About USENIX

The USENIX Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to supporting the advanced computing systems communities and furthering the reach of innovative research. We are known for organizing conferences and publishing research, but our greatest strength lies in building communities in computing systems. We represent the interests of our communities in a variety of ways, including our professional affiliation with the Computing Research Association.

Since 1975, USENIX has brought together the community of engineers, researchers, and practitioners working on the cutting edge of the computing world. USENIX conferences have become the essential meeting grounds for the presentation and discussion of the most advanced information on the development of all aspects of computing systems.

USENIX's mission is to:

  • Foster technical excellence and innovation
  • Support and disseminate research with a practical bias
  • Provide a neutral forum for discussion of technical issues
  • Encourage computing outreach into the community at large

USENIX fulfills its mission by:

Hosting professional, vendor-neutral events. Each year, USENIX hosts more than a dozen conferences and workshops on topics in advanced computing systems. Our professional staff handles meeting planning logistics, while teams of volunteers leverage their expertise to curate excellent technical content, recruit top-notch speakers, and review submitted papers to identify the best research for publication. Vendors and sponsors are present at USENIX events but do not influence program content.

Publishing papers and other valuable content. At events where research papers are accepted, USENIX volunteer committees select the most compelling and solid research that moves advanced computing systems forward in various specialities. A great deal of this groundbreaking research has directly influenced the development of modern products and services used worldwide; papers that have had a particularly lasting impact in their fields are recognized with Test of Time awards. ;login: also features timely topics in a digestible format.

Making content and research freely available. We banished paywalls in 2008, providing conference proceedings free of charge under our open access policy. In addition to written content, recorded presentations of our events are publicly available after each event. We rely on sponsor support to help fund open access to the cutting-edge research presented at our academic conferences.

Supporting all members of the advanced computing systems community. We believe that diversity is a valuable asset to the USENIX community, and the advanced computing systems community at large. The people engaged with USENIX—from the organizational leadership of our Board of Directors, conference program committees and steering committees, to our conference speakers and participants—represent a variety of perspectives, professions, and lived experiences. Our conference policies help create safe and welcoming spaces at our events, and we support underrepresented populations in advanced computing systems, including women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community through initiatives such as the Diversity Grant program and Women in Advanced Computing (WiAC) events.

USENIX welcomes you to become a part of the community by: