Mentoring and Networking Workshop
Workshop Overview
This workshop offers a unique opportunity for junior faculty, postdocs, and industry researchers to connect with senior colleagues and peers. We aim to foster a supportive environment for sharing experiences, exchanging ideas, and building lasting professional relationships within the SIGMETRICS community. By gathering colleagues at all career stages, we hope to rekindle the spirit of in-person TPC meetings that served as fertile ground for mentorship, collaboration, and community-building.
Key Highlights
- Mentoring Panel: Hear insights from senior faculty and industry leaders on the use of AI in research and teaching.
- Lightning/Short Talks: Junior participants are encouraged to showcase their research in brief, engaging presentations.
- Networking Dinner: Strengthen your professional connections and discuss future collaborations in an informal setting.
- Exclusive TPC Offer: We are pleased to offer free registration for SIGMETRICS 2026 TPC members.
Workshop Schedule
3:30–3:40 PM — Opening Remarks
To be announced
3:40–4:20 PM — Junior Participant 5-minute Lightning Talks
Hear from early-career researchers across academia and industry:
- Lucianna Kiffer (Research Assistant Professor, IMDEA Networks)
- Adam Lechowicz (Graduating PhD Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst)
- Yashaswini Murthy (Postdoc, Caltech)
- Hoang Nguyen (Graduating PhD Student, Georgia Tech)
- Quang Nguyen (Graduating PhD Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
- Mengfan Xu (Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst)
- Jianyi Yang (Assistant Professor, University of Houston)
- Yixuan Zhang (PhD Student, University of Wisconsin–Madison)
4:30–5:30 PM — Panel: Use of AI for Research and Teaching
Panelists and Moderator: To be announced
5:30–7:30 PM — Dinner & Table Discussions
Rogel Ballroom. An informal dinner where discussions continue in smaller groups.
Why Attend?
- Foster Community: Engage with fellow TPC members, share best practices, and contribute to shaping the future of the SIGMETRICS community.
- Professional Development: Gain valuable insights into the use of AI in research and teaching, balancing teaching and research, student advising, and forging industry partnerships.
- Expand Your Network: Build lasting connections with researchers at all career stages—an opportunity that traditional TPC dinners alone cannot fully provide.
Next Steps
- Register for SIGMETRICS 2026: The workshop is affiliated with the conference, so please register for SIGMETRICS 2026 (and select the Mentorship Workshop option) once the registration site is live.
- Complete Our Participation Survey: To help us tailor the workshop and plan logistics, kindly fill out the short form here: Google Form.
- Mark Your Calendar: Block off Monday, June 8, 2026, from 3:30–7:30 PM for this workshop.
Your feedback and participation are crucial to making this event a success. Whether you’re a junior faculty member seeking guidance or a senior colleague able to share your experiences, we’d be thrilled to have you join us.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the workshop co-chairs:
- Christina Giannoula (Max Planck Institute (MPI-SWS), christina.giann@gmail.com)
- Mohammad Hajiesmaili (UMass Amherst, hajiesmaili@cs.umass.edu)
- Sushil Varma (University of Michigan, sushilv@umich.edu)
Thank you for your time and dedication to SIGMETRICS. We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!
Sincerely,
The SIGMETRICS 2026 Mentoring & Networking Workshop Organizing Committee
