Tapia 2005, the third in the series, will be held Oct. 19-22, 2005, in Albuquerque under the theme "A Diversity of Scholars a Tapestry of Discovery."

"Celebrating diversity means just that- appreciating the rich variation in our experiences, expertise and cultural backgrounds", said Conference General Chair Pamela Williams of Sandia National Laboratories. "The Tapia conference seeks to weave together these unique threads to create a tapestry of discovery and achievement."

While the program will cover technical areas, the conference is aimed at providing a supportive networking environment for under-represented groups across the broad range of computing and information technology, from science to business to the arts to infrastructure. The program will include technical sessions of papers and posters, guest speakers, panels, BoFs, workstops, a Doctoral Consortium and the ability to network with others who have a strong investment in research and diversity in computing. Plenary speakers will present both deep and broad views on computing issues of interest to the entire community. The panels will touch on hot-button topics at the forefront of the computing communities. Workshops will provide training and guided hands-on activities which advance professional development skills or activities. The Doctoral Consortium provides an opportunity for Ph.D. students to present, discuss and explore their research interests and career objectives with a panel of established researchers. Tapia 2005 is co-sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery and the IEEE Computer Society, in cooperation with the Computing Research Association.

"The topic of computing conjures up different ideas in different people, and we hope to tap into that diversity when evaluating submissions and designing the conference program", Williams said. "Our goal is to bring together leading researchers from around the world to give presentations on state-of-the art topics in the diverse fields of computing."

The Technical Program Chair encourages comments, questions or feedback about the technical program and submission process.

• Collaborative and Emerging Technologies
• Computational Mathematics and Science
• Multidisciplinary Activities in Computer Science

Submission:
Prospective authors are invited to submit extended abstracts of no more than 4 pages single-spaced in 12-point type size including results, figures and references.

• Deadline: March 4, 2005 April 8, 2005
  Submit paper abstracts here
  (Note that the presenting author should be listed as the corresponding author in the submission form.)

• Notification of acceptance: June 3, 2005

The poster session is an opportunity for students and researchers to present their research results and methodologies to a wide conference audience and network at the same time.

Poster presentations are invited in all areas consistent with the conference themes. The poster format involves the use of non-electronic visual aids for mounting on a poster board.

Awards will be given for the best poster with a student as the primary author and presenter.

References: How to write an abstract.

Submission:
Title and Abstracts are required. Abstracts should be limited to 150 words. All student authors should be highlighted with an asterisk next to their name.

• Deadline: May 20, 2005
  Submit poster abstracts here
  (Note that the presenting author should be listed as the corresponding author in the submission form.)

• Notification of acceptance: June 17, 2005 June 27, 2005.

We seek a broad range of panels, including leading edge technical topics in the 3 highlighted conference areas (e.g. collaborative and emerging technologies; computational mathematics, science and engineering; and, multidisciplinary activities) as well as professional development topics (e.g., mentoring, networking, proposal writing, etc.). Suggested points to address in the panel proposal include:

• What are the objectives of the panel?
• Who should attend the panel?
• What are the topics being covered?
• Are there written materials, and if so, what are they?
• What competing points of view will be discussed?
• What knowledge can attendees expect to gain?
• What are the number, names, and affiliation of speakers?
• What are the educational, technical, and professional background/qualifications of the speakers?

Submission:
Abstracts should be limited to 200 words
There is an additional 1-page limit for the proposal

• Deadline: March 4, 2005 April 8, 2005
  Submit panel abstracts/proposals here
  (Note that the presenting author should be listed as the corresponding author in the submission form.)

• Notification of acceptance: June 3, 2005

Submission:
Abstracts should be limited to 200 words
There is a 1-page limit for the complete proposal

• Deadline: May 20, 2005
  Submit BoF abstracts/proposals here
  (Note that the presenting author should be listed as the corresponding author in the submission form.)
• Notification of acceptance: June 17, 2005

We seek workshops that further the professional development of attendees (e.g., proposal/grant writing, effective teaching, career planning, etc.). Workshop submissions should include an abstract and proposal.  Suggested points to address in the proposal include:

• What are the objectives of the workshop?
• Who should attend the workshop?
• What are the areas and skills or tasks and activities being covered?
• What is the structure of the workshop? (e.g., length of time?, multiple time-slots?, presentation/discussion?, hands-on activities?, review of attendee materials?, etc.)
• What written, electronic or online materials will be included in the workshop?
• What knowledge and skills or direction and accomplishments can attendees expect to gain?
• How is the workshop designed to improve the performance of attendees both during and after the workshop?
• How will the workshop provide direction or progress on an activity which the attendee has in progress?
• What are the number, names, and affiliation of the workshop leaders?
• What are the educational, technical, and professional background/qualifications of the workshop leaders?

Submission:
Abstracts should be limited to 200 words
There is an additional 2-page limit for the complete proposal

• Deadline: March 4, 2005 April 8, 2005
  Submit workshop abstracts/proposals here
  (Note that the presenting author should be listed as the corresponding author in the submission form.)
• Notification of acceptance: June 3, 2005

• To provide a setting for feedback on participants' current research and guidance on future research directions;
• To develop a supportive community of scholars and a spirit of collaborative research;
• To provide a new generation of researchers and scientific leaders with advice and insight into academic, research, industrial, and non-traditional career opportunities;
• To contribute to the conference goals through interaction with other researchers and participation in conference events.

Student participants in the Doctoral Consortium will receive complimentary conference registration and a fixed allowance for housing/travel.

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: May 20, 2005
• Notification of acceptance: June 17, 2005
• Doctoral Consortium: October 19, 2005

1. Cover Sheet:
   You should view the cover sheet as a (1 page or less) summary of your application. This letter should include date or expected date of comprehensive exam (thesis proposal) and designate area to which your research resides.
2. Thesis Summary:
   Prepare a 2-page summary outlining the problem being addressed, the importance of the problem, the proposed plan for research, and a description of the progress to date. Distinguish between work that has already been accomplished from what remains to be done. Be sure to include the title of your work. At the end of the document provide a single sentence statement of your problem.
3. Background Information
   Please include a curriculum vitae of no more than 2 pages .
4. Letter of Recommendation
   Please include a letter of recommendation from your thesis advisor that assesses the current status of your thesis research and provides an expected date for thesis submission and/or comprehensive exam. In addition, your advisor should indicate their thoughts on what you will gain from participating in the doctoral consortium and significance of research to the proposed field. The student is responsible for ensuring that the advisor has provided this letter. The thesis advisor can send the form electronically or by fax to the DC chair.
5. Participant's Expectations
   Include a short statement of what you expect to gain from presenting and participating in the doctoral consortium as well as what you think you can contribute.

   Review Process
   The DC committee will select participants based on their anticipated contribution to the workshop goals. We are soliciting applications from the topic areas and methodologies stated in this call. Selected students will have decided upon their thesis topic, but still have significant research to complete. Students will be selected based on the clarity and completeness of the submission package, stage of research, and advisor's letter. Failure to complete the application package as stated in the instructions will result in nullification of the package.

   Participation
   All DC participants are expected to be present throughout the consortium and conference. Our experience has been that participants gain almost as much by interacting with their peers as by having their presentations critiqued by the consortium committee. As such, we expect the commitment from all participating students to attend the entire DC and conference.

   Submission:
   

   • Click here to submit electronic DC application
     If you do not receive an automated message acknowledging receipt of submission, please contact Dr. Nina Berry, nmberry@sandia.gov.