Joint HCSNet-EII Workshop on Interactive and Ubiquitous Information Access

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

Joint HCSNet-EII Workshop on Interactive and Ubiquitous Information Access

Fri/Sat 16-17 May 2008, NICTA Australian Technology Park, Bay 15, Locomotive Workshop, Eveleigh, Sydney NSW

Introduction: HCSNet and the EII taskforce on Mobile Information Access taskforce (MAII) are organising a joint workshop on Interactive and Ubuquitous Information Access. This workshop is designed to bring together researchers in designing systems, methodologies, infrastructure, and interactive interfaces for information access in mobile and/or ubiquitous environments. The aim is to identify shared interests, understand different perspectives, and to take first steps towards developing future collaborations. HCSNet and EII-MAII will fund travel for a number of Australian participants from outside the Sydney area. We invite participants from HCI, Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Science, Language Technology, Psychology, Communication Science, Sociology, and other fields of interest to information access and management, particularly in mobile and ubiquitous environments.

Possible themes of interest include:
* information extraction;
* information retrieval via mobile devices;
* interactive question answering;
* ubiquitous computing;
* context-aware information access;
* dialogue systems for information access;
* cognitive and user modelling;
* methodologies for user studies.

Proposed Outcomes: Effective Interactive Interfaces and New Generation Search are designated Priority Areas for HCSNet. Mobility and Accessing Information Infrastructures is a taskforce for EII. The workshop aims to bring these sub-communities together, to build bridges between these two ARC Research Networks, to discuss specific problems and issues that may stimulate new collaborations.

Invited Speakers: We have confirmed two prominent international speakers:
- Michael B Twidale, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
- Diane Kelly, the University of North Carolina, USA

We also plan to involve targetted industry and user communities for the purpose of highlighting problems and issues of value to them.

Related Event:Note that Pervasive 2008 is being held in Sydney, commencing the Monday following this workshop.

Participation and Format: We welcome participation from a range of disciplines and perspectives, as outlined above, from both academia and industry, and we would like to involve as many as possible in discussion.

* Attendees are asked to submit a short abstract of up to about 250 words. Submissions should contain:
- research interests pertinent to the workshop theme; and/or
- thoughts on issues deemed to be important and potential points of interaction with other disciplines.

Also indicate:
- whether you require travel funding;
- whether you are a HCSNet or EII member (or both or neither).

* Abstracts will be used to identify common or recurring themes, and help us plan the event.

* As well as invited presentations, there will be some time set aside for "speed presentations" (i.e. up to 5 minutes); every abstract submitted will also be scheduled space for a poster presentation.

Please send abstracts, by the date below, to Lawrence Cavedon

The format of the workshop will be designed to promote interaction and collaboration, and we will allocate time for panels, discussion issues raised by industry/user groups, and break-out sessions.

Funding: HCSNet/EII-MAII is able to provide funding support (covering travel and accommodation) for a number of participants travelling from outside Sydney. SUBMISSION OF AN ABSTRACT DESCRIBED ABOVE IS A PREREQUISITE FOR BEING CONSIDERED FOR TRAVEL FUNDING. If not all participants can be covered, funding grants may be allocated based on specified interests - as described in the submitted abstract - and how well they fit with the theme and format of the workshop. Please indicate at time of abstract submission whether you request travel funding.

Dates:
Fri April 4: Due date for abstracts
Fri April 18: Awards of travel funding notification
Fri May 16-Sat May 17: Workshop

Organisers:
Lawrence Cavedon (RMIT University and NICTA)
Christopher Lueg (Uni. of Tasmania)
Diego Molla (Macquarie University)
Amanda Spink (Queensland Uni. of Technology)

HCSNet is the ARC Network in Human Communication Science, and promotes interdisciplinary research in speech, language, and sonics. EII is the ARC Network in Enterprise Information Infrastructure, and focusses its research effort on common, fundamental issues which can be found in emerging enterprise applications.