All partipants of SEA 2009 and the meeting of the SPP 1307 are invited to gather during SEA's opening reception on June 3. Please note that the reception will be held after the invited lecture by Robert Bixby; the talk and the lecture are open to all participants of both events.

In the spirit of the year 2010 celebrating the Ruhr Metropolis as the European Capital of Culture, SEA 2009 participants are invited to a guided tour of the German Mining Museum in Bochum (almost next door to the University) on Friday, June 5. Transportation will be provided.

The German Mining Museum (DBM) in Bochum is one of the most visited museums in Germany and is said to be "the most important mining museum in the world and a highly acclaimed research institute for the history of mining and metallurgy".

As a special attraction (and paying tribute to SEA as an Algorithm Engineering conference) the guided tour will include a visit to the replica mine located beneath the museum's building. The mine is comprised of 2.5 km of (well-lit!) underground tunnels, so make sure not to wear your finest dancing shoes.

The conference dinner will take place in the LWL Industrial Museum Zollern II/IV Colliery on Friday, June 5 (after the excursion). The Zollern Colliery is not only an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage but also used frequently as a scenic location for weddings and movies.