Below please find the proposal from NYU Abu Dhabi to host Strings 2025. The strings planning committee invites proposals to be submitted by email. Comments are welcomed by email or via Discord.
UPDATE 11/21/23: NYU Abu Dhabi's proposal has been approved. The Strings 2025 conference website can be found here.
UPDATE 6/6/24: The Strings 2025 website can be found here [under construction]. For additional information on Abu Dhabi, please see this page.
Dear Members of the Strings Planning Committee,
Spearheaded by the strings group at New York University Abu Dhabi, we propose to host the Strings 2025 conference at New York University Abu Dhabi. We are very excited by the prospect of hosting the very first Strings conference in an Arab country.
Proposed dates:
The proposed dates are January 6 to January 10 of 2025.
Organizers and administrative support:
The current list of confirmed organizers are Ahmed Almheiri, Fernando Quevedo, Leonardo Rastelli, Suvrat Raju, Eva Silverstein and Micha Berkooz. This list will be expanded in the coming few months.
Ahmed Almheiri will be the main local administrative organizer, and administrative staff will be provided by New York University Abu Dhabi.
Venue:
The venue will be the Red Theater of the Performing Arts Center at NYUAD, a 700 seater auditorium with state of the art capabilities and audio/visual support.
Funding:
Funding will be sought internally from NYUAD and externally from government scientific organizations in the UAE such as the UAE Space Agency and the Advanced Technology Research Council in Abu Dhabi, amongst others.
Invitation policy:
The following is a summary of our invitation policy for Strings 2025.
The policy is designed with the following priorities in mind:
1. Scientific merit — to showcase the most recent significant advances or succinct reviews
2. Scientific representation — to include as many areas of active research as possible
3. Geographical, identity, and age representation — to have an inclusive atmosphere for all participants
4. Presentation prowess — to ensure engagement with the broader community
The invitation policy itself is the following:
In-person participation will be the default requirement for invited speakers and discussion leaders. Exceptions are unavoidably expected, and will be granted on a case by case basis, to be evaluated with the above policy priorities in mind. Factors taken into account when making decisions include:
1. Medical issues preventing travel
2. Local regulations prohibiting travel
3. Denial of Visa
4. Valid security concern/essential personal security concern
Local NYUAD experts will be asked to help with (2) and (3), and (4) will be handled personally by the conference’s inclusion officer with the help of NYUAD experts.
Modes of Participation:
The default mode of the conference will be in-person. Streaming will be provided to allow for online participation and engagement, which will increase inclusivity and reduce the carbon-footprint.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) plan:
We are committed to ensuring a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all participants. To ensure compliance, a member of the organizing committee will be assigned the role of an EDI officer.
Support for Young Researchers, Postdocs, and Participants from Developing Countries:
We plan to establish scholarships, travel grants, accommodation assistance and cover VISA fees for young researchers and participants from developing countries. The UAE VISA process is hassle free and allows for broad participation of researchers from across the globe, notably from developing countries.
Environmentally Friendly Practices:
NYU Abu Dhabi is committed to building and strengthening a university-wide culture of sustainability [https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/about/sustainability-and-stewardship.html]. As organizers, we will abide by these same sustainability principles and strive to implement best practices at reducing the potential carbon footprint of hosting a large international event like Strings.
Code of Conduct:
We are unwavering in our commitment at ensuring an environment at Strings 2025 that stands against any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. All participants will be expected to uphold a high standard of respect and professionalism.
As organizers, we will devote every effort towards maintaining a climate of inclusion, responsibility, fairness, impartiality and openness.
This Code of Conduct will be enforced comprehensively in both physical and digital spaces associated with the conference. This Code of Conduct reflects those principles adopted by NYUAD, and attendees with questions or who need further clarification can consult the resources provided on the Strings 2025 website as well as the Office of Inclusion and Equity at NYUAD [https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/about/inclusion-diversity-belonging-and-equity.html].
We reiterate our commitment to the Strings conference Code of Conduct and are wholeheartedly dedicated to ensuring an atmosphere conducive of respectful and inclusive interactions.
We hope our proposal aligns with your vision for Strings 2025, and we eagerly await your decision.
Sincerely,
The Organizers of the proposed Strings 2025 conference