PEARC25 Student Program
The ACM PEARC25 student program (SP) begins Saturday, July 19th 2025, two days ahead of the general conference events. Many of the program activities will be held on Saturday and Sunday so that the students can attend conference workshops, tutorials, panels, and more from Monday through Thursday. The SP activities offer skill development, mentorship and networking opportunities which will help students begin their journey into their careers and connect them to research computing and data (RCD) professionals and scientists within academia, industry and government.
Questions?
If you have questions, or require more information, please contact: [email protected].
We are pleased to announce that applications for the PEARC25 Student Program are open as of April 21st, 2025. Please follow this link to the form: student program application form.
Applications will close on May 18th, 2025 at the end of the day. If you require financial travel assistance, you’ll receive a separate link to apply after submitting your application. Please note that travel support is limited, so we strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible.
For any questions or comments please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
We are excited and looking forward to a great student program for PEARC25!
| Key Dates | Announcements |
|---|---|
| Monday, April 21st, 2025 | Student Program applications are open (Application Link) |
| Sunday, May 18th, 2025 | Student Program applications are due |
| Monday, June 2nd, 2025 | Student Program acceptance notifications sent (estimate) |
Program Activities
Job Fair
The Job Fair @ PEARC25 will provide participants in the Student Program an additional opportunity to meet with employers and discuss current and future potential opportunities, and to learn more about the participating employers. Students will have the chance to apply their professional skills that they have been practicing throughout the Student Program.
Tutorials & Workshops
New this year, participants in the Student Program will have the opportunity to participate with the other attendees and select 1 full day or 2 half day options from the list of Workshops and Tutorials offered on Monday July 21st, 2025. This change comes from feedback that students would both like more choice and also for the program to be more integrated into the main conference. Student Program participants that would like help with their selection can reach out to the Student Program committee: [email protected].
Protege-Mentor Program
The aim of the Student Mentor program is to foster the next generation of scientists and technology leaders. This program will focus on connecting the protege with their assigned mentor in advance of PEARC to help develop a connection and to allow for the mentor to help prepare the protege to make the most of their time at PEARC. Other key goals include providing the protege with networking opportunities during the conference, and allowing the protege to learn more about PEARC and the community. The conference mentor’s primary role will be to help guide their student through the conference and to share their personal experiences in the field of Advanced Research Computing. Mentors are expected to share their advice, help their students select sessions, introduce their student to others, explain research being presented, and be a familiar face among the thousands. Previous survey feedback from the students has been very positive with 70% reporting that the program is valuable or very valuable to their professional development.
Resume & Career Development Clinic
The Resume & Career Development Clinic is designed to equip students with the tools they need to stand out in the job market. This hands-on session will provide personalized resume feedback, interview preparation, and negotiation strategies to help students take control of their career journey.
In the first half of the workshop, students will bring a job posting for a position they aspire to and their current resume. They will receive one-on-one mentorship to refine their resumes and enhance their presentation skills. This includes guidance on resume best practices, follow up etiquette, and crafting a compelling elevator pitch—a crucial tool for making a lasting impression in professional settings.
The second half will feature three fully rounded sessions focused on negotiation strategies, elevator pitch refinement, and interview preparation. Through mock interviews, role-playing scenarios, and interactive feedback, students will gain confidence in presenting themselves effectively and negotiating job offers. They will learn what to negotiate, when to negotiate, and how to evaluate total compensation—critical skills for securing the best career opportunities.
This workshop is an invaluable opportunity for students looking to strengthen their professional presence, refine their resumes, and develop the confidence needed for career success. Don’t miss this chance to engage with mentors, receive personalized feedback, and prepare for the next step in your professional journey!
Lightning Talks @ PEARC Booth & Exhibitor Forum on expo floor.
This year students will have the opportunity to practice their public speaking live in person at PEARC25. Students will be able to practice these skills with a 2-3 minute lightning talk and include a single slide in a looping slide show collecting participant slides. We will be holding our lighting talk presentations on the exhibit floor this year at pre-scheduled times on Tuesday and Wednesday. This is an opportunity for students to highlight who they are, note any papers, posters, panels or activities they will be part of at PEARC25, what organization they’re affiliated with, what their interests are, and what their goals are for attending the PEARC25 conference. For attendees, this will be a great opportunity to have a quick introduction to a newer generation of potential future colleagues and collaborators.
Student Volunteers
The Student Volunteer Program gives students a behind the scenes look at conference activities and meet other students who are passionate about advanced research computing. Volunteers may help session Chairs run workshops, panels, and paper sessions – including helping distribute materials, taking pictures and attendance counts, and with A/V issues. Other example tasks include helping usher attendees at plenary and keynote sessions and helping other programs with logistical tasks. There will also be an opportunity to help at the PEARC booth on the exhibit floor where our PEARC information will be available and also where the student program lightning talks will be hosted.
Session on “Understanding the review process for a successful paper/poster”
Understanding what constitutes a successful research paper or poster submission is crucial. This session will help prepare participants to better understand the submission and review process. Students will collaborate in groups, along with a mentor, to conduct a mock peer review of papers. We will then discuss the findings from each group including points of feedback the groups would have shared with the authors of the papers. By the session’s end, participants will gain valuable clarity into this often-perceived “black box” of academic evaluation.
Session on “how to make the most of PEARC?”
Conferences can be overwhelming for first time attendees, leaving students uncertain about where to start and what to prioritize. This new session will equip students with practical strategies to make the most of their conference experience, from selecting the right sessions to effective networking techniques. In addition to offering concrete advice, we aim to feature past students who will share their experiences, providing further insights and opportunities for growth.
Supercomputing Made Simple: An Introduction to HPC with Anvil
Anvil is a powerful supercomputer provided by Purdue University, designed to help users—from students to seasoned researchers—solve complex problems with speed and efficiency. Equipped with thousands of processors, vast memory resources, and cutting-edge GPUs and TPUs, Anvil can perform billions of calculations per second.
As an essential tool for high-performance computing (HPC), Anvil enables large-scale research across a range of disciplines. From forecasting severe weather and modeling climate change to simulating the human brain and training advanced AI models, Anvil helps push the frontiers of science and technology.
This presentation will introduce Anvil’s capabilities and demonstrate how it makes HPC more accessible than ever. With its scalable, cloud-based platform and user-friendly interface, Anvil supports a wide variety of users—including those new to HPC. Whether you’re analyzing genomic data, designing energy solutions, or exploring new frontiers in machine learning, Anvil provides the tools and support you need to accelerate your work.
Session on “Team Building”
Through interactive, hands-on activities developed by the CyberAmbassador program and other NSF-supported initiatives, students will build essential communication and collaboration skills in a supportive, team-oriented environment. These sessions are designed to help participants connect with their cohort, strengthen their professional network, and prepare for multidisciplinary collaboration in research computing and data.
Dinner with the PEARC25 Executive Committee and Advisory Board members
Students will have the opportunity to meet and hear from the PEARC25 executive committee and advisory board members about their career stories and how they became involved with the PEARC community.