[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 1st WiML Un-Workshop is co-located with ICML on Monday, July 13th, 2020.
The Women in Machine Learning will be organizing the first “un-workshop” at ICML 2020. This is a new event format to encourage more participant interaction, especially with ICML going virtual this year. The un-workshop is based on the concept of an “un-conference”, a form of discussion on a pre-selected topic that is primarily driven by participants. Different from the workshop, the un-workshop’s main focus is topical breakout sessions, with short invited talks and casual, informal poster presentations.
The overall goal of the un-workshop is to advance research through collaboration and increased interaction among participants from diverse backgrounds. Students, postdocs and researchers in all areas of Machine Learning who primarily identify as a woman and/or nonbinary are encouraged to submit one-page proposal to lead a breakout session on a certain research topic.
While all presenters will identify primarily as a woman and/or nonbinary, all genders are invited to attend.
A breakout session is a 1-hour free-form discussion overseen by 1-3 leaders and with assistance from 1-2 facilitators to take notes and encourage participant interactions. We strongly encourage students, postdocs, and researchers who primarily identify as women and/or nonbinary in all areas of machine learning to submit a proposal to lead a topical breakout session.
A complete proposal consists of a 1 page blind PDF (example here) and the names and bios of leaders submitted separately in the application form. We strongly recommend having at least 2 leaders, with a diverse set of leaders preferred (see selection criteria below). The names of facilitators can also be provided if known at submission time. Otherwise, the organizers will match facilitators to breakout sessions.
Breakout session leaders must identify primarily as women and/or nonbinary; facilitators can be of any gender. Only one proposal submission per leader is allowed. If there are multiple leaders, only one leader needs to submit the proposal. There are no proceedings.
WiML registration fee funding is prioritized for accepted breakout session leaders who fulfill certain eligibility criteria (see details below) and do not have any other sources of funding.
Breakout session guidelines:
Submission instructions for breakout sessions:
Selection criteria for breakout sessions:
If you are interested in facilitating a breakout session but have not yet connected with anyone submitting a breakout session proposal, you can indicate your interest in the application form. Organizers will match selected facilitators to breakout sessions. Facilitators should anticipate a small additional time commitment before the un-workshop to receive briefing/training and a possible dry run.
If you wish to present a poster, submit EITHER a short abstract (max 1500 characters) OR a PDF of the poster (only if you have it already). The poster may describe new, previously, concurrently published, or work-in-progress research. Posters in theory, methods, and applications are welcome.
The poster presenter must identify primarily as a woman and/or nonbinary; other authors can be of any gender. The poster presenter does not need to be the first author of the work. Only one poster submission per presenter is allowed.
Accepted posters will be presented in a casual, informal setting. This setting is very different from formal poster sessions, e.g. at WiML Workshop at NeurIPS. While the exact presentation format is still being determined, it may be as simple as a webpage with poster PDF and pre-recorded video. There are no oral or spotlight presentations. There are no proceedings.
Submission instructions for posters:
The virtual nature of ICML and this un-workshop allows individuals from all over the world to attend. By funding a number of ICML registrations, WiML hopes to further expand the range of participants at this un-workshop.
To apply for funding, you should:
Accepted breakout session leaders who fulfill the above eligibility criteria and do not have any other sources of funding will be prioritized for WiML funding. Other participants are also encouraged to apply. Priority will be given to individuals from underrepresented regions or groups, first-time attendees of ICML or similar conferences, and individuals who would benefit the most from this funding.
Funding recipients must participate in at least one breakout session as a leader, facilitator, or attendee.
Due to limited funding, we may not be able to support everyone eligible; however, we hope to support as many eligible applicants as possible.
We also encourage you to apply for ICML volunteer and funding opportunities, which are separate and independent of WiML funding. Check the ICML website directly for details.
We are seeking volunteers to help with technical setup and virtual technology testing before the event, as well as help during the event, e.g. letting people into Zoom rooms, etc. We may also need emergency reviewers for breakout session proposals. You can indicate if you can help in any way in the application form here.
To participate in ANY of the above roles and/or apply for registration fee funding, please fill in this application form by **June 15, 2020**. Selected breakout session leaders, facilitators, poster presenters, volunteers, and funding recipients will be notified individually by the dates mentioned above.
If you only wish to attend, we still recommend you fill in this form to provide your timezone and topic preferences. All participants are required to abide by the WiML Code of Conduct.
Important note: This form does not constitute registration for the WiML Un-Workshop. To attend the un-workshop, you need to register for ICML at https://icml.cc.
Submission is now open!
Organizers
Questions? Check out the FAQs or reach us at workshop[at]wimlworkshop[dot]org[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]