Student Mentoring WorkshopICSE 2020

ICSE 2020 Student Mentoring Workshop (SMeW) is aimed at advanced undergraduates and first/second year graduate students. The goal of the workshop is to attract students to research careers in software engineering, to de-mystify the graduate school experience, and to offer first-hand perspectives on graduate study from recent Ph.D. graduates, young scholars, and senior researchers.

A purpose of the workshop is to promote diversity and increase the participation of students who are members of underrepresented groups in graduate studies in software engineering. We therefore especially encourage applications from women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and other groups underrepresented in computing. This workshop provides these students with valuable opportunities for mentorship and networking.

The workshop program will focus on important skills for beginning researchers and will offer mentoring opportunities with senior researchers attending the conference, discussing the topics:

• Why pursue a PhD degree and how to choose a research specialty area?
• What are the new emerging areas of research in software engineering?
• What are the differences/tradeoffs between a research career in industry, academia, government?
• How to network effectively at a conference?
• How to navigate graduate school toward a rewarding Ph.D.?
• How to create a good presentation?
• How to construct an awesome research paper?

See last year’s program for an example of talks and speakers for this event.

Travel funds

Travel funds are available to fund registration, hotel accommodation, airfare, and ground transportation and can be requested as part of the application process. We hope to cover or partially cover SMeW-related travel cost for many SMeW participants, but funds are limited and may not be available for all participants. Participants from diverse and underrepresented communities or participants who might otherwise not have a chance to attend the conference are especially encouraged to request travel funds and will be prioritized in receiving funds.

Application procedure

Fill out the application form: https://forms.gle/URFrkW4YBvB5h5vh9

Also arrange for a letter of reference from your academic supervisor, a research advisor, or another faculty member. This recommendation letter must be emailed to icse2020.smew@gmail.com with the subject line “SMEW20 Reference for ” by the advisor you indicate in the application form. The letter should speak to your interest or experience in research and software engineering and may comment on other relevant aspects that will help us select you for the workshop and travel funds.

The Student Mentoring Workshop will be on Tue 26 May. Details coming soon.