Chapter Member Newsletter

ACM Chapter Member News | March 2024

Welcome to the March 2024 edition of the ACM Chapter Member News.

Chapters are the "local neighborhoods" of ACM. Our Professional and Student chapters worldwide serve as nodes of activity for ACM members and the computing community at large, offering seminars, lectures, and the opportunity to meet peers and experts in many fields of interest. With over 900 active chapters worldwide, we would like to take the time now to connect with all of you and bring you a few ACM Highlights.

HEADLINES AT A GLANCE:

• ACM Chapter News

• Chapter Spotlight

• Welcome to Our Newest Chapters

• Why join ACM?

 

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ACM Chapter News

Student Chapter Excellence Awards

It is that time of year again! The ACM Student Chapter Excellence Awards recognizes outstanding ACM student chapters. All student chapters in good standing are encouraged to apply for this award in one or more of the following five key areas:

-Chapter Activities
-Chapter Website
-Recruitment Program
-Community Service
-School Service

To be eligible, active chapters must have all required officers and at least 10 active chapter members listed on the Chapter Admin Interface (chapters in India must have 15 ACM Members). Each category has its own online application. To be considered for one or more of these awards, complete the applications found at: https://www.acm.org/chapters/student-chapter-excellence-awards by Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST.

Winning chapters in each of these categories will receive $500 and a "best of" icon to proudly display on their chapter's website. Also, these chapters will be recognized on the ACM website and in ACM MemberNet.

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ACM Chapter Spotlight

ACM would like to congratulate chapters for organizing the following successful events. If your chapter would like to be featured in the chapter spotlight, please email [email protected] with a description of your recent event.

Melbourne ACM SIGCHI Chapter
(Clayton, Australia)

The Melbourne ACM SIGCHI Chapter held a successful Panel Discussion with visiting international HCI expert, Professor Yvonne Rogers from University College London on January 31, 2024. The Panel was called “Beyond Interaction Design: The future of research and practice in UX, UI, and ID” and was chaired by Yvonne, with panel members: Stephen Viller (University of Queensland, joining remotely), researchers, Yolande Strengers (Monash University) and Jens Emil Groenbaek (Melbourne University), and practitioners Donna Spencer (Maadmob) and Amir Ansari (Academy Xi)

The panel discussed how emerging technologies and changing global priorities, situations and needs are affecting what we might need to do as researchers and practitioners to be future-ready. They specifically discussed the challenge of Generative AI to HCI. The audience was both in-person and online, with around 100 participants, and SLIDO.com was used to get interactions from all participants. They were also invited into the discussion. Being able to have an event like this and take advantage of Professor Yvonne Rogers presence in Melbourne was an amazing opportunity, and we thank the SIGCHI Development Fund for supporting the Melbourne chapter in being able to hold this event, as well as Swinburne University of Technology and Monash University for providing additional resources.

UPES ACM-W Student Chapter
(Dehradun, India)

UPES-MAC Bidholi vibrated with creative energy during the Global Game Jam 2024, held from January 26th to 28th. A fierce competition saw over 150 applicants vying for just 80 coveted spots, ultimately bringing together a talented pool of game enthusiasts. Under the guidance of industry luminaries like Kinshuk Sunil and Shagufta Khan, participants embarked on an electrifying 48-hour journey, pushing the limits of their imagination and technical expertise. Beyond the lines of code and vibrant pixels, friendships blossomed, forging connections that transcended the event. Laughter, collaboration, and a shared passion for gaming and coding filled the air, culminating in an unforgettable experience. As the event concluded, echoes of excitement and camaraderie lingered, a testament to the boundless potential of human creativity. This resounding success wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of the UPES ACM and ACM-W student chapters, who served as the driving force behind this remarkable event.

DYPIEMR ACM Student Chapter
(Pune, India)

Code-Fusion, organized by the DYPIEMR ACM Student Chapter on February 8, 2024, aimed to enhance participants' proficiency in Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA). Split into three rounds, it challenged participants with various DSA aspects. The initial round, lasting 20 minutes, consisted of 35 MCQs that tested fundamental concepts like arrays, linked lists, and sorting algorithms. Round two, lasting 25 minutes, included 40 DSA-based MCQs covering advanced topics such as trees, graph theory, and dynamic programming. The final round, a 10-minute session, featured 3 coding questions ranging from intermediate to advanced difficulty levels. It simulated a competitive programming environment, demanding problem-solving under pressure. Code-Fusion aimed to boost participants' problem-solving skills for technical interviews and competitive programming, with over 140 participants competing for overall growth.

