PLMW@PLDI 2023

The Programming Language Mentoring Workshop (PLMW) aims to broaden the exposure of late-stage undergraduate students and early-stage graduate students to research and career opportunities in programming languages. The workshop includes mentoring sessions that cover effective habits for navigating research careers, technical sessions that cover core subfields of programming languages research, and social sessions that create opportunities for students to interact with researchers in the field. Applications from underrepresented groups in computing are especially welcome.

PLMW @ PLDI 2023 will be co-located with the conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation. It will be held on June 18, 2023. The workshop program will cover important topics such as:

• How to excel in graduate school and after graduate school
• How to give a good research talk
• Overviews of key research areas at PLDI

Applications and Scholarhips

PLMW @ PLDI 2023 will offer a limited number of scholarships to students who wish to participate but cannot cover the costs from other sources. Every scholarship will cover the PLDI registration fee and, for those attending in person, the cost of accommodation shared with another student, and reasonable trip expenses.

PLMW @ PLDI 2023 specifically welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups in computing.

Application form link: https://forms.gle/fgVCtySumxzFqwpaA

Application deadline: March 20th AOE

Notification: April 10th

Note: Even students that do not need a scholarship to attend PLMW are encouraged to apply through the form above (while indicating in the form that they do not need financial support) since attendance to PLMW may be limited by the capacity of the room where the workshop will take place.

PLMW is driven by two core values: diversity of the PL community and well-being of its members.

We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion strengthen the PL community both on an academic and on a personal level. We recognize that members of underrepresented and marginalized groups—including but not limited to women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities—face unique challenges in their research careers. We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, diverse environment that provides space for all to thrive and breathe. We are also committed to listening to your voices, admitting our mistakes, and working to address systemic issues that exist within the research community.

PLMW values the physical and mental well-being of all members of the PL community. We condemn all kinds of harassment, including sexual harassment. We are committed to talking openly about health and well-being issues that disproportionately affect the academic community, and to fighting the stigma of mental health issues.

PLMW organizers see its role in promoting these values as a three-part mission:

• Expose junior students to the PL research community: We want to provide the students with a genuine picture of what a research career in PL is like and with networking opportunities within the field. We want to establish mentoring relationships between junior and senior community members, connecting people from different areas, backgrounds, and geographic locations. In doing so, we place particular emphasis on students who lack exposure to PL research at their home institutions.

• Help students acquire skills necessary to successfully navigate a research career. These include technical and non-technical skills, such as reading research literature, technical communication, relationships with advisors, and coping with stressors of graduate school.

• Foster diversity and inclusion in the PL community by reaching out to, and mentoring, students from underrepresented groups.

We would like to bring our attendees’ attention to a few SIGPLAN initiatives beyond PLMW that share our values and goals. SIGPLAN CARES is a group of distinguished, senior researchers, available as a confidential resource for anyone who faces discrimination or harassment. SIGPLAN-M is an international long-term mentoring program for programming languages researchers.