Become Part of the SC Team of Volunteers
Presenting our annual SC conference requires hundreds of volunteers working in many different areas. We are seeking new volunteers to provide a fresh perspective to all aspects of conference planning. Serving on an SC planning committee can be a very rewarding experience while giving back to the technical community. It’s also a great way to get involved and grow your professional career network.
Applications for positions on the SC21 Planning Committee are open September 1–30, 2020.
What to Expect
In general, entry-level committee members are expected to commit at minimum one hour per month leading up to the conference and sufficient time during the conference to ensure high quality execution of responsibilities. Some committees require more time and effort. Thus, time commitment should be discussed with committee chairs prior to accepting a volunteer role. Technical program committee members must be available to review submissions and to contribute in a timely manner during the months of April and May, as well as commit to attending the June technical program meeting in the year of the planning committee on which they serve. Committee chairs may request attendance to other planning meetings as needed.
Volunteers are needed in various committees. The responsibilities of each committee are as follows:
- Communications: Oversees marketing, public relations, social media channels, conference photography, production of conference-related videos, involvement with the conference website and conference schedule.
- Exhibits: Oversees booths and events in the exhibition hall, the Exhibitor Forum, and the Job Fair. More about Exhibits.
- Infrastructure: Oversees convention center facilities including space, electrical, security, signage, and more.
- Inclusivity: Oversees design and implementation of strategies to increase inclusivity in conference engagement and planning committee representation.
- SCinet: Plans, builds, and operates SC’s dedicated high-capacity network infrastructure, including both wired and wireless networks throughout the convention center as well as wide-area connections, and involvement in the Women in IT Networking at SC (WINS) program. More about SCinet.
- Students@SC: Oversees all programs and activities targeted to students including Student Volunteers, Student Cluster Competition, Mentor–Protégé Matching, student outreach to local high schools, and networking within the community. More about Students@SC.
- Technical Program: Oversees submission, review, acceptance, and presentation of the technical content for the conference. More about the Program.
Benefits
All members of the SC committee serve as volunteers with the support of their home organizations. The personal and professional benefits of being an SC volunteer include:
- Planning and management experience
- Individual and institutional recognition
- Networking opportunities
Depending on role and time commitment, volunteers benefits can also include:
- Conference access (complimentary registration)
- SC committee merchandise
- Complimentary meals at SC planning meetings
- Limited travel awards for new committee members with demonstrated need
If a particular benefit is important to your ability to volunteer, please note it in the volunteer submission form in the special needs section.
How to Apply
Applications for positions on the SC21 Planning Committee are open September 1–30, 2020.
Application Requirements
Learn more about the requirements necessary to become an SC volunteer.
Volunteer applicants are required to submit the following:
Biographical Statement
Should be a very brief synopsis of your CV highlighting topical expertise and areas of interest.
Description of Volunteer Qualifications
Should reflect an understanding of the committee(s) for which you want to volunteer and how your experience matches the needs of the committee. Organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines in a timely manner are appreciated within all committees. This is an opportunity to highlight your, sometimes overlooked, service activities. For example:
- Communications committee volunteers could highlight verbal and written communications abilities and strengths describing technical jargon for a general audience.
- Technical program committee volunteers could describe past experience reviewing for other conferences, journals, proposals, etc.
- Exhibits committee volunteers could describe experience working at a booth for their organization.
Motivation for Volunteering
Should describe more than just a desire to help others. Consider why you want to volunteer and invest time in the SC conference. It’s okay to want some benefits for yourself from volunteering. Some examples of motivations for volunteering could be:
- Get to know a community
- Gain leadership skills
- For fun
- To be challenged
- To be an agent of change
- To repay a debt
- To learn something new
If applications are closed, consider subscribing to the SC Newsletter to become aware of volunteer application deadlines and other SC news.
We welcome you to make your interests known and to join our vibrant community!