Call for Participation

The 12th Annual Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) has opened its Call for Participation.  The annual conference, presented by the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, is the world’s largest gathering of women in computing. The Grace Hopper Celebration will take place from October 3 – 6, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. This year’s theme “Are We There Yet?” recognizes that technology and the culture of technology are continuously evolving but there are also concrete goals we are striving to achieve.

Leading researchers present their current work, while special sessions focus on the role of women in today’s technology fields, including computer science, information technology, research and engineering.  The technical conference features well known keynote speakers and invited technical speakers, panels, workshops, new investigator technical papers, PhD forums, technical posters, birds of a feather sessions, the ACM Student Research Competition and an Awards Celebration.

The attendees who range from students to executives use this global platform to get inspired, stay on top of emerging trends, learn and network.

The organizing committee will review all abstracts submitted to the conference on the basis of a set of criteria including the quality of the submission and its relevance to this conference, originality and scope of the subject matter.

Important Dates:

Thank you for submitting abstracts to this year’s Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing conference. Abstracts are currently in review.

Deadline for submission of Program Abstract Friday, March 16th 2012 (11:59 PM PST)
Notifications Thursday, May 17th 2012
Registration Opens Friday, June 1st 2012
Deadline for submission of Final Program Content Monday, June 25th 2012
Conference Dates Oct 3rd-6th  2012

To stay on top of deadlines we recommend you subscribe to our newsletter:  http://anitaborg.org/get-involved/subscribe/

Top 15 Submission Tips:

1. Do not talk about a specific product in your organization.

2. Avoid anything that sounds like an infomercial

3. Communicate the impact of your work clearly.

4. Understand the target audience.

5. Consider if the track you are submitting into is a good match with your work.

6. You can edit the submissions as many times as you want before March 16th

7. Limit the number of panelists to five people including the moderator.

8. Cross-organizational or interdisciplinary discussions are highly encouraged.

9. We encourage submissions that promote diverse and international participation

10. Download the proposal template and use it to structure your proposal.

11. When you put Bios of presenter/panelists, make sure you tell us why they are experts on the topic proposed

12. A Panel comprises of thought leaders who talk 80% of the time with 20% audience interaction

13. A Birds of a Feather has someone leading only 20% of the time with 80% audience interaction

14. Consider submitting into “New Investigators” if you have completed your PhD or MS within the last three years (early career). There is an Award!

15. Does your submission Title reflect what you intend to talk about?

Guidelines:

Given the diverse audience at the Grace Hopper Celebration, we recommend that submitters review the following guidelines prior to submitting content:

  1. Your subject should not be something specific to your organization.
  2. If you have a panel, the panelists need to span across organizations, institutions and/or companies, with a panel limit of five people including the moderator. Cross-organizational or interdisciplinary discussions are highly encouraged.
  3. We encourage submissions that promote diverse and international participation
  4. Avoid anything that sounds like an infomercial.
  5. Download the proposal template and use it to structure your proposal. See Sample Proposal 1 and Sample Proposal 2 . This provides necessary information in a consistent format for the reviewers.
  6. We encourage submissions in line with the theme of the conference “Are we there yet?” in the areas of innovation within a company, from academia, or from individual contributors. Technical submissions that discuss the present and future state of technologies are encouraged.  For instance, Are we there leading technology companies? Are we there creating technology trends? How are we encouraging our girls in Math & Science? Are we there breaking stereotypes?”

New Investigators Papers Call for Participation

Panels, Workshops and Presentations Call for Participation

PhD Forum Call for Participation

Posters and SRC Posters Call for Participation

Social Collaboration Track Call for Participation

Women of Underrepresented Groups Track Call for Participation

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Birds of a Feather Sessions (BOFs) Call for Participation

“Birds of a Feather” sessions (BOFs) are ideal forums to discuss technical, social or career related issues in an informal but meaningful setting. BOFs are by nature participatory; the specific format is up to the organizers and must be defined as part of the proposal.