BITS, Pilani - Dubai ACM Student Chapter
(Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

On November 23, 2023, BITS, Pilani - Dubai ACM Student Chapter hosted Code Champ 2023 during college hours. This event was tailor-made to draw in coding enthusiasts for an exciting session filled with programming challenges.The competition was designed to put participants' problem-solving and coding skills to the test. It was a fantastic opportunity for individuals to showcase their abilities and passion for coding. Beyond the thrill of competition and the allure of prizes, Code Champ 2023 also served as a platform for networking and learning. Participants got the chance to connect with like-minded individuals who share their enthusiasm for coding. The top three winners were rewarded with cash prizes of 150 AED, 100 AED, and 50 AED respectively and all participants were treated to free mini pizzas.Overall, Code Champ 2023 was an engaging and rewarding event for coding enthusiasts, offering a blend of competition and learning opportunities.

BUET ACM Chapter
(Dhaka, Bangladeshs)

The 10th event of the conference series, The International Conference on Networking, Systems and Security (10th NSysS 2023) was held between December 21-23, 2023 at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh. This conference series is aimed at providing a forum for researchers, practitioners, developers, and users from academia, industry, and government to interact, present, and exchange new research ideas and results. The scope of this conference included recent advances in both theoretical and experimental research addressing the rich space of computer networks, networking systems, and security across academia and industry. This event hosted renowned professors and researchers in this domain as keynote speakers, invited speakers, and panelists. There were 135 participants who attended the event in person. There were multiple technical sessions, panel discussions, keynote talks, special sessions, and student poster presentations during the event.

AUK ACM Student Chapter
(Slamiya, Kuwait)

The AUK ACM Student Chapter hosted a speaker event on November 22, 2023 at the American University of Kuwait. The title of the talk was “THE POWER OF THE EXPONENT: Will the artificial render the natural obsolete?” by our guest speaker Ziad Najem, PhD. The topic was about the correlation of the two curves: the progression of technological advancement and the production of knowledge. It predicts how they will work together in shaping the future of innovation, highlighting the rapid improvements in AI and the ignited discussion of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The event was attended by 130 people including students, alumni, faculty, and outside guests. The event was particularly successful due to the insightful conversation it sparked among students after the talk.

Korea ACM SIGCHI Chapter
(Korea)

The Korea ACM SIGCHI Chapter held a paper presentation session at HCI Korea, a large independently organized national HCI conference, on January 25th, 2024. The well-attended session featured a carefully curated set of 12 papers from local student authors originally presented at prominent HCI venues, such as CHI, CSCW, and Ubicomp, in 2023. In addition, the selected work sought to balance institutional diversity and represent the year in review - highlighting the key trends and topics in locally produced HCI research in 2023. It was organized into three sessions covering "AI, Humans, and Interaction", "Design, Accessibility, Inclusiveness" and "Haptics and VR/AR". The goal of the session was to provide additional national exposure for outstanding research outcomes led by HCI researchers in Korea and presented at SIGCHI venues and, by doing so, raise the profile of SIGCHI publication venues and the SIGCHI Local Chapter in the Korean research community.

Central Ohio ACM-W Chapter
(Ohio, USA)

On January 3rd, the Central Ohio ACM-W Professional Chapter hosted a tech talk presented by Dr Jaime Kelley, Assistant Professor of Practice in Computer Science at Ohio State University. Dr. Kelley's tech talk focused on wearable technology. She gave a demonstration using a light-up dress connected to a Python app that allowed the audience to change the colors of the lights. She also explained how to use conductive thread, attach batteries, and create a circuit on a piece of fabric. Following the talk, participants had the opportunity to create their own circuits with LEDs on ribbons during a hands-on demo. The meeting also included business updates from other tech groups in Columbus and a status update on the ACM-W chapter.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University ACM-W Student Chapter
(Shanghai, China)

The Shanghai Jiao Tong University ACM-W Student Chapter held an event called “Knowledge-Boosting Tea Session: How to Network in Academic Events” on Jan 18, 2024. It was composed of a panel and a digital greeting card DIY session. It aimed at helping graduate students who are keen to participate in academic events but are not sure how to network properly in them. Professor Qianli Chen, Professor Weikang Qian, and Professor Xinfei Guo from SJTU were invited to be the panelists and gave students advice about the significance of networking in academic events and how to network properly in such a circumstance. They shared their own stories from when they were graduate students and gave practical tips to use when attending international academic conferences. The digital greeting card DIY session was set in the purpose of celebrating Chinese New Year and participants can use the e-card they made to send to peers and professionals. Details of this event can also be found at https://sjtu-w.acm.org/events/1.html.

