The CHI 2003 Doctoral Consortium provides an opportunity for doctoral students to explore their research interests in an interdisciplinary workshop, under the guidance of a panel of distinguished research faculty, with travel and other expenses provided by the conference. In the past, many consortium participants reported this as a valuable experience as part of their doctoral studies. The Consortium has the following specific objectives:

• Offer each participant fresh perspectives and comments on their work from researchers outside their own institution, both from faculty and other students.
• Provide a supportive setting for mutual feedback on participants' current research and guidance on future research directions.
• Develop a supportive community of scholars and a spirit of collaborative research.
• Contribute to the conference goals through interaction with other researchers and conference events.

The Consortium will be held on Sunday 6 and Monday 7 April 2003, in a session where about 15 students and 4 "faculty" discuss each student's work in turn. Student participants will have their abstracts published in the CHI 2003 Extended Abstracts, and a poster of their work exhibited at the main conference. They will receive complimentary conference registration, and reimbursement of travel, accommodation and subsistence (i.e., food) expenses up to $1500 US dollars.

Each participant in the Doctoral Consortium is expected to attend both days, including dinner on Saturday and Sunday. All participants are also expected to present a poster on their research at the scheduled poster session. A report on the Doctoral Consortium will be published in the SIGCHI Bulletin.

We are interested in submissions on any HCI-related topic, but applicants should preferably not be too near the start or end of their work as a doctoral student.

The Doctoral Consortium review committee will select participants based on their anticipated contribution to the Consortium objectives. Participants typically have settled on their thesis directions and had their research proposal accepted by their thesis committee, but will still have enough time after the conference for it to be possible for new ideas and advice to make a difference to their research.

Mentoring is not available for the Doctoral Consortium. If you have any questions or require guidance on your submission, please contact the Doctoral Consortium Chair at the earliest opportunity.

To apply, prepare a submission consisting of an extended abstract, a personal research statement, a poster layout, a letter of recommendation, and an estimate of expenses. The deadline for submission is 3 January 2003, 17:00 (5:00 p.m), your local time. Note that this deadline is later than in previous years (and later than that given in one place in the call booklet). However due to the late deadline for this track, neither late nor incomplete submissions can be considered at all. Both the set of items, and each of them individually, must be complete, correct, and submitted by the deadline. Thus, you will need to begin preparing your submission several weeks before this, to ensure that you have all essential information in place.

If you are submitting to both the doctoral consortium and the student posters, you will probably wish to submit the same extended abstract and poster layout items to both.

If accepted, you will be expected to complete your travel arrangements immediately. If you will need a visa to visit the U.S.A, you must prepare completely for this before submission, and apply for your visa immediately on notification of acceptance.

Extended abstract

Prepare a two-page extended abstract of your thesis work in the conference publications format, including: title, author information, abstract, keywords, thesis research summary, and references. This, if you are accepted for the consortium, will be published in the CHI 2003 Extended Abstracts. Thus it will be widely available to conference delegates and those with access to ACM publications. Because of the late deadline, it will be published in the version you submit in your application.

Personal research statement

This will be circulated only to other consortium participants and the reviewers. It should be kept short, but might usefully include material not suitable for the published abstract, such as any issues or provisional research plans you would like discussed at the consortium, what you most would like to gain from the consortium (e.g. "I am confident of the technical content but would like detailed comment on my experimental design" or "I am fairly confident of my research design, but would like discussion of how this does (or doesn't) relate to more mainstream HCI"), and a brief biographical sketch that includes educational background, research experience, and any additional information that would help the review committee evaluate your potential contribution to the Consortium.

Poster layout sketch

This is a one-page diagram showing the proposed layout of the poster presentation. This poster sketch should be in the same format as required for other posters at the conference.

Letter of recommendation

Provide a letter of recommendation from your thesis adviser that includes an assessment of your research, the outcomes of any formal reviews, and your expected timetable for completion. This letter should briefly state what your supervisor expects you to gain from, and to contribute to, the consortium. This may be sent separately to the Doctoral Consortium Chair at chi2003-doc@acm.org, if desired, but as it is required, be sure that it is sent.

Estimate of expenses and visa requirement

Please submit an estimate of the expenses you will be claiming if accepted for the consortium. This should include travel to and from airports (not only the basic air fare), your accommodation, and subsistence (i.e. meals). Your estimate should be as accurate as possible, and you should be in a position to complete your travel arrangements immediately on acceptance.

You should also state whether you will need a visa to visit the U.S.A.

Confidentiality of Submissions

Confidentiality of submissions is maintained during the review process. All submitted materials will be kept confidential until the date of the conference.

Submission Requirements

• All submissions must be in English.
• Submissions should be submitted electronically in PDF format.
• Submissions arriving after the deadline will not be considered.
• Submissions should contain no information or materials that will be proprietary or confidential at the time of publication, and should cite no publications that are proprietary or confidential at the time of publication.
• Responsibility for permissions to use video, audio or pictures of identifiable people rests with you, not with CHI 2003.
• You will receive email notification upon receipt of your submission.

To apply, prepare a submission package consisting of the documents required (extended abstract, a personal research statement, a poster layout, a letter of recommendation, and an estimate of expenses plus any visa requirements). The material should be emailed as five attached files in PDF format to chi2003-doc@acm.org.

If your letter of recommendation is sent separately by your supervisor, have her or him email it to the Doctoral Consortium Chair.

The deadline for receipt of a complete submission is 3 January 2003, by 17:00 (5:00 p.m) at your local time.

Notification Date

Applicants will be notified by 3 February 2003 whether they have been accepted. If you cannot complete your travel arrangements, get a visa if needed, and attend the complete Doctoral Consortium from dinner on Saturday April 5 to Monday April 7 you must inform the Doctoral Consortium chair immediately so that your place can be offered to another student.

Before the consortium

You must complete your travel arrangements and if needed, apply for your visa immediately on notification of acceptance.

Participants must prepare a poster and bring it to the conference. (This is an actual poster ready to put up on display at the conference, not just the layout submitted as part of the application.)

You also need to prepare a short talk (10 minutes) to present during the consortium. Note that only basic AV support is provided for the Doctoral Consortium.

Each participant in the Doctoral Consortium is expected to attend throughout both days, including dinner on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 April. Distinguished members of the CHI community will join you for each dinner and lunch. You will present your work in one of the sessions, and work with other students in some collaborative sessions.

After the consortium but at the conference, all participants are also expected to put up a poster on their research for display, and to present it at the scheduled poster session.

A report on the doctoral consortium will be published in the SIGCHI Bulletin.

Read the Conference Overview and CHI Submissions: Process & Formats.

Email your application as a set of attached documents in pdf format to chi2003-doc@acm.org by the deadline of 3 January 2003, 17:00 (5:00 p.m).

The application must include all of the following:

• Extended abstract
• Personal research statement
• Poster layout sketch
• Letter of recommendation
• Estimate of expenses

If accepted, you must:

• Arrange your travel and accommodation immediately, keeping receipts for use when claiming reimbursement for your expenses. (Typically, arriving in time for dinner Sat. 5 April, and leaving on the afternoon of Thur 10 April.) If you will require a visa for entry to the U.S.A, complete your application process immediately.
• Prepare and bring to the consortium a short talk
• Prepare and bring to the conference your poster