Topics: Technical, Social, Career related. All accepted conference material will be published in our online conference proceedings.

Topics covered in BOFs in the recent past covered a broad array of topics. Technical topics included mobile computing, open source. Career related topics included  networking, student-led mentoring programs, and academic hiring issues. Social impact topics included – starting a women in computing program.

For 2012, we welcome BOFs submissions related to any topic of interest to women in computing from industry, academia, and government, with preference given to topics that address the theme. We also welcome topics related to the specialized track Social Collaboration.

Submission format: A BOF proposal should include a title, a brief description of the topic, a description of the expected audience, a description of the format of the BOF, and a summary of the qualifications of the session leader(s). Submissions can be no more than two (2) pages in length (using no less than 10pt type). References do not count as part of the 2 page maximum. Your file upload must be in one of the following formats: PDF, ASCII text, or MS Word.

Use this Blank Template to help you get started: Template

Presentation Format: Some options include presentations followed by Q&A or facilitated brainstorming sessions about a topic or shared interest.

Presentation time: 60 minutes

Click here to submit a BOF via our secure submissions website.

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.

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New Investigators Papers Call for Participation

The purpose of the new investigators forum is to give women an opportunity to share the broad range of technical research work being done by women who are “new investigators” in the computing research field. A New Investigator is any person who has completed their PhD or MS within the last three years and is no longer a student.

Award: GHC2012 will have an award of $1,000 for the best new investigator paper; this award will be presented at the Awards celebration.

Topics: Lead investigator or substantial contributors in a technical computing field.

To ensure that submissions will not be counted as duplicate submissions by more specialized venues, unlike previous years, we will not be publishing papers in the proceedings.

Research that the investigator has already published is permitted, although original research is preferred. We encourage investigators to submit a broad overview of their research project, rather than a single technical result. This will better suit the audience, which is broader in area than found at typical conferences.  For instance, thesis highlights, problem statements, and overviews of an author’s technical field are welcomed.

Submission proposal format: Submissions should be no more than three (3) pages including text, references, and figures using a minimum of 10pt type and they must be submitted electronically. For examples of how to format your paper, please visit the ACM proceedings template website. The submission must include a statement that the primary author of the paper is a new investigator; that is, a woman who is or a recent graduate (within three years at the time of submission) of a PhD or MS program and who is no longer a student.

Suggested presentation Format: Each researcher presenting in the New Investigator session will give a research presentation followed by questions and constructive oral feedback from the audience on (1) the presentation, (2) the research topic, and (3) the progress made to date.  The mentor for each New Investigator session will provide feedback to the presenter after the session ends.

Presentation time: 25 minutes

Click here to submit a New Investigators Paper via our secure submissions website.

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.
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Panels, Workshops, and Presentations Call for Participation

Panels, Workshops, and Presentations (PWP) provide the foundation of content for the conference. Attendees should learn valuable information that will help them in their careers or provide them with new views on topics. A successful submission will provide an in-depth presentation of a particular topic.

Topics: Technical, Themed, Career, Social Collaboration, Women of Underrepresented Groups. All accepted conference material will be published in our online conference proceedings.

Submissions in keeping with the theme of the conference “Are we there yet?” in the areas of innovation within a company, from academia, or from individual contributors are encouraged. This translates to technical submissions that discuss the present and future state of technology. For instance, Are we there leading technology companies? Are we there creating technology trends? How are we encouraging our girls in Math & Science? Are we there breaking stereotypes?”

For 2012, we also welcome submissions related to the specialized tracks Social Collaboration as well as the Women of Underrepresented Groups track.

