Good Works Program

Every year the USENIX Endowment funds and revenue from our conferences are used to give back to and help nurture the development of the advanced computing systems community interpreted in the largest sense. Some of USENIX's projects are listed below.

USENIX Student Programs

Graduate and undergraduate college education is always of the highest priority to the Association. USENIX and its members value students and the research in the computing systems arena that is generated in colleges and universities. Recognizing the importance of this work, USENIX funds a number of programs for college students.

  • Student Membership USENIX believes the participation of the "younger generation" in the community represents the future direction of computer technology. Student membership dues are kept low for students studying electrical engineering and computer science at accredited colleges on a full-time basis. Student membership information.
  • Conference Participation for Students USENIX strongly supports graduate and undergraduate student participation in our conferences. We offer students very low registration fees for USENIX technical sessions and tutorials. Also, the student grant program provides grants for travel, accommodation, and fees to attend our conferences. Student contributions to conference programs are encouraged with best student paper awards and cash prizes.
  • University Outreach Another way USENIX reaches out to students is through its University Outreach program. In exchange for an annual free conference registration and a complimentary educational membership, computer science department faculty and staff on various campuses distribute Association materials to students, maintain a library of USENIX conference proceedings, answer questions, and spread the word about USENIX's activities.

USENIX greatly values students and the research in the advanced computing systems arena that is generated in colleges and universities. We strongly encourage students in the field to become members, and to contribute to and attend our conferences. See our Student Programs Overview for details.

Support for Other Organizations

USENIX has been a member of Computing Research Association for several years. The CRA mission is to represent and inform the computing research community, and to support and promote its interests. CRA seeks to strengthen research and education in the computing fields, and improve public policy-makers' understanding of the importance of computing and computing research in our society.

Increasing Representation in Computing

USENIX continues to reaffirm its commitment to increasing the representation of women and under-represented groups in the computing professions. In our efforts to support more diverse participation, USENIX is assisting two programs sponsored by the Computing Research Association's Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W). The first project is the Distributed Mentor Project, in which outstanding female undergraduates work with female faculty mentors for a summer of research at the mentor's institution. The second project is called the Collaborative Research Experience for Undergraduates in Computer Science and Engineering (CREU), whereby students work in collaborative teams with a faculty mentor at their home institution during the academic year.