CGWeek !!!

If you're on the compgeom mailing list, you probably know this already, but if not, read on:

There's an increased interest in expanding the nature and scope of events at SoCG beyond the conference proper. To this end, Joe Mitchell put together a committee titled "CG:APT" (CG: applications, practice and theory) to chalk out a strategy and solicit contributions.

The call for contributions is now out, and the main nugget is this:

Proposals are invited for workshops/minisymposia, or other types of events on topics related to all aspects of computational geometry and its applications. Typical events may feature some number of invited speakers and possibly some number of contributed presentations. Events may feature other forms of communications/presentations too, e.g., via software demos, panel discussions, industry forum, tutorials, posters, videos, implementation challenge, artwork, etc. CG:APT events will have no formal proceedings; optionally, the organizers may coordinate with journals to publish special issues or arrange for other dissemination (e.g., via arXiv, webpages, printed booklets, etc).

In other words, anything goes ! (this is an experiment, after all). Topics are essentially anything that might be of interest geometrically in a broad sense (i.e not limited to what might appear at the conference itself).

I'd strongly encourage people to consider putting together a proposal for an event. The procedure is really simple, and only needs a two page proposal containing:

1. Title/theme of the workshop/minisymposium/event 
2. Organizer(s) (name, email) 
3. Brief scientific summary and discussion of merits (to CG) of the proposed topic. 
4. A description of the proposed format and agenda 
5. Proposed duration: include both minimum and ideal; we anticipate durations of approximately a half day (afternoon), with the possibility that some meritorious events could extend across two half-days. 
6. Procedures for selecting participants and presenters 
7. Intended audience 
8. Potential invited speakers/panelists 
9. Plans for dissemination (e.g., journal special issues) 
10. Past experience of the organizer(s) relevant to the event 

Please note: EVERY COMMUNITY DOES THIS (and now, even theory). The deadline is Jan 13, 2012, and proposals should be emailed to Joe Mitchell (joseph.mitchell@stonybrook.edu). Note that the idea is for such events to be in the afternoon, after morning technical sessions of SoCG.

There are many people out there who grumble about how insular the CG community is. Now's your chance to walk into the lion's den (at Chapel Hill) and tell it off :).