Professional and academic development topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Mentoring
  • Networking
  • Time management
  • Balancing professional and personal commitments
  • Work/life balance
  • Career growth
  • Working in a male-dominated industry.
  • Entrepreneurship related development

Technical topics that are relevant in the industry today can all make great sessions. Successful sessions in recent years have focused on topics like the following:

  • Cloud computing
  • Big Data
  • Data mining
  • Gaming
  • Human-computer interfaces
  • Bioinformatics
  • Geospatial innovation
  • Mobile Technology – wireless
  • Computer Architecture
  • Nanotechnology
  • Networking
  • Ubiquitous computing
  • Low-powered processors
  • Internet technologies and services
  • High-performance computing, and advances in computer hardware
  • Medical/health care technology
  • Sensors/embedded systems
  • Assistive technology
  • Open source
  • Robotics
  • Green tech
  • Grid computing
  • Programming languages
  • Computing education
  • Security and information management (e.g., identity theft, cyber tools, and privacy in defense, finance, health care)

Submission Proposal Format: Panel, workshop, and presentation proposals may be at most 3 pages using a minimum of 10pt type. Proposals should provide the following and must be submitted electronically:

  • The objectives of the panel/workshop/presentation.
  • For GHC2012, you can also submit material to the specialized “Women of Underrepresented Groups” track. To do so, prefix the title of your submission with “WURG”. For instance, your title reads – “WURG: Proactive measures that will open up opportunities for underrepresented minorities”.
  • Selection of which track you want to submit to. For GHC2012, you can submit to – Regular OR Social Collaboration track for consideration.
  • The targeted audience and any restrictions on attendance to workshops (size, background knowledge, etc.).
  • The format of the panel/workshop/presentation.
  • Proposed session length (not to exceed presentation time of 60 minutes).
  • An overview of the information to be presented including an explanation of why the information is relevant to the conference attendees.
  • A description of any written materials that will be available. A discussion of any competing points of view that will be covered.
  • The number, name(s), and affiliation(s) of the speaker(s) or panelists. Please make sure the proposed speakers have agreed to participate prior to submission. If biographies are included, please limit to 100 words.
  • The educational, technical, and professional background/qualifications of the speaker(s).
  • For samples of submission formatting see Sample Proposal 1 and Sample Proposal 2 .

Use this Blank Template to help you get started: Template.doc

Presentation Format:

  • Panels discuss topics relevant to the audience and current in the industry. Panels range in size from three to five panelists, including the moderator. Panels can take various formats, including a short introduction of the panel, followed by questions and answers; or short presentations by three to four leaders in the field, followed by an interactive dialogue among the panelists and the audience members. Cross-organizational or interdisciplinary panels are highly encouraged.
  • Workshops are designed to give attendees an experience with a particular topic and are interactive in nature. Workshops are run by one or two leaders who begin the session with structured training followed by in-depth discussions, exercises, or problem-solving. Unlike panels or presentations, workshops can be limited in size and can have attendance criteria. An example from GHC 2011 is the Expressive Electronics for Computer Scientists: An Introduction to E-Textiles Workshop.
  • Presentations give people an opportunity to share their work and insights they have learned. Presentations generally have only a single speaker and may be shorter than the 60 minutes usually reserved for a Panel or Workshop. Sometimes presentations are combined to share the 60 minute time slot. A technical presentation is one that is relevant to building skills or showcases an in depth knowledge about a particular technical topic.

Presentation time: 60 minutes or 30 minutes.

Click here to submit a Panel, Workshop or Presentation via our secure submissions website.

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.
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PhD Forum Call for Participation

The goal of this forum is to highlight the research of women in the last stages of their PhD studies in computer science and engineering (within one year of completing the PhD degree) and to give them the opportunity to present their research to a general, non-specialist audience, similar to what they will be encountering in their job interviews.

Topics: Technical. All accepted conference material will be published in our online conference proceedings.

Submission Proposal Format: All PhD Forum proposals should include the following:

Provided by the student in one file (2-3 page proposal):

  • Up to five (5) keywords that describe the research area and sub-areas. The keywords should come from this list.
  • a statement of the technical problem addressed and its importance;
  • the specific research hypotheses or questions;
  • an overview of the research methodology and proposed solution;
  • a description of the adopted evaluation method and the results obtained so far;
  • the expected contributions of your PhD research;
  • a short description (two paragraphs at most) of the student’s reflection on her research philosophy and experience;
  • a list of any publications, presentations, or related submissions by the student (full resumes are welcome).

You will also submit contact information; a 70-word summary of your research; contact information for the dissertation advisor; a short letter from the dissertation advisor; as well as names, affiliation and contacts of up to five potential reviewers for your work on the same nomination form. You may be asked to provide additional information or clarify information at the request of the committee chairperson.

Provided by the dissertation advisor:

  • A short letter assessing the current status of the student’s dissertation research and giving an expected date for graduation.

Submissions will be selected based on the perceived significance, contribution and potential impact of the research, with an aim to include presentations from researchers with diverse backgrounds, on a variety of research topics and approaches.

All PhD Forum proposals must be submitted electronically. Only completed submissions will be considered by the committee. Your file upload must be in one of the following formats: PDF, ASCII text, or MS Word.

Presentation time: 20- 30 minutes

Click here to submit a proposal to the PhD Forum via our secure submissions website.

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.
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Posters Call for Participation

The goal of the poster session is to provide an opportunity for an informal discussion of one’s research with conference attendees. Furthermore, it is an excellent way to convey ideas and results not yet developed into a full paper. See these suggestions on how to propose/create a research poster. You can submit work that has already been accepted at other conference venues.

Topics: Technical or career related. All accepted conference material will be published in our online conference proceedings.

Individual students who enter technical posters are encouraged to participate in the ACM Student Research Competition (SRC), sponsored by Microsoft Research. Winners will receive cash awards and recognition, and the SRC provides partial funding for the competitors to attend the conference. For more details on the competition, see ACM Student Research Competition (SRC) below.

Poster submission proposal Format:

The proposal for a poster should contain the elements listed below. Your file upload must be in one of the following formats: PDF, ASCII text, or MS Word, in a single column.

Proposer(s): Poster proposals do not undergo blind review, so your proposal should include as much of the following information as possible: name, address, phone and fax numbers, email address (expect most correspondence by email), WWW address (if applicable), etc.

ACM SRC Entry (optional): Student proposers should also indicate whether they would like to have their poster considered for the ACM Student Research Competition (see below). SRC candidates should also include research advisor’s name; ACM student member number; and category (undergraduate or graduate).

Statement of Topic: A short title.

Summary: Include a separate paragraph (maximum of 100 words) for publication in the conference proceedings that serves as a succinct description of the project.

Significance and Relevance of the Topic: Please submit an extended abstract of up to 2 pages (800 words) that explains why the topic is significant. References do not count as part of the 2 page maximum.

  • Problem and Motivation: Problem being addressed and explain the reasons for seeking a solution to this problem.
  • Background and Related Work: Specialized and relevant background necessary to appreciate the work. Include references to the literature where appropriate, and briefly explain where your work departs from that done by others. Reference lists do not count towards the limit on the length of the abstract.
  • Approach and Uniqueness: Your approach in attacking the problem and how your approach is novel.
  • Results and Contributions: How the results of your work contribute to computer science and the significance of those results.

Presentation time: Check the schedule for specific time when Poster session is open

Click here to submit a Poster via our secure submissions website.

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.
ACM Student Research Competition (SRC)

Individual Undergraduate or Graduate students submitting posters for GHC can opt to have their posters also considered for the ACM Student Research Competition, sponsored by Microsoft Research. In addition to being eligible for the standard GHC conference scholarships, selected contestants may receive partial support from ACM to cover part of the costs of attending the conference.

Description

The ACM Student Research Competition will be held in two phases, with prizes awarded based on judging during the conference. Students’ research will be evaluated on the quality and significance of the work, and the quality and clarity of both an oral and visual presentation.

The first round of the competition evaluates the student’s research during the opening reception and poster presentation. Those students who are selected by the judges to advance to the second round will continue in the competition by giving a formal (approximately 15 mins) conference presentation of their research the next day.

