What to Expect When You’re Proposing (a Conference Session)

Conference, SIGUCCS People

After attending my first SIGUCCS I realized I wanted more, and getting more from my next conference meant putting more in. I needed to present! I had only recently started in higher education computing support and had no idea what to present or how to get started. I felt that a poster was a reasonable start to my professional presentation career and picked a project I worked on with a colleague to be sure I had a support network while preparing the poster. 

Eric Handler, 2020 Conference Program Co-chair

That was in 2017 and I haven’t looked back as I’ve continued to present in various ways at SIGUCCS conferences. Looking back on that decision, and remembering the “First Timers Orientation” I attended during my first SIGUCCS, I recall wishing there was a “First Time Presenters Orientation” for those who aspire to present. If you find yourself wondering how to get started with presenting, look no further. Hopefully, you’ve already decided you want to present. If not, check out the article Why Present? from 2019.

What’s in store for you next?

The Call for Proposals (CFP) will be publicized via the mailing list, Facebook, Slack and elsewhere. Once that process starts you will take the following steps between now and your opportunity to shine in San Diego:

  • Submit an abstract indicating what you would like to present during the CFP window (Approximately February-March)
  • Have your amazing abstract accepted (Accepted author notifications mid-April)
  • Write A Paper! Some formats of presentations for the ACM SIGUCCS Annual Conference require written papers in advance of the presentation. This requires submission of drafts, suggestions for revisions by volunteer members of the SIGUCCS community and formatting within ACM publishing guidelines. (Paper writing / revision process runs from May – August) – Learn more about the Paper Writing Process.
  • Prepare your Presentation/Poster/Panel (From acceptance until you go on stage!)
  • Present and Celebrate with colleagues in San Diego (November 7-10, 2020)
  • Start planning your presentation for the next conference!

Looking for inspiration? Join our Slack channels or post on the community Facebook site (instructions: http://siguccs.hosting.acm.org/wp/?page_id=437). Start a conversation on the email list (join at http://siguccs.hosting.acm.org/wp/?page_id=435). You might get an idea for something you can present. Or you might find a colleague that will present with you!

~ Eric Handler, 2020 Conference Program Co-chair

About SIGUCCS Editor

The Special Interest Group on University and College Computing Services (SIGUCCS) is an association of professionals who support and manage the diverse aspects of information technology services at higher education institutions. SIGUCCS is one of 36 special interest groups of ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, the world's largest educational and scientific computing society. SIGUCCS focuses on issues surrounding the support, delivery, and management of those services, and provides professional development opportunities for its members and the other individuals in the field.