarters (mid-September to mid-March).

Conferences

Conferences and groups please contact the Conference & Events Manager, (707) 875-2003 to ensure availability, prior to submitting an application and follow up reservation request.

After contacting the Conference & Events Manager please submit an application form and activity request via the BML & BMR Use Application System to reserve conference space and/or accommodations. Once approved, we will email you a reservation confirmation and any other necessary arrival information.

Lodging

Our facilities include double and single rooms with and without private baths, with and without kitchenettes, and one to three bedroom units, see Housing and Conference Facilities. The BML Housing Enclave is located approximately one mile from the Laboratory on Bodega Head, at a fairly remote location with no direct public transportation service. Parking is available at both Housing and the Laboratory, and one can easily walk, bike or drive between the two locations. Winter months can be very quiet with few long-term residents on site. The town of Bodega Bay has services including a Post Office, several small grocery/general stores, restaurants and gas stations.

See Accommodations
See Rates

Contact the Housing Manager for information on accommodations.

Contact the Conference & Events Manager for information regarding events.

Dining Service

Full meal service can be provided to conference groups in the Housing dining hall or, by special arrangement, in the Laboratory.

A collage of images showing different dining options, including sandwiches, salads, barbecued oysters, and cakes.

Conference Menu
See Housing and Conference Rates for meal costs.

A permit is required to serve alcoholic beverages:

Permit to serve Alcoholic Beverages

Contact the Conference & Events Manager, 707-875-2003, for further information on meal service.

Payment

Arrangement for payment for the use of facilities must be arranged through the Conference & Events Manager, 707-875-2003

Policies and Waivers

University regulations require that Bodega Marine Reserve users sign waivers before walking anywhere on the Reserve. This includes the area surrounding the housing facility. Exceptions are limited to UC employees acting within the course and scope of their employment, and UC students accompanied by their instructors who have signed class waivers. Minors under 18 years of age must have waivers signed by parent or guardian.

Please see Bodega Marine Reserve Waiver Forms

Recreational use is limited to the developed enclaves, as described in the Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve Policies & Procedures.

Technology and AV Resources for Meeting and Conference Groups

Several meeting and presentation spaces are available at the Laboratory (details of each are described below). By request, BML IT staff can be scheduled to provide a technical introduction to the specific meeting space you reserve for your conference or meeting group.

Note that BML IT does not provide on-site meeting or conference support and is not present or on-call on weekends. It is recommended that conference groups assign a technical point of contact within their organization who can meet with IT ahead of the meeting date to become acquainted with the specific meeting room equipment and support the presenters throughout the meeting.

Contact BML IT or the Conference & Events Manager to arrange a meeting ahead of your scheduled event or for specific questions about available AV technology.

Web Conferencing and Zoom

Groups planning to use “Zoom” (or other web conference solution) should bring a current model laptop with an ethernet port, or USB to ethernet adapter, with appropriate web conferencing hardware and software. Conference groups may use their equipment with the dedicated display resources in the room. This is self-supported; the visiting group must be competent to configure and operate the web conferencing hardware with their device.

For best results, we recommend a wired ethernet connection to the host computer. Proficiency with Zoom (or other web conferencing software) is required.

Presentation (AV) Resources for Meeting Rooms

Lecture Hall Presentation Resources

Room seats ~120 people.

AV equipment includes projector (Mini DP, HDMI, and VGA inputs), audio, Blu-ray player, and large screen. A laptop PC is available for presentations in the lecture hall, or visitors may bring their own laptop. Note that the lecture hall does not have a spare or secondary projector. We cannot guarantee that a projector failure will not occur, but it hasn’t happened yet.

For web conferencing, the lecture hall has a projector, wireless access, lapel and podium mics and room speakers. You must provide a computer and a web conference camera and mic to capture audio/video of the speaker or the room (see above "Web Conferencing and Zoom"). Keep in mind that the lecture hall is a large space, and desktop web conferencing camera/mic packages are unlikely to be well suited to capture more than a single presenter or broad view of the room. Web conferencing is self-supported, the visiting group must be competent to configure and operate the conferencing system with their device.

Conference Room Presentation Resources

Room seats ~20 people.

AV equipment includes 75" 4K screen (Mini DP, HDMI inputs) with audio system. Conference room users must provide their own laptop and any necessary display adapters.

The conference room also has traditional voice-only Polycom SoundStation VTX 1000 conference phone with extra mics.

