2015 Association for Computational Linquistics (ACL) Student Research Workshop

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

The Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) is the primary international organization for computational linguistics and natural language processing. It also is one of the primary application areas for researchers in machine learning and artificial intelligence. The proceedings of its annual meeting provide the foundation of the field; it is the most cited and most respected publication in computational linguistics. Thus, it is also the most important gathering of researchers in computational linguistics and natural language processing. ACL has a twenty-year history of including a Student Research Workshop, which helps create a new generation of researchers with a more thorough understanding of their field, with connections and collaborations across institutions, and with innovative and exciting research programs. This contributes to America's pool of researchers with the needed scientific and engineering knowledge and skills. The workshop encourages a spirit of collaborative research and builds a supportive environment for a new generation of computational linguists. To this end, the grant will subsidize travel, registration and accommodation expenses for student participants and organizers traveling from the US to the ACL in Beijing. The student research workshop will be a part of the 2015 meeting of the ACL held in Beijing, China from July 27 to July 29. The workshop will solicit submissions in two categories: (1) thesis proposals for advanced students who have decided on a thesis topic and wish to receive feedback and (2) research papers describing completed work or work in progress with significant preliminary results. Each accepted paper will be assigned an established research mentor who will meet with the student during the conference to provide individual feedback. Both paper types will be presented in the poster session of the main conference. The Student Research Workshop enriches the intellectual life of the participating students. Each student is mentored by an experienced researcher; this not only shapes the student's specific project but helps build the student's awareness of the field. The students gain exposure by presenting their work earlier than they would otherwise (i.e., in a form not yet ready for the main conference). This is particularly valuable for researchers from smaller institutions and undergraduate students. The student organizers also benefit from the organization of the workshop, gaining experience with the full process from soliciting reviewers, to managing the review process, producing the proceedings, and running the event. They also build connections with the senior researchers who participate as mentors in the event. This grant will subsidize the travel, conference registration and lodging for both student participants and student organizers.