PACT 2026
October 19–22, 2026
Student Research Competition (SRC) — PACT 2026
About
The Student Research Competition (SRC) at PACT 2026 provides a unique opportunity for students to present their research and receive feedback from experienced researchers in the community. The SRC helps students network, strengthen communication skills, and showcase ongoing work to an audience of peers and experts. Both undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to participate.
Eligibility Criteria
Participants must be current students (graduate or undergraduate) at the time of submission. An active ACM student membership is required. The competition is divided into two categories:
- Undergraduate: Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree
- Graduate: Currently pursuing a master’s or PhD degree
Call for Papers
Submissions should include:
- Problem and Motivation: Clearly define the problem and explain why it matters.
- Background and Related Work: Provide context and key references, and explain how your work differs from prior work.
- Approach and Uniqueness: Describe your approach and what is novel about it.
- Results and Contributions: Present preliminary or current results and explain their significance to programming languages and computer science.
Submissions must be original and unpublished work. One of the goals of the SRC is to give students feedback on ongoing, unpublished research. The extended abstract must be authored solely by the student. If the work is collaborative and/or part of a larger group project, the abstract should clearly describe the student’s role and focus on that portion of the work.
Participation
The SRC consists of three rounds:
- Paper Round: Submissions are reviewed by an SRC committee.
- Poster Round: Accepted students present their posters to judges and conference attendees.
- Presentation Round: Selected students from the poster round give a final talk to judges.
Awards
Three winners from each category (undergraduate and graduate) will receive cash prizes ($500, $300, $200) and an award medal. Top students may be invited to participate in the ACM SRC Grand Finale.
Submissions
Submit your work using the specified format:
- Use the acmart template:
\documentclass[sigconf,nonacm,screen,review]{acmart} - Limit to 2 pages, excluding references.
- Ensure anonymity in the PDF (double-blind submission).
Submit your extended abstract at: [SRC submission link to be posted]
Important Dates
- Abstract Registration Deadline: August 17, 2026
- Abstract Submission Deadline: August 21, 2026
Poster, Video, and Presentation Requirements
Poster Requirements
- Organized and clear content
- Poster PDF submission deadline: TBD
- Print and bring your poster for in-person presentation
Final Presentation Requirements
- Short 8-minute presentation, followed by 4-minute Q&A
- Additional details will be announced later
Virtual Presentations
Details will be released closer to the conference.