Industry’s Growing Presence at the CRA Conference at Snowbird

The Computing Research Association (CRA) Industry Committee (CRA-I) was pleased to welcome over 60 industry professionals and affiliates to the CRA Conference at Snowbird this July.

One of CRA and CRA-I’s primary goals is to foster collaboration between industry, academia, and government. The CRA’s biannual conference, historically attended by around 350 computing research leaders, including chairs/heads/deans of departments/schools/colleges of computer science, computer engineering, and information technology, as well as leaders from U.S. industrial and government computing research laboratories and centers interested in computing research issues, provides an excellent platform for such interaction. In recent years, the inclusion of an Industry track has further enriched the conference, catering not only to industry professionals but also to academics interested in industry collaboration. This year, CRA-I organized three well-received sessions in the industry track: Best Practices in Industry Affiliate Programs, Dual Appointments: Straddling Academia and Industry, and GenAI for Research and Discovery. Each session attracted over 50 participants and sparked substantial discussion.

In addition to the industry track, an industry “Meet and Greet” was held before the official sessions to facilitate early engagement. Participants were able to introduce themselves before the conference began. They were asked what areas CRA-I could focus on next to bring more industry to the table. Participants recommended that CRA-I could put together best practices and or develop models for partnerships in new areas such as sustainable computing and networking. Delving deeper into topics like these could generate new directions and collaborations between academia and industry. 

On the last day of the conference, CRA-I hosted a wrap-up lunch for industry participants and affiliates. The lunch provided a platform for valuable feedback on how to enhance industry participation in future conferences and identify topics of mutual interest. During the lunch, participants proposed initiating educational initiatives where industry could play a more active role in mentorship programs. Two challenges frequently faced by students seeking industrial internships were highlighted: navigating the CPT (Curricular Practical Training) approval processes at universities and managing the credit fees associated with internships. Participants encouraged CRA-I to explore these areas further. Another significant discussion point was the issue of establishing best practices for the diversity of companies that make up today’s computing industry to participate in research and build productive relationships with academia. Dubbed “Research in a Box”, this would enable companies to learn from each other on what approaches work most effectively. This would benefit CRA-I, the industries involved, and their academic partners.

These are just a few of the many insightful ideas shared throughout the week. CRA-I extends its gratitude to all participants at Snowbird for their invaluable contributions. Your insights are crucial to our growth and addressing the pressing issues facing the industry today. We look forward to seeing you at future CRA and CRA-I events! Please sign up for our updates here.