Monday morning through Wednesday midday in Portland.
Plan your travel & know before you go
- Everything is at the Sentinel
All sessions, meals, and poster sessions happen at the Sentinel Hotel in downtown Portland — see the Accommodations page. The Tuesday boat tour is the only off-site element.
- Arrival & departure
Arrive by Monday, Oct 26 morning for registration and opening sessions. The main meeting wraps Wednesday, Oct 28 at 12:00 PM. NIEHS T32 Directors and (co)Directors: the T32 grantee meeting continues 1:00–6:00 PM on Wednesday, followed by a group dinner — plan departure after 6:00 PM.
- Superfund Site tour — 1:00 PM sharp
Boarding begins before 1:00 PM at the Portland Spirit dock, Salmon Street Springs. The boat departs at 1:00 PM. Walk from the Sentinel (~15 min) or take the shuttle — see the Travel page. Ground transportation back is provided. Lunch is served on board.
- Meals at a glance
- Monday: all meals provided
- Tuesday: breakfast and lunch (on board) provided · dinner on your own (Directors dinner at Jak's Grill, 1st floor of the Sentinel Hotel — invitation only)
- Wednesday: breakfast and morning break — meeting ends 12:00 PM
- Registration — $425
The registration fee covers all sessions, most meals, and the Tuesday Superfund Site tour. See the Registration page for details.
- Weather & what to wear
Late October in Portland is cool and often rainy (50–60°F / 10–15°C). Bring a waterproof layer for the riverfront — the boat tour goes ahead rain or shine. Sessions are business casual. Full session details, plenary speakers, and the final agenda will be published once confirmed.

Superfund Site tour
A guided field trip to the Portland Harbor Superfund site on the Willamette River, with lunch and transportation provided. Open to all attendees at no additional cost.

Two evening poster sessions
Trainees and investigators share work across both Monday and Tuesday evenings — the heart of the meeting's networking time.

Trainee Show and Tell Showcase
A session dedicated to the many ways trainees contribute beyond the research bench — sharing outreach efforts, educational initiatives, science communication, and creative projects.
Training Network Event
4:00 – 6:00 PMThis peer mentoring event is designed to help trainees build connections with peers outside of their own centers while exchanging practical knowledge that may not be readily available within their home programs. Through conversations first with trainees at similar career stages and then with mixed-career groups, participants will have opportunities to compare experiences across institutions, share advice and strategies, and learn how other programs approach common challenges in graduate and postdoctoral training. The goal is to expand trainees’ networks while giving them access to perspectives, resources, and career insights beyond those available within any single center.
Afterwards: Walk to Midtown Beer Garden for dinner, then continue to Powell’s City of Books. View the walking map →
Sign up to attend: Click here to Sign up for the Training Network Event
Three days, side by side.
Times are approximate and subject to change. Full session details, plenary speakers, and the final agenda will be published once confirmed.
- 7:00 AMBreakfastMeal
- 8:00 AMOpening sessionOpening
- 8:45 AMSession 1ScientificAdministrator
- 10:25 AMSession 2ScientificAdministrator
- 12:00 PMLunchMeal
- 1:15 PMSession 3ScientificAdministrator
- 2:45 PMBreak
- 3:00 PMSession 4ScientificAdministrator
- 4:45 PMPoster session
- 7:00 PMDinnerMeal
- 7:00 AMBreakfast breakoutMealFor CEC, DMAC, CEC/RETCC, and Directors
- 8:15 AMBreak
- 8:30 AMSession 5ScientificAdministrator
- 10:00 AMTribal Academic Partnership
- 11:00 AMKaren Wetterhahn
- 11:35 AMTravel to Superfund Site tourOff-siteAll
- 1:00 PMSuperfund Site tourOff-siteAll
- 3:30 PMTravel back to hotelOff-siteAll
- 4:45 PMPoster session
- 7:00 PMDinner on your ownMealDirectors dinner — invitation only · Jak's Grill, 1st floor of the Sentinel Hotel Sign up here.
- 7:00 AMBreakfastMeal
- 8:00 AMSession 6Scientific
- 9:30 AMTrainee Show and Tell ShowcaseShowcasing outreach, education, science communication, and creative contributions beyond the bench.
- 10:30 AMBreak
- 10:45 AMProgram continues
- 11:30 AM – 12:00 PMPoster Awards
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) T32 grantee meeting convenes for Directors and (co)Directors, followed by a group dinner.
Attendance is restricted: This meeting is open only to NIEHS T32 Directors and (co)Directors. Sign up here.
