CfP: ISWS 2024 - The International Semantic Web Research Summer School

Applications are now open to attend ISWS 2024 - The International Semantic Web Research Summer School


Bertinoro, near Bologna, Italy.

June 9th - June 15th, 2024

https://2024.semanticwebschool.org/, isws.application@gmail.com

Fediverse: @isws@sigmoid.social


Applications to attend ISWS 2024 are open, and will close on March 15th, 2024. To ensure a high ratio between tutors and students the school will be limited to a maximum of 60 participants.


To apply, please follow the process described at the “Apply” menu on https://2024.semanticwebschool.org/



TOPICS

Knowledge Graphs and Large Language Models, F.A.I.R. Knowledge Graph Infrastructures, Machine (and Deep) Learning, Linked Data, Knowledge Graph Engineering with Ontology Design Patterns, Human in the Loop, Data Intelligence, Querying & Reasoning, Knowledge Graph learning and production, Natural Language Processing, Empirical analyses on the Semantic Web, Distributed & Decentralised Semantic Web, Explainable AI with Knowledge Graphs.


DIRECTORS

Valentina Presutti, valentina.presutti@cnr.it

Harald Sack, harald.sack@fiz-karlsruhe.de


KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Luc Steels (VUB Artificial Intelligence Lab, BE)

Two more well known keynote speakers are soon to be confirmed...


TUTORS:

Claudia d’Amato (University of Bari, IT)

Irene Celino (Cefriel, Italy)

John Domingue (KMI Open University, UK)

Marieke van Erp (KNAW, NL)

Aldo Gangemi (University of Bologna)

Paul Groth (University of Amsterdam, NL)

Aidan Hogan (Universidad de Chile, CHL)

Sabrina Kirrane (Vienna University of Economics)

Albert Meroño-Peñuela (King’s College London, UK)

Valentina Presutti (University of Bologna, IT)

Sebastian Rudolph (University of Dresden, DE)

Harald Sack (FIZ Karlsruhe & KIT, DE)


The International Semantic Web Research School (ISWS) is a fully immersive, highly intensive one-week experience featuring lectures and keynotes from exceptional speakers, a “learning by doing” teamwork program on open research problems, guided by top scientists in the field, with whom you will co-author a white paper of high potential impact. ISWS means networking and becoming friends with your peers as well as esteemed senior scientists, and having lots of fun with them. At ISWS we shape the future generation of semantic web researchers emphasizing  creativity, methodology, fun and rigour.


ISWS provides a perfect experience for young scientists and researchers, whether in academia or industry, who want to learn about cutting edge technologies and pioneering research achievements at the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and the Semantic Web. The school inherits the successful pedagogic principles and the lessons learned from previous experiences and is a prominent reference school for the best young researchers, PhD, and master students of the Semantic Web community.


ISWS takes place in the beautiful location of Bertinoro, a small village near Bologna in Italy and relies on the organization of its directors Valentina Presutti from University of Bologna and Harald Sack from FIZ Karlsruhe and KIT. ISWS is focused on research and its program includes lectures, invited talks, poster sessions, team working, and an exciting social program. All tutors and speakers of the school are renowned members of the Artificial Intelligence and Semantic Web communities, and beyond. Students work very hard for a whole week and experience all main activities that a researcher faces during her/his career such as team working, problem and state of the art analysis, development of novel methods, writing of research articles and reports, presenting a research result, and also defending a thesis. ISWS combines the format of a research camp with lectures and keynote talks. To facilitate an early exchange of ideas and mentoring opportunity, a poster session will also take place, where attendees will have the chance to present their work and obtain feedback on their research.


The school is an exceptional opportunity for networking: all tutors stay and constantly interact with the students for the whole duration of the school. The result is that participants, typically at an early career stage, thanks to the school, build a rich social and professional network that span from junior to highly known scientists. Although ISWS features lectures and keynotes, most of the time is devoted to team-working with the tutors for developing research. Students form teams and focus on a research problem for which they study a solution under the methodological guidance of highly expert tutors. The program also introduces a healthy competition among students, as prizes are awarded at the end of the week.


ISWS is organized so that students have lots of fun during social activities and free time. They leave the school with great memories and satisfaction, and by having met many new good friends.



Participating at ISWS 2024 means to benefit from formal and practical sessions as well as from informal and social interactions with established researchers and the other participants in the school. Former students describe ISWS as a changing-life event in their career.


COVID-related ISSUES

Due to COVID regulations, participants may be requested to provide proof of a COVID-19 negative test from the last 24 hours. COVID-safety protocols may be put in place for all participants (e.g. rapid antigenic swab before-during the school): details will follow if appropriate.


HOW TO APPLY

We welcome applicants from anywhere in the world. Normally, but not exclusively, applicants will be early stage PhD students, post graduate students/practitioners, master students and junior post doc researchers in relevant disciplines with some knowledge of semantic and web technologies. Basic acquaintance with knowledge representation languages for the Semantic Web (RDF, OWL, etc.) is required.


The deadline for applications is March 15th, 2024. Please follow the instructions at https://2024.semanticwebschool.org/apply/



Accepted candidates are expected to arrive on Sunday, June 9th, between 3pm and 6pm and to participate fully in the activities of the school including social and training activities until its conclusion, at 2pm on Saturday, June 15th (meaning that your return flight cannot be scheduled before 5pm). Applicants should keep in mind that we will not consider applications from students who cannot commit themselves to a full participation for the whole duration of the school. Students are also required to bring and present a poster at the summer school, describing their own research work.


Apart from activities directly related to lectures, the summer school schedule features a rich social programme, which enables informal interaction between all participants in the school - i.e. students, tutors, invited speakers, school staff, etc. These events include a gala dinner, a party, and sport activities.


STUDENT GRANTS

A separate selection for grant applications will be done at a later stage, only for those who have already applied. We expect to provide a number of grants for students who would not otherwise be able to attend the school. More details about student grants will be published at a later date.


VENUE AND ACCOMMODATION

ISWS 2024 will be located at the University Residential Center located in the small medieval hilltop town of Bertinoro. This town is in Emilia Romagna, about 50 km east of Bologna at an elevation of 230 m above sea level. It can easily be reached by train and taxi from Bologna.



Bertinoro is picturesque, with many narrow streets and walkways winding around the central peak. Sessions of the summer school will be held in an archiepiscopal castle that has been converted by the University of Bologna into a modern conference centre with computing facilities and Internet access.  From the castle you can enjoy a beautiful vista that stretches from the Tuscan Apennines to the Adriatic coast and the Alps over the Po Valley.


More information about the location are available at the “Venue” section on https://2024.semanticwebschool.org/


The summer school fee is 1000€ and includes school material, accommodation, meals (including the gala dinner), excursion and other social activities. It does not include traveling costs. Students are recommended to book flexible flights with possibly free cancellation or to buy travel insurance: in case of new COVID restrictions that will force us to cancel the school, only the reimbursement of the school fee (slightly reduced by administrative costs) will be guaranteed.


Two shuttles (at fixed times) will be organized from Bologna airport and bus station to the school, and one shuttle will bring you back from the school to the Forli train station, the last day. From Forli, you can take a train to Bologna airport or to Bologna main station.



Prof. Dr. Harald Sack

Information Service Engineering

Institut für Angewandte Informatik und Formale Beschreibungsverfahren (AIFB)

Karlsruhe Institut für Technologie

harald.sack@kit.edu