Call for Special Session Proposals

Two forms of special sessions are being considered for VCIP 2005 to supplement the regular program: Oral and Panel. The Oral sessions are expected to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in a given area and highlight important research directions in a field of special interest to VCIP, while the Panel sessions are expected to gather members of academia and industry to present their views on a particular topic and participate in an interactive Q&A with the audience.

Oral Session Requirements

Oral sessions should be comprised of 5 invited papers. It is encouraged that the session begins with an overview paper on the topic being addressed and remaining papers follow up with technical contributions on the topic.

The following information should be included in the proposal:

• Title of the proposed Oral session
• Names/affiliation of organizers (including brief bio and contact info)
• Session abstract (state significance of topic and rationale for proposed session)
• List of invited presenters, tentative titles and 1000-word abstracts for each paper

Proposals will be evaluated based on the timeliness of the topic and relevance to VCIP, as well as the qualifications of the organizers and quality of papers in the proposed session. Please note that all papers in the proposed session will be reviewed by members of the technical program committee to ensure that contributions are of highest quality. Also, Oral session proposals are due the same day as regular paper submissions. In the event that a special session is not accepted in its entirety, papers from the proposed session will be considered as part of the regular technical program.

Important Dates (Oral)

01/03/2005:     Oral session proposals due (same date as regular paper submission) (Extended)

02/28/2005:     Notification of acceptance for Oral sessions

04/04/2005:     Final camera-ready manuscripts due

Panel Session Requirements

Panel sessions should be organized around a topic of current interest that would be well suited for an open and interactive discussion. Panel sessions should include 3 panelists as well as a moderator that is capable of stimulating discussion between the panelists and the audience. It is important that the session organizer contact potential panelists prior to submission of the proposal to ensure their commitment to attend the conference and participate in the panel.

The following information should be included in the proposal:

• Title of the proposed Panel session
• Names/affiliation of moderator (including brief bio and contact info)
• Rationale for proposed session and key points for discussion
• List of panelists (including brief bios)

Proposals will be evaluated based on the timeliness of the topic and relevance to VCIP, the suitability and perceived interest of the proposed session as a Panel at VCIP, as well as the qualifications of the moderator and panelists in the proposed session. For accepted sessions, panel members will make a brief presentation on the select topic and will be expected to answer questions from the audience. The moderator should coordinate Q&A and may provide some opening and closing remarks.

Important Dates (Panel)

01/31/2005:     Panel session proposals due

02/28/2005:     Notification of acceptance for Panel sessions

Submission Procedure for both Oral and Panel Special Sessions

Those who are interested in organizing a special session (Oral or Panel) should submit a proposal adhering to the above requirements by email to Dr. John Apostolopoulos at john_apostolopoulos@hp.com and Dr. Anthony Vetro at avetro@merl.com. Please note that the due dates are different for Oral and Panel sessions.