The winners from the second round of the competition will be announced at the Grace Hopper Celebration Awards Ceremony, and will continue on to ACM’s Grand Finals.

Subject Matter

Research and development from all areas of computer science qualifies. Only individual research may be submitted. If an individual is part of a group research project and wishes to participate in an SRC, they can submit and present their individual contribution to the group research project.

To Qualify

The Student Research Competition is open to graduate and undergraduate students whose posters are accepted by the Research Posters program. Proposers must be students at the time of the poster submission and ACM student members in order to qualify for awards or travel grants. Proposals must be single-author; jointly authored submissions will be rejected.

No more than three research projects will be accepted from a single department and no more than two of those can be in a single category. Departments are determined by the location of the research advisor. Please work with your Department Chair to coordinate submissions. Submissions for the research competition should describe the results of recently completed or ongoing computer science research conducted primarily by the individual student.

Travel grants of up to $500 may be available for students who do not have another source of funding and are current ACM student members. If the student is not an ACM student member at the time of the poster submission, they must become one when they are accepted in order to qualify for awards or travel grants.

Submit SRC poster proposals as indicated (above), and specify ‘SRC’.

Use this Blank Template to help you get started: Template.doc

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.
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Social Collaboration Track Call for Participation

The general theme of this track is Social Collaboration i.e. the collective generation, sharing, and distribution of digitally represented knowledge and artifacts. We invite contributions that address the technical aspects as well as the social preconditions and implications of this collaboration.

Topics: Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Understanding the impact of social collaboration on various collaborative processes such as software development, new product development, decision making, innovation, shared governance, education, etc. Applications where this can be relevant include
  • Web2.0 tools and platforms
  • Usability
  • Accessibility
  • Security
  • Mobility

Submission Proposal Format: The submissions can be made either through the

Use this Blank Template to help you get started: Template.doc

All accepted conference material will be published in our online conference proceedings.

Presentation time: 30-60 minutes

Click here to submit a Panel, Workshop or Presentation or a BOF via our secure submissions website. Submit into the “Social Collaboration” Track

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.
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Women of Underrepresented Groups Track Call for Participation

The Women of Underrepresented Groups Track (which is scheduled for Thursday of Hopper 2012) focuses on issues related to women from the following traditionally underrepresented groups: African American, Hispanic, Native American, and People with Disabilities. These groups share the common aspect that one must understand and appreciate the cultural aspects of the group to truly be inclusive. It is recognized, however, that each group has different cultural aspects.

The WURG track will highlight the unique aspects about each culture as well as the common issues faced with respect to women in computing. The track content is focused on undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and professionals.

The WURG track includes two confirmed panels and two open slots, for which we invite submissions. The two confirmed topics are “WURG: Coping and Mentoring Mechanisms for Women of Underrepresented Groups” and “WURG: Recruiting and Retaining Women Students from Underrepresented Groups”.

Topics: Technical or career related

Submission Proposal Format: The submissions can be made through the Panels, Workshops and Presentations category.

Please make sure to prefix the title of your submission with “WURG”. For instance, your title reads – “WURG: Proactive measures that will open up opportunities for underrepresented minorities”.

Use this Blank Template to help you get started:Template.doc

All accepted conference material will be published in our online conference proceedings.

Presentation time: 30-60 minutes

Click here to submit a Panel, Workshop or Presentation via our secure submissions website. Submit into the “Regular Track” but prefix Title with WURG

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.
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Audio/ Visual equipment provided:

LCD Projector, Projector Screen, Lectern, Wired Lectern Microphone, 2 wireless handheld microphones, 1 standing microphone for Q&A.
If alternative and/or additional Audio/Visual equipment is desired, please contact us prior to conference start. Onsite Audio/Visual requests cannot be guaranteed.

Questions:

To stay on top of deadlines we recommend you subscribe to our newsletter: http://anitaborg.org/get-involved/subscribe/.

For any submission related questions or for any further information, please contact us.

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