SIGIR NEWSA Decade of SIG-sponsored Community Eventsat SIGIR
Laura Dietz
University of New Hampshire
USAdietz@cs.unh.edu

When I attended the NeurIPS conference during my graduate student years, the parties of theGatsby Neuroscience Unit weren’t just social gatherings but pivotal points in my academic andprofessional journey. It was there where I connected with future collaborators, securing internshipand post-doc opportunities that shaped my career. This experience underscored the value ofhelping students to build their network, a realization I carried with me to my first SIGIR conferencein 2014. Observing a gap in such networking opportunities, I proposed the idea of organizing asimilar event to foster connections, particularly for students and other newcomers to the researchcommunity.
In 2015, with collective efforts and the support of key individuals like Jaap Kamps from theExecutive Committee and Ricardo Baeza-Yates, the conference General Chair, we turned this idea
into reality. We navigated through budget allocations, program adjustments, and local logistics
to launch the first student party at SIGIR. This initiative quickly evolved from a single event toan anticipated annual gathering, growing in size and significance. By 2019, its organization had
become a seamless part of the conference planning by General Chairs and the SIGIR StudentAffairs Chair.
Parallel to the student parties, in 2014 then SIG IR Chair Diane Kelly started the SIGIR
Student Luncheon which replaced the former “Newcomers Breakfast”. The goals are similar to thestudent party: fostering discussions among students under the guidance of established community
members; but the event was more formal and limited to students and senior members. When Jaap
Kamps asked the students whether they wanted a luncheon or a party, they wanted both.
In 2015, another significant community initiative took shape—Women in IR. What started as
an impromptu coffee break conversation with just ten attendees soon evolved into a formal eventthat simultaneously celebrated and supported the women in our field. Under the leadership ofShiri Dori-Hacohen and subsequent chairs, Women in IR has become a cornerstone event, offering
a platform for sharing experiences, hearing from successful women in the field, and building asupportive network.
Establishing ”Queer in IR” and the Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion (DEI) events further illustrated our commitment to inclusivity. These initiatives, spearheaded by individuals like Luca
Soldaini, Suzan Verberne, and Husein Suleman, addressed the needs of underrepresented groups
within our community, breaking down barriers to participation, connecting members with sharedexperiences, and fostering a welcoming environment for all. These initiatives were particularly
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helpful to maintain a sense of community during the COVID years, when conferences were heldonline. Recognizing the need for a more structured approach to supporting these community
events, in 2023, the SIG Executive Committee introduced the role of Community Relations Coordinator. This position, currently held by Bhaskar Mitra, serves as a central point of contact
for anyone looking to organize events for sub-communities in SIGIR. This move underscored our
acknowledgment that while these events are crucial for community well-being, they also require
formal support to thrive.
Given their importance to the social fabric of the SIGIR community, the ACM Special Interest
Group in Information Retrieval is committed to funding these initiatives, ensuring they thrive
without compromising the conference’s financial health.
As I reflect on these developments, I’m reminded of the power of community in advancing ourfield from the ground up. From the inception of the student party to the formal recognition ofdiversity and inclusion initiatives, our collective efforts have not only enriched the SIGIR experience but have also set a precedent for how academic communities can foster inclusivity, support,and engagement.

Acknowledgments
I want to thank everyone for reminding me of key facts, especially Diane Kelly, Shiri Dori-Hacohen,Suzan Verberne, Jaap Kamps, and Charles Clarke. I want to thank everyone who served as
Conference Chair, SIG Volunteer Chair, or on the Executive Committee in the past decade forkeeping these events alive.

ACM SIGIR Forum2Vol. 58 No. 1 – June 2024