Panels Announced for Tapia Conference

released September 09, 2003

The slate of panels for the Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference 2003 (Oct. 15-18 in Atlanta) has been announced. Topics include:

"Advice to Early Career Professionals from the Trenches"
In graduate school, the rules for advancement are usually well documented. As professionals beginning careers in academia, industry, or a national laboratory, we find ourselves wading through systems with numerous unwritten rules, mechanisms for promotion, and social as well as professional networks. Three experienced panelists from academia, industry, and a national laboratory will discuss the most important issues faced by young professionals in their arena, interwoven with advice on handling those issues. "Defining and Sustaining Quality Mentoring"
The topic is the crucial concept and practice of varied forms of mentoring, from undergraduate research, to graduate research, and beyond the university. Speakers will include both experienced faculty from the university, an industry researcher, and a senior graduate student in computer science. The difference between mentoring and supervision will be explored. We will examine the mentoring needs of undergraduate researchers. We will analyze the components of successful undergraduate research mentoring as a conduit to graduate school. Panelists will address the mentoring needs of graduate students, sensitivity to issues faced by underrepresented students in majority universities, challenges in finding a good mentor, defining a good research problem, determining the level of guidance, mentoring for the job search, and sustaining mentoring relationships beyond the university. Panelists will discuss the critical role of peer mentoring provided through active minority student organizations. "Diversifying the Computing Pipeline"
It is well known that African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and other racial minorities are inadequately represented in both academic and professional computing. What are the reasons behind such dismal numbers? How do we increase the number of underrepresented minorities in undergraduate and graduate programs in addition to supporting those already in the pipeline? A full understanding of the experiences that limit the participation of racial minorities in computing must be addressed. Only then will the computing sciences benefit from an increased participation from these groups. Strategies will be presented that encourage underrepresented minorities to study computing; strategies to retain minority students in undergraduate and graduate programs will also be discussed.

"Grant Proposal Development Tips from the Experts"
Why is a particular grant proposal funded? Is it the exceptional content? Is it the dazzling presentation? Or is it based on who you have as friends or ... enemies? Three panelists from DOE, NASA, and NSF will present the "Dos" and "Don'ts" of developing and writing grant proposals based on their experience as program managers. In addition, each panelist will provide a "top ten" list of the characteristics of outstanding proposals.

"High-performance Grid Computing Panel"
This panel will provide a glimpse of high-performance Grid computing environment and applications that are made possible by decades of research, development, deployment and investment in the national computational hardware and software infrastructure. Three luminaries in the world of high-performance computing will highlight current accomplishments, advances in science and engineering that it has enabled, the opportunities and challenges in using this infrastructure to understand and solve large-scale problems, efforts in education and outreach, and some of the lessons learned, especially in broadening participation.

"The Hows and Whys of Graduate School: A Graduate Education"
Increasing the numbers of students from underrepresented minority populations attending graduate school will help to build a more diversified scientific workforce. Information about opportunities and processes involving graduate school can help these students make informed choices. The panel will address several topics, providing an overview of MS and Ph. D. programs, the logistics of the admissions process, and a discussion of graduate school life. The panel will include presentations from faculty members from a variety of institutions and underrepresented minority students who are enrolled in graduate programs.

"Navigating the Tenure Process: A Diverse Perspective"
This panel will highlight the requirements for successfully navigating the tenure process from diverse perspectives, with a special focus on minorities. Nationally, there has been a small and recent increase in the number of minority doctoral graduates entering academia. This is partially motivated by the current economic climate of a decrease in research positions at major companies and the increase of intellectual freedom in the academic environment. It is critical that minorities who have successfully navigated the tenure and promotion process to the level of full professor make known the strategies used to achieve a positive outcome.

"Politically Incorrect, Fast Pitch, Hardball or Asking the Hard Questions about Diversity in Computing: An Inquisition of Richard Tapia"
Richard Tapia has given a number of presentations on a variety of topics related to diversity in computing, and some of these presentations have been followed by question-and-answer sessions. Subsequent to some of these talks some have heard the following characterizations voiced: 1) Few questions were asked because Tapia is "preaching to the choir." 2) Few questions were asked because some potential questioners felt intimidated by fear of public opinion—that is, afraid that by asking a tough question they would be branded "insensitive" or "racist. In the true spirit of science we propose a full and open inquiry into the myriad questions surrounding diversity in computing.

"Where are all the Leaders? Closing the Leadership Gap"
What does it take to be a leader? Are leaders born or can leadership be taught? While we have made great strides in terms of diversity in the computing sciences there are still too few leaders from underrepresented groups. This is particularly troubling at the national level where many strategic technical decisions are made. This panel has convened several of the most respected leaders in their fields to share their thoughts on what is required to become a leader. Speaking from their own experiences, the panelists will discuss the qualities that they consider important to developing leadership skills. Following this discussion, the audience will be invited to suggest and discuss strategies for developing the next-generation's leaders.

Conference early registration closes Sept. 12. For more information, go to http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Conferences/Tapia2003/.

 

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