This year was my first time attending any physics conference, so I was really diving in head-first with this 14,000 person event.
The event was hosted in Minneapolis and I was very excited to explore a city and state that I had never visited before. On the day I arrived, I had time to wander around the University of Minnesota and explore their art museum. I also spent several hours walking through the beautiful park along the Mississippi river. Overall, I was impressed with the natural areas, walkability, and transit around Downtown Minneapolis.
The conference itself was overwhelming but exciting. I learned a lot about quantum computing and it was a unique experience to be surrounded by so many physicists for the entire week. It was nice to finally meet all of my coworkers in person as well. I also ate lots of great food and enjoyed my first taste of the corporate travel experience.
My trip was fully sponsored by my employer, Lockheed Martin.