For web conferencing the conference room has a Meeting Owl (an all-in-one web conference camera/mic/speakers) that can be connected to a personal computer. Web conferencing is self-supported, the visiting group must be competent to configure and operate the conferencing system with their device.

BML Conference Room, Photo credit Cherrise Hannon — BML Conference Room

South Wing Lounge Presentation Resources

Room seats up to 45 people.

AV equipment includes projector and 70" 4K screen (Mini DP, HDMI inputs). Lounge users must provide their own laptop and any necessary display adapters.

For web conferencing bring your own web conferencing equipment. Web conferencing is self-supported, the visiting group must be competent to configure and operate the conferencing system with their device.

Public Education Room Presentation Resources

Room seats up to 40 people.

AV equipment includes projector (VGA input only), mid-sized screen, Blu-ray player, audio, users bring their own laptop and any necessary display adapters.

For web conferencing bring your own web conferencing equipment, web conferencing is self-supported, the visiting group must be competent to configure and operate the conferencing system with their device.

We recommend that zoom conference hosts use a wired ethernet connection on their presentation computer. Both the BML conference room and the lecture have wired network handoffs. You will need to provide an ethernet adapter if your presentation device doesn't have an ethernet interface.

Housing Presentation Resources

Tokau, Miwok, Oolok and the Dining Hall have flat screen TVs. The Dining Hall has a podium and HDMI hand-off for presentations.

All projectors support 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios.

Contact BML IT or the Conference & Events Manager to arrange an introduction to the room technology ahead of your scheduled event.

Note: BML IT does not provide web conferencing support for visiting groups and classes, and while we endeavor to provide the best possible network experience, we are in a geographically isolated location, subject to power and communications outages. Network interruptions, though rare, do occur, potentially at inconvenient times.

We aim to mitigate these impacts, but we cannot guarantee the success of any conference, particularly a web conference - web conferencing relies on many things working properly and nothing failing. BML IT cannot guarantee that you will have no technical problems that interrupt your web conference (though this is relatively uncommon). Have a backup plan should something go wrong; know how to use the technology; ask questions ahead of time. The success of your meeting relies upon your preparation.

Wireless Access

Wireless at BML

At the Laboratory visitors may use the wireless network “BML Guest” which requires no access password, just agree to the terms of use in your browser. Questions regarding network services should be directed to BML IT.

Wireless at Housing

At the BML Housing enclave visitors may use the wireless network "Housing", which requires an access password which can be obtained from BML IT or the Conference & Events Manager, 707-875-2003.

Note: Individual experience/performance of Housing internet service will be affected by the availability of existing bandwidth, particularly during peak occupancy/peak usage times. If you have critical business to conduct that is dependent on a solid network connection, your best option is to go to BML and conduct your work from there, where the bandwidth is better and the wireless network is well distributed throughout most of the lab.

During the months of peak occupancy, between June and October (6/15-10/1), network or wireless access problems will be considered P3 and will be addressed as soon as possible, during the resumption of business hours M-F 8AM-5PM, or as IT personnel are available during off hours.

During the months of lower occupancy, between October and June (10/2-6/14), network or wireless access problems at housing will be considered P4 and will be addressed within ~24 hours, as personnel are available, during business hours M-F 8AM-5PM.

Housing network problems should be addressed to bmlithelp@ucdavis.edu.

Automobiles/Parking

The lab entry road electronic gate is closed from 5:00 p.m. to 7:45 a.m. Monday through Friday, and at all times on weekends and holidays. The BML Housing gate is closed at all times. Gate access should be arranged with other accommodations through the Conference & Events Manager, 707-875-2003.

Ample vehicle parking is available both at Housing and the Laboratory.

Please park in the designated parking areas only. DO NOT park in front of the propane tank, generator, dumpsters, dune side of the parking lot, or on the dirt next to the dorm buildings. Please follow the posted speed limit, 15 mph, on the BML housing road and parking lot. 25 mph on the main lab road. Speed limits are crucial to everyone's safety (local wildlife included).

Keys

Keys to the housing facility are distributed at check-in and collected at check out. Residents are responsible for their keys. Please lock your door(s) and carry your keys whenever leaving your room.

For after hours key pick up contact the Conference & Events Manager, 707-875-2003.

Weather

Bodega Head is often windswept, foggy and wet, and the ocean temperature averages 54F. Visitors are advised to bring clothing (layers) suitable for a wide range of weather conditions. The average air temperature in the summer is in the mid 50's F.

See current conditions here.