JUST ACM Student Chapter
(Irbid, Jordan)

In January 2024, the JUST ACM Student Chapter at Jordan University of Science and Technology organized a highly successful programming competition event. Over 160 students actively participated in the rigorous 3-hour programming challenge, showcasing their skills and talents. The event culminated in an award ceremony where participants were presented with certificates by the esteemed chairperson, Mohammad AlQaryouti, recognizing their dedication and achievements. Behind the scenes, the questions for the competition were meticulously crafted by the talented JUST ACM Chapter team, under the careful supervision of Dr. Malak Abdullah, the esteemed chapter advisor and Head of the Computer Science department. This event not only fostered a spirit of healthy competition but also provided invaluable learning opportunities for aspiring programmers.

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Welcome to Our Newest Chapters

• 4D ACM SIGCHI Chapter - Ibadan, Nigeria (Professional)
• AITM ACM Student Chapter - Belagavi, India (Student)
• Alfaisal University ACM SIGSOFT Chapter - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Student)
• Austin Community College ACM Student Chapter - Austin, USA (Student)
• Bandung ACM Chapter - Bandung, Indonesia (Professional)
• Belagavi ACM Chapter - Belagavi, India (Professional)
• CDMX ACM-W Chapter - Álvaro Obregón, Mexico (Professional)
• China ACM SIGMM Chapter - Beijing, China (Professional)
• Delhi Technical Campus ACM Student Chapter - Greater Noida, India (Student)
• DGIGN ACM Student Chapter - Greater Noida, India (Student)
• FIEM ACM Student Chapter - Kolkata, India (Student)
• GHRCEM ACM Student Chapter - Pune, India (Student)
• Ibri ACM Chapter - Ibri, Oman (Professional)
• Igdir University ACM Student Chapter - Igdir, Turkiye (Student)
• ITS Mante ACM Student Chapter - El Mante, Mexico (Student)
• JIT ACM Student Chapter - Nagpur, India (Student)
• Joy University ACM Student Chapter - Tirunelveli, India (Student)
• K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering ACM Student Chapter - Mumbai, India (Student)
• Karachi ACM-W Chapter - Karachi, Pakistan (Professional)
• Koc University ACM-W Student Chapter - İstanbul, Turkiye (Student)
• MITB ACM SIGAI Student Chapter - Bengaluru, India (Student)
• MITID Pune ACM SIGCHI Student Chapter - Pune, India (Student)
• Montpellier ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter - Montpellier, France (Professional)
• NMIT ACM Student Chapter - Namakkal Tamilnadu, India (Student)
• NYIT ACM Student Chapter - New York City, USA (Student)
• Pratt Institute ACM SIGGRAPH Student Chapter - Brooklyn, USA (Student)
• Qingdao City Univ ACM SIGGRAPH Student Chapter - Qingdao, China (Student)
• RV College Of Engineering ACM Student Chapter - Bengaluru, India (Student)
• SAITM ACM-W Student Chapter - Gurugram, India (Student)
• SIUE ACM-W Student Chapter - Edwardsville, USA (Student)
• Software Engineering San Antonio ACM Chapter - San Antonio, USA (Professional)
• South Dakota State ACM Student Chapter - Brookings, USA (Student)
• SRMIST NCR Campus ACM Student Chapter - Ghaziabad , India (Student)
• SVECW ACM-W Student Chapter - BHIMAVARAM, India (Student)
• TCNJ ACM SIGGRAPH Student Chapter - Ewing, USA (Student)
• Texas State ACM SIGAI Student Chapter - San Marcos, USA (Student)
• Transilvania University ACM Student Chapter - Brasov, Romania (Student)
• University of Chicago ACM Student Chapter - Chicago, USA (Student)
• University of Guanajuato ACM Student Chapter - Salamanca, Mexico (Student)
• University of New York Tirana ACM Student Chapter - Tirana, Albania (Student)
• University of North Texas ACM-W Student Chapter - Denton, USA (Student)
• University of Sialkot ACM Student Chapter - Sialkot, Pakistan (Student)
• UNSRI ACM Student Chapter - Palembang, Indonesia (Student)
• UNSW ACM Student Chapter - Sydney, Australia (Student)
• Xi'an ACM SIGCHI Chapter - Xi'an, China (Professional)

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ACM Conference Discounts

You can find discounts for Special Interest Group (SIG) Conference registration fees plus access to more than 170 international conferences, symposia, and workshops at: https://dl.acm.org/conferences.

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Why join ACM?

Not an ACM Member yet? Whether you are a student or a professional, ACM has great benefits to offer you. Read all about ACM's many benefits and membership options.

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Chapter and Chapter Member Benefits

Be sure to take advantage of the benefits ACM Chapters and ACM Chapter Members receive.

Read up on Professional Chapter Benefits and Resources, Professional Chapter Member Benefits,  Student Chapter Benefits and Resources, and Student Chapter Member Benefits.