================================= Call for Papers Pacific Northwest SAS Users Group 17th Annual Conference June 11 & 12, 1998 Governor Hotel Portland, Oregon =================================

Conference Co-chairs -------------------- Robin Way (Program Chair) NW Natural 220 NW Second Avenue, Room 725 Portland, OR 97209 Voice: 503-226-4211 x2491 Fax: 503-721-2539 Email: rew@nwnatural.com

Charlotte Corelle (Logistics Chair) Kaiser Center for Health Research 3800 N. Kaiser Center Drive Portland, OR 97227-1098 Voice: 503-335-6740 Fax: 503-335-2424 Email: corellech@chr.mts.kpnw.org =================================

Announcement ------------ The 17th annual Pacific Northwest Regional SAS Users Group (PNWSUG) Conference will be held in Portland, Oregon on June 11 and 12, 1998 at the Governor Hotel. PNWSUG'98 conference organizers are currently accepting abstracts for paper presentations. Everyone from the novice user to the seasoned expert is welcome to contribute to any of the sections listed below.

Core Skill Development ---------------------- This section is intended to help members of our regional user community build awareness and expertise in the use of the SAS System for data management, analysis, and presentation. Papers in this section include beginning and advanced tutorials, training, and user support.

Applications & Publishing ------------------------- Papers in this section will focus on the use of SAS software to develop applications, construct and maintain data warehouses, and publish information using the Internet, intranets, and other resources. This section also welcomes papers describing systems architecture issues and solutions.

Analysis & Modeling ------------------- This section focuses on solving problems and supporting research and decision-making through the application of SAS software. Papers in this section address statistics and econometrics, information visualization, data mining and business intelligence.

Coders' Corner -------------- Come share your best tips and techniques, coding secrets, and debugging solutions with the audience. Maybe you'll learn something new as well--be prepared to stump the experts! ===========================================

In addition ----------- The conference will also include panel discussions and seminars, a variety of hands-on workshops, both formal and ad hoc on-line software demonstrations by SAS Institute staff, and a publications center for browsing and purchasing SAS Institute documentation and Books By Users. Attendees, presenters and organizers will receive a copy of the conference proceedings. There will be a Thursday early evening mixer for all 1998 presenters, organizers and volunteers. Attendees interested in helping with the 1999 conference in Seattle are also invited to attend.

Vendor exhibits --------------- If your firm is a SAS Quality Partner, we invite you to participate in our Vendor Exhibits area. Last year's exhibits were a hit--we expect repeat visits from last year's participants! This is an opportunity for your firm to meet SAS users and decision-makers in our region and to build awareness in this rapidly growing market. Please contact Robin Way for more information (see contact info at start and/or end of this posting). ===========================================

Portland attractions -------------------- The Rose City offers lots to see, eat, and enjoy! Portland plays a lead role among the nation's microbreweries, offering popular brewhouses like Widmer, Bridgeport, Portland Brewing and Full Sail. You can enjoy succulent fresh seafood at Jake's and McCormick & Schmick's, and grilled steaks and poultry at Red Star. Get a zesty gourmet pizza at Pizzicato, or a great burger in a funky atmosphere at one of the many McMenamin's Pubs. If you're interested in shopping, head to downtown's Pioneer Place mall--only a few short blocks from the conference. Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge and the spectacular Oregon Coast offer great sightseeing. No trip to Portland is complete without wine tasting in the nearby Yamhill Valley, which offers some of the nation's best pinot noirs. ===========================================

Abstract submissions -------------------- All paper submissions should include an abstract with title, and an author biography. Please use the form below to provide us with information on your submission. The deadline for the abstract and bio is March 15. Abstracts are typically 200 words long with a title of approximately 125 characters. The author's biography should be about 100 words long.

Section chairs and the conference Program Chair will select papers for each section. If your paper is accepted, you will be notified by March 31. A final, camera-ready copy of your paper is due by May 31 and should meet SUGI paper standards. Papers should be no longer than 10 pages, single-spaced.

You are expected to deliver a formal presentation of your paper. Audio-visual equipment is provided by the conference, including both LCD and overhead projectors. If you want to distribute handouts at the conference, you are responsible for printing and shipping. Your paper will be printed in the PNWSUG'98 conference Proceedings, which will be shipped to attendees following the conference.

We can accept paper proposals in several ways, including standard mail, fax, and email. Email submissions can include the abstract, title, and bio in the body of the email, or through an attachment (MS Word97, Rich Text Format (RTF), or plain text). Please refer to the contact information for Robin Way, Program Chair, on the front page of this call for papers. ===========================================

PNWSUG'98 Abstract Submission Form ---------------------------------- Author: Affiliation: Address:

City/State/Zip: Business phone: Fax: Email: Paper title: Preferred section: Recommended audience experience level: Beginner __ Advanced __

Please attach title, abstract and bio on separate sheet(s), and mail, fax or email to Robin Way by March 15, 1998: 220 NW Second Avenue, Room 725 Portland, OR 97209 Voice: 503-226-4211 x2491 Fax: 503-721-2539 Email: rew@nwnatural.com ===========================================

Note: Updated versions of this call for papers will be posted weekly on the SAS-L listserv and comp.soft-sys.sas usenet through March 31. A digital version of the conference registration packet will be posted weekly between April 1 and June 8. Please direct any correspondence to Robin Way at rew@nwnatural.com. Thank you.