I2S Research Symposium 2025 Now Open For Registration

The Institute for Information Technology (I2S) has announced the dates for its annual research symposium. The event, which is hosted by the Student Organization (ISO) and is expanding to two days, will be held Jan. 23-24, 2025, at the Kansas Memorial Union. The I2S Student Research Symposium (ISRS) is an opportunity for graduate students to share their research and ideas with other graduate students and faculty members.

As in past programs, the ISRS will feature both oral and poster presentations as well as a keynote speaker. Graduate students from all academic backgrounds are invited to submit abstracts of work they have recently published, are in the process of publishing, or are works-in-progress. Chosen researchers will present their work to fellow participants and I2S faculty with an opportunity to win prizes.

Registration for ISRS 2025, including the invitation for abstract submissions, is now open. Details, including links to the registration and abstract submission forms, can be found on the I2S website. The deadline for submission is Dec. 1, 2024.

For the first time, ISO leaders are inviting other collegiate research groups from elsewhere in Kansas and Missouri, including the Kansas City metro area, to participate in ISRS. "I see the expansion of the symposium to a regional scale as a fantastic opportunity for the School of Engineering’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) department and I2S to distinguish itself among the top programs in the area,” says ISO leader Amin Mamandipoor. He and fellow members are introducing a new section to the symposium: a one-day workshop entirely organized and led by graduate students. They will offer tutorials and hands-on sessions for both undergraduate and graduate students, showcasing the tools and research they are working on, especially those developed during their time at KU. “We believe this will be incredibly beneficial, particularly for undergraduates, as it will give them the chance to engage with our brilliant graduate students, creating strong connections and a more vibrant and collaborative academic environment. We hope this year’s symposium surpasses previous ones and provide an even greater experience for everyone involved."

One of the workshops, for example, will focus on computer architecture simulators, which are essential tools for advancing computer architecture research. These simulators allow researchers to explore new designs and evaluate the performance of innovative features. FireSim, for instance, is one of these tools, developed and maintained by a team of graduate students at UC Berkeley. In this workshop, ISO graduate students will cover topics and materials that are accessible to undergraduates who are interested in this field and may want to pursue graduate studies in the future.

Babak Badhava, another ISO leader and student researcher, said that when they initially started planning the first ISRS, they were hoping to encourage collaboration and healthy competition among I2S students. They were also hoping to provide a less formal stage for students to practice public presentations and receive feedback from faculty. "The first two ISRS symposiums were great experiences, and more than 40 students from various disciplines presented their work," Badhava says. "I believe this expansion benefits our students in various ways, such as providing a bigger stage for them to publicize their research and skills and build a network with like-minded people with complementary skill sets from regional institutions." 

While ISRS will be hosted in-person, an option to stream the event via Zoom will also be available for participants who cannot attend. Updates to the schedule and keynote information will be added to the event website soon, but participants – particularly those interested in presenting – are encouraged to register now.