Aaron Holroyd – Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Aaron Huus – University of Notre Dame
Astrid von der Pütten – University of Duisburg-Essen
Baris Akgun – Georgia Institute of Technology
Chien-Ming Huang – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Daniel Lazewatsky – Washington University in St. Louis
Elaine Short – University of Southern California
Elena Torta – Eindhoven University of Technology
Erin Solovey – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Heather Humphreys – Georgia Institute of Technology
Henny Admoni – Yale University
Marynel Vazquez – Carnegie Mellon University
Matt Beane – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Matthew Marge – Carnegie Mellon University
Mohammad Shayganfar – Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Ramona Simut – Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Rehj Cantrell – Indiana University
Robin Read – Plymouth University
Solace Shen – University of Washington
Steven Vozar – University of Michigan
Wesley Chan – University of British Columbia
Yunkyung Kim – Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Zachary Henkel – Texas A&M University
Zahar Prasov – US Army Research Laboratory

See the Workshop Application Guidelines below for specific application and formatting details.

All documents for the Workshop must be submitted in PDF format. Formatting for the two-page extended abstract will conform to ACM SIG Proceedings specifications. An author kit containing all relevant template documents is provided by this link. A separate link with uploading instructions for the letter of support will be automatically sent to the advisor or supervisor designated by the applicant during the online submission process. To ensure timely receipt of the letter, applicants should not wait until the Thursday, December 1 deadline to apply.

NOTE: The external abstract review process will be double-blind; therefore, do not include any author names on your abstract document and please try to minimize any identifying information. Again, this applies only to the two-page extended abstract. Applicants not following this guideline will be disqualified.

The seventh annual Human-Robot Interaction Pioneers Workshop will be held in Boston, Massachusetts on Monday, March 5, 2012. Exploring human-robot interaction in a small and welcoming forum, HRI Pioneers is the premiere venue for up-and-coming student researchers and will occur in conjunction with the 2012 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction. HRI Pioneers is a highly selective workshop designed to empower innovators early in their careers and is a cohort of the world’s top student researchers seeking to foster creativity, communication, and collaboration across the incredibly diverse field of human-robot interaction.

Occurring the day before the main conference begins, HRI Pioneers attendees will present and discuss their individual work and goals with distinguished student peers and senior scholars in the field. The workshop is also pleased to announce that Robin Murphy (Texas A&M University) will deliver a keynote lecture in the morning session. In the afternoon session, a discussion panel consisting of Julie A. Adams (Vanderbilt University), Bilge Mutlu (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Gerhard Sagerer (Bielefeld University), Brian Scassellati (Yale University), and Leila Takayama (Willow Garage) will provide experiential insight into the current and future practice of human-robot interaction. Other post-workshop activities around Boston are also planned.

Interested students at any stage of their academic career should consider applying. Applications consist of 1) a two-page extended abstract describing the applicant’s past, current, or proposed work, 2) a curriculum vitae, and 3) a letter of support from either a faculty advisor or designated supervisor. The application process will open November 1 and continue through December 1, 2011. The HRI Pioneers Organizing Committee and the Program Committee will review applications. The acceptance rate for last year’s workshop was roughly 30-percent and those selected will typically be granted financial support to attend. Further details, including an abstract sample and templates, will be available on the workshop website at http://www.hripioneers.info.

An overwhelming majority of past workshop attendees have gone on to phenomenal careers in academia, government, and industry. HRI Pioneers is a one-of-a-kind professional development and networking experience – all interested students are encouraged to take advantage of this unique opportunity!

Follow us at:
Facebook: HRI Pioneers Workshop
Twitter: @HRIPioneers

The 2012 Pioneers Workshop, which will be held in conjunction with the Seventh ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, is the premiere venue for student research in the field. This highly selective workshop is a cohort of the world’s top student researchers that seeks to foster creativity, communication, and collaboration across the incredibly diverse field of human-robot interaction

Watch this space for more info!