UK Regional Student Chapter of the Society for
Marine Mammalogy conference 2014
“ . . . organised by students for students.......”
We are delighted that you have decided to join us at the UKRSC Conference 2014 being hosted at the
University of St. Andrews, Sea Mammal Research Unit. The conference starts at 8:30 am on Thursday,
March 27th and finishes at 5pm on Friday, March 28th. Don’t forget the ice-breaker event at 6:00 pm
on Wednesday, March 26th at the St. Andrews Brewing Company or the conference dinner at 7:00 pm
on Thursday, March 27th at the Grill House!
Conference sponsors
Conference programme:
The conference is a forum for students to present their research and discuss it in a relaxed environment. The
programme will be packed full of oral presentations with plenty of time to look at the posters and hear from
those that are new to the Chapter too.
Several internal and external speakers are invited to run workshops and to discuss topics of interest. This year,
Dr Dominic McCafferty (University of Glasgow) and Dr. Sean Twiss (Durham University) have kindly agreed to be
our guest speakers. Dominic will be discussing ‘Hot seals and cool penguins: taking the temperature of marine
predators’, while Sean will be speaking about ‘being individual!’
We are pleased to announce that Dr Vincent Janik (St Andrews University) will provide a workshop on proposal
writing in the marine mammal sciences. Finally we also present Clint Blight, who will be showing us how to make
useful maps using free software.
We look forward to welcoming them and hope you enjoy their company and benefit from the wealth of
knowledge they will share with us.
Please see the Conference and Presentation Programme for a full programme outline and abstract details.
Food & Drink
Throughout the conference, coffee and tea will be provided during coffee breaks. For lunches, no food is
provided. However there is a beach ‘snack shack’ location just next to SMRU which provides soups and
sandwiches (cash only). Also, there are several places to get lunch in town, about a ten minute walk away from
SMRU.
Ice-breaker event at the St Andrews Brewing Company:
The Ice-breaker event (Wednesday March 26th from 18:00) will be held at the St. Andrews Brewing Company.
The St Andrews Brewing Company (both brewery and pub) is a new addition to
St. Andrews, opened in November 2013. But it is quickly becoming one of the
most popular pubs, both for the wonderful food as well as their renowned
brews. For more info check out http://standrewsbrewingcompany.com/. Drinks
at the ice breaker will be at own expenses, free tapas will be provided.
Dinner at the Grill House:
The conference dinner (Thursday March 27th from 19:00) will be held at the Grill House.
The Grill House has a relaxed, fun atmosphere. The food has roots in more traditional
Mexican dishes, but has been updated to cater to everyone’s taste and appetites.
For more info check out http://www.grillhouse-restaurant.co.uk/ . Dinner will be at own
expenses.
Accommodation:
St. Andrews has a selection of hotels, B&B’s, self-catering, guest houses and hostels. Cheapest options are:
- The St Andrews Tourist Hostel is located in city centre, just a few minute walk from the bus station and about a
20 minute walk from SMRU. http://www.scotland-hostels.com/st_andrews_hostel.htm . While we do
recommend checking this for availability, it is spring break and may be full.
- Arran House is located in city centre, near the golf course and St. Andrews Aquarium. It is about a 15 minute
walk from SMRU. http://www.scotland-hostels.com/st_andrews_hostel.htm . The Arran House is located on
Murray Park Rd., and there are several B&B’s that are lower cost here (around £40 - £50 / night)
- Another more affordable option would be the Dundee Backpackers, 71 High St., Dundee. Buses run every 15
minutes between Dundee to St. Andrews. www.hoppo.com/dundee So while you may pay £40 or more to stay
at a St. Andrews B&B, you could book a room in the Dundee hostel and get a return bus ticket for around £15£20 a night. The bus takes approximately 30 minutes (and if you catch the 99A or switch to the 95 in town, you
can catch the bus all the way to SMRU).
Other options are available
http://www.visitstandrews.com/
via
the
St.
Andrews
Tourist
Information
Centre
website:
How to reach St. Andrews
St. Andrews is approximately 50 miles north west of Edinburgh, 14 miles south east of Dundee, and 82 miles east
of Glasgow.
BY BUS
One of the easiest ways to get around Fife is by bus. St Andrews Bus Station is located in the centre of town and has services running
throughout the day from Monday-Sunday. Local services are provided by Moffat and Williamson. Students purchase their tickets on the
bus with cash, not card. Change is given. For schedule and fare information visit the website or head over to the bus station where there
are plenty of timetables available. There is also an information stand which is open ---- as well as cycle facilities.
Students who are travelling from Leuchars will need to catch the Stagecoach in Fife X99A, X99B, X99C or X99D services which leave every
15 minutes from the bus station or the Moffat & Williamson Service 92. A single ticket costs £2.75, a return £5.00.
Stage Coach Buses also run services between Edinburgh (X58, X59, X60) and Glasgow (X24, X26, X27). For schedule and fare information
visit the website or head over to the bus station where there are plenty of timetables available.
Students wishing to travel further afar can use Megabus whose services depart from Dundee, Seagate Bus Station and run services to
Aberdeen, London and Newcastle as well as Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels at low prices.
Bus journey planners are available at:


