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SIGEVO Viability Review. SGB Meeting, September 2011 Wolfgang Banzhaf SIGEVO = SIG for Genetic and Evolutionary Computation. Financial summary. Fund balance has been growing consistently From 2006: $83K to 2010: $299K Discretionary funds 2010 at $168K Conference sponsorship
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SIGEVO Viability Review SGB Meeting, September 2011 Wolfgang Banzhaf SIGEVO = SIG for Genetic and Evolutionary Computation SIGEVO Viability Report
Financial summary • Fund balance has been growing consistently • From 2006: $83K to 2010: $299K • Discretionary funds 2010 at $168K • Conference sponsorship • Annual GECCO conference (NA & E) • Biannual FOGA workshop (NