Call for nominations for the Microsoft BCS/BCS IRSG Karen Spärck Jones Award 2017
Closing date: 12 September
An award to commemorate Karen Spärck Jones
Karen was a Professor Emerita of Computers and Information at the University of Cambridge and one of the most remarkable women in computer science. Her contributions to the fields of Information Retrieval (IR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP), especially with regard to experimentation, have been outstanding and highly influential. Karen's achievements resulted in her receiving a number of prestigious accolades such as the BCS Lovelace medal for her advancement in Information Systems, and the ACM Salton Award for her significant, sustained and continuing contributions to research in information retrieval.
In order to honour Karen's achievements, the BCS Information Retrieval Specialist Group (BCS IRSG) in conjunction with the BCS has established an annual award to encourage and promote talented researchers who have endeavoured to advance our understanding of Information Retrieval and/or Natural Language Processing with significant experimental contributions.
Eligibility. Open to all IR/NLP researchers, who have no more than 10 years post doctoral or equivalent experience at the closing date for nominations (non-research times, eg, parental leave or career breaks, will be taken into account).
Criterion. To have endeavoured to advance our understanding of IR and/or NLP through experimentation.
Nominations. The following should be provided:
• Name of nominee, position, affiliation, years since completing PhD
• Name of person proposing the nominee, position, and affiliation
• Short case for the award, not to exceed 2500 words, highlighting the contributions the individual has made
• List of the individual's top five publications reflecting the relevant contributions, and role within these
• At most two supporting letters from people who would like to encourage/support the nomination
Nominations should be emailed to the panel chair below. The support letters can be e-mailed separately by the referees. It is possible for individuals to nominate themselves, in which case they should provide three support letters.
Award Panel. The Award Panel Chair, appointed by the BCS IRSG Committee, will invite panel members from amongst representatives of the BCS main council, the BCS IRSG Committee, sponsoring organisation(s), as well as at least two experts appointed by the BCS IRSG committee.
Prize. The recipient of the award will receive a certificate, a trophy, a cash prize of £1000 plus expenses to travel to ECIR.
Timeline for the 2017 Award to be presented at ECIR 2018:
• 12 September 2017 — closing date for nominations
• 26 September 2017 — deadline for support letters
• 14 December 2017 — notification of the prize recipient
• 25-29 March 2018 — recipient presents keynote at ECIR
Sponsors. Currently, the award is being sponsored by the BCS IRSG and Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Award Panel Chair. Udo Kruschwitz, [log in to unmask], University of Essex, UK
Previous recipients. See http://irsg.bcs.org/ksjaward.php
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