Transport Direct journey planner.
Traveline Scotland journey planner.
BY RAIL
Leuchars station is situated roughly 6 miles outside of St Andrews and is the closest train station to the university. Facilities include 24
hours parking, a café and a taxi rank. This is often the fastest mode of transport but also one of the most expensive therefore it is
recommended that students purchase a 16-25 railcard to receive 1/3 off the cost of rail travel. Tickets can be bought in advance online
using any of the rail company websites (recommended) or on the day at the station.
Leuchars is on the main London King's Cross via Edinburgh or Aberdeen line. From here, you can board a train to a variety of destinations
including Edinburgh, Aberdeen, York, Newcastle and London Kings Cross, without having to make changes along the way.
From Leuchars, St Andrews may be reached by bus (approximately every 15 minutes), car, or taxi.
Train times and Journey Planner:




National Rail Enquiries journey planner website
ScotRail
The Trainline
Transport Direct journey planner
BY CAR
The following are suggested routes to St Andrews from major Scottish cities: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Dundee and Aberdeen.
From Edinburgh (S)
1.
Cross the Forth Road Bridge (A90) after Edinburgh.
2.
3.
Shortly after the bridge A90 becomes M90.
Proceed north along M90 to Junction 2a (Dunfermline) onto A92.
4.
5.
Follow the A92 (through Glenrothes) until just before Cupar.
Join the A91 and follow to St Andrews.
Alternative route
1.
2.
Cross the Forth Road Bridge (A90) after Edinburgh.
Shortly after the bridge A90 becomes M90.
3.
4.
Take M90 to Junction 8.
Follow A91 to St Andrews.
From Glasgow (SW)
1.
2.
Travel east along the M8 following signs to the Forth Road Bridge, via the M9 to the A90.
Follow instructions "From Edinburgh (S)" above.
Alternative route
1.
2.
Cross the Kincardine Bridge (A876).
Follow directions to Perth (M90).
3.
4.
Join M90 at Junction 6.
Exit M90 at Junction 8.
5.
Follow A91 to St Andrews.
From Stirling (SW)
1.
Leave Stirling on A91.
2.
3.
Join M90 at Junction 7.
Exit M90 at Junction 8.
4.
Follow A91 to St Andrews.
From Perth (NW)
1.
From Perth follow M90 (South).
2.
Exit M90 at Junction 9 onto A912.
3.
4.
Join A913 through Abernethy and Newburgh to Cupar.
Turn left onto A91 and follow to St Andrews.
From Dundee and Aberdeen (N)





Cross the Tay Road Bridge on the A92 (South).
After approximately 1 mile, at roundabout turn left onto A914.
A914 becomes A919 at St Michaels.
Follow A919 to Leuchars.
At Guardbridge join A91 and follow to St Andrews.
Conference Venues
Icebreaker: St Andrews Brewing Company, 177 South St., St. Andrews, KY16 9EE. Phone number: 01334471111
Dinner: The Grill House, Inchcape House, St. Mary’s Place, St. Andrews, KY16 9UY. Phone number: 01334 470500
SMRU: SMRU is part of the Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, KY16 8LB. Phone number:
(0)1334 463446
Directions to SMRU from the St. Andrews Bus Station:
ST ANDREWS BUS STATION
United Kingdom








Head northwest on Windmill Rd toward Links Crescent/A91 0.1 mi
Continue on A91 to Links Crescent/A917 446 ft
Follow A917 0.7 mi
Follow A917 to Woodburn Pl 0.4 mi
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Abbey St/A917 0.4 mi
Turn left onto Woodburn Pl 0.1 mi
At the beach car park, turn right. SMRU will be at the end of the car park (the sign outside by the car park says
“Scottish Oceans Institute”).
When you enter the main entrance, you will be in the foyer where registration will occur. Talks will take place in
the main seminar room, just to the right of the entrance.