Computer Science Professional Organizations and Their Impact

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The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is one of the largest and most respected computer science professional organizations, with a global membership of over 100,000 professionals.

ACM's impact is evident in its efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, as seen in its initiatives to increase representation of underrepresented groups in computing.

ACM's conferences and journals provide a platform for computer science professionals to share their research and ideas, with over 300 conferences and 50 publications worldwide.

ACM's Code of Ethics serves as a guiding principle for computer science professionals, emphasizing the importance of responsible behavior in the field.

ACM's Special Interest Groups (SIGs) allow members to connect with others who share similar interests, with over 30 SIGs covering topics such as artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and computer architecture.

ACM's advocacy efforts have helped shape policy and legislation around issues like data privacy and cybersecurity, with a focus on protecting consumers and promoting innovation.

ACM's partnerships with other organizations have expanded its reach and influence, with collaborations with groups like the IEEE and the National Science Foundation.

Professional Organizations

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ACM has a primary partner in the IEEE Computer Society, which is the largest subgroup of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

ACM and IEEE-CS have many joint activities, including conferences, publications, and awards. They co-sponsor about 20 conferences each year with other parts of IEEE.

The ACM and IEEE-CS jointly give two major awards in computer science: the Eckert-Mauchly Award and the Ken Kennedy Award.

ACM also jointly sponsors events with other professional organizations, such as the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).

Membership and Recognition

ACM offers several membership grades to recognize members with exceptional performance. The number of Fellows, Distinguished Members, and Senior Members cannot exceed 1%, 10%, and 25% of the total number of professional members, respectively.

ACM's Senior Members Grade recognizes those with at least 10 years of professional experience and 5 years of continuous membership, who have demonstrated technical leadership and contributions. Three letters of reference are also required.

The ACM Fellows Program was established in 1993 to recognize outstanding members for their achievements in computer science and information technology. As of 2020, there are 1,310 Fellows out of about 100,000 members.

Additional reading: Ap Comp Sci Principles Unit 1

ACM Council on Women in Computing

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ACM Council on Women in Computing supports women in computing internationally, celebrating their full engagement in the field.

ACM-W, the ACM council on women in computing, collaborates with organizations such as the Anita Borg Institute and the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT).

The ACM-W gives an annual Athena Lecturer Award to honor outstanding women researchers who have made fundamental contributions to computer science.

This program began in 2006, with speakers nominated by SIG officers.

Membership Grades

ACM has a range of membership grades to recognize members who have made significant contributions to the field of computer science and information technology.

Regular members are the base level of membership, but ACM also offers advanced grades to recognize those with multiple years of membership and demonstrated performance that sets them apart from their peers.

The number of Fellows, Distinguished Members, and Senior Members cannot exceed 1%, 10%, and 25% of the total number of professional members, respectively.

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To become a Fellow, one must have made significant contributions to the mission of the ACM, and there are currently 1,310 Fellows out of about 100,000 members as of 2020.

Senior Members require at least 10 years of professional experience and 5 years of continuous Professional Membership, and must demonstrate performance through technical leadership and contributions.

Senior Members also need 3 letters of reference to support their application.

Distinguished Members have at least 15 years of professional experience and 5 years of continuous ACM membership, and have made a significant impact on the computing field.

In 2006, ACM introduced the Distinguished Members grade, which included three levels: Distinguished Engineer, Distinguished Scientist, and Distinguished Educator.

Publications and Conferences

ACM publishes over 50 journals, including the prestigious Journal of the ACM, and two general magazines for computer professionals, Communications of the ACM and Queue. ACM also publishes ACM XRDS, the most popular student computing magazine in the US.

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ACM has made almost all of its publications available to paid subscribers online at its Digital Library. ACM also offers insurance, online courses, and other services to its members.

ACM sponsors numerous conferences worldwide, including SIGGRAPH, which attracted about 30,000 attendees in 2007, and RecSys 2022, which had a paper acceptance rate of 17%. Some conferences are hosted by ACM student branches, such as Reflections Projections, which is hosted by UIUC ACM.

Here are some notable conferences sponsored by ACM:

  • AIES: Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society
  • CHI: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • SIGGRAPH: International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques
  • RecSys: ACM Conference on Recommender Systems

Publications

ACM publishes over 50 journals, including the prestigious Journal of the ACM. ACM's publications are a treasure trove of knowledge for computer professionals.

ACM XRDS, formerly known as Crossroads, is the most popular student computing magazine in the US, redesigned in 2010. It's a great resource for students looking for insights into the world of computing.

ACM Interactions is an interdisciplinary HCI publication that focuses on the connections between experiences, people, and technology. It's the third largest ACM publication.

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ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR) is one of the many publications offered by ACM. ACM has made almost all of its publications available online to paid subscribers through its Digital Library.

ACM offers a range of services to its members, including insurance and online courses. Some notable ACM publications include ACM Transactions, which cover various subfields of computer science.

Here are some notable ACM Transactions:

  • ACM Transactions
  • ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction
  • ACM Transactions on Algorithms

ACM has a Guide to Computing Literature, which provides access to a wealth of information on computing research.

Conferences

ACM conferences are a big deal, with some attracting over 30,000 attendees. For example, SIGGRAPH 2007 had a huge turnout.

ACM sponsors numerous conferences worldwide, often in collaboration with its Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Most SIGs also have an annual conference.

Some conferences are very competitive, with low paper acceptance rates. For instance, CIKM 2005 accepted only 15% of submitted papers, while RecSys 2022 accepted 17%.

ACM conferences are a great way to network and learn from experts in the field. They're also a top-notch publishing venue, which is why they're so competitive.

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Here are some examples of ACM conferences:

  • AIES: Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society
  • ASPLOS: International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems
  • CHI: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • CIKM: Conference on Information and Knowledge Management
  • COMPASS: International Conference on Computing and Sustainable Societies
  • DAC: Design Automation Conference
  • DEBS: Distributed Event Based Systems
  • FAccT: Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
  • FCRC: Federated Computing Research Conference
  • GECCO: Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference
  • HT: Hypertext: Conference on Hypertext and Hypermedia
  • JCDL: Joint Conference on Digital Libraries
  • MobiHoc: International Symposium on Mobile Ad Hoc Networking and Computing
  • SC: Supercomputing Conference
  • SIGCOMM: ACM SIGCOMM Conference
  • SIGCSE: SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
  • SIGGRAPH: International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques
  • RecSys: ACM Conference on Recommender Systems
  • TAPIA: Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference

ACM also sponsors regional conferences, which bring together nearby institutions and provide opportunities for collaboration. These conferences are well-attended and a great way to connect with others in the field.

CRA Quadrennial Papers

The Computing Research Association publishes a series of white papers called Quadrennial Papers every four years.

These papers are a result of the association's subcommittees exploring areas and issues around computing research with potential to address national priorities.

The Quadrennial Papers attempt to give a comprehensive picture of the computing research field, detailing potential research directions, challenges, and recommendations.

They are published to help guide the field and provide a snapshot of the current state of computing research.

For Researchers

As a researcher in the field of computing, you're likely aware of the importance of publishing your work in reputable conferences and journals. ACM conferences are a great place to start, with many of them having a high level of competition due to their popularity.

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ACM conferences like SIGGRAPH 2007 and RecSys 2022 have attracted thousands of attendees and have very low paper acceptance rates, with only 15% and 17% of papers accepted respectively.

Some conferences, like SIGCSE, focus on computer science education, while others, like SIGGRAPH, focus on computer graphics and interactive techniques.

ACM sponsors numerous conferences worldwide, including regional conferences that facilitate collaboration between nearby institutions.

Here are some notable ACM conferences:

  • AIES: Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society
  • ASPLOS: International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems
  • CHI: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • CIKM: Conference on Information and Knowledge Management
  • COMPASS: International Conference on Computing and Sustainable Societies
  • DAC: Design Automation Conference
  • DEBS: Distributed Event Based Systems
  • FAccT: Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
  • FCRC: Federated Computing Research Conference
  • GECCO: Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference
  • HT: Hypertext: Conference on Hypertext and Hypermedia
  • JCDL: Joint Conference on Digital Libraries
  • MobiHoc: International Symposium on Mobile Ad Hoc Networking and Computing
  • SC: Supercomputing Conference
  • SIGCOMM: ACM SIGCOMM Conference
  • SIGCSE: SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
  • SIGGRAPH: International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques
  • RecSys: ACM Conference on Recommender Systems
  • TAPIA: Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference

Additionally, the Computing Research Association publishes Quadrennial Papers every four years, which explore areas and issues around computing research with potential to address national priorities.

On a similar theme: Computer Science Papers

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four computer professional bodies?

The four main computer professional bodies in Nigeria are the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Institute of Management Information System (IMIS), and Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPRN). These organizations play a crucial role in regulating and promoting the IT industry in Nigeria.

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Landon Fanetti is a prolific author with many years of experience writing blog posts. He has a keen interest in technology, finance, and politics, which are reflected in his writings. Landon's unique perspective on current events and his ability to communicate complex ideas in a simple manner make him a favorite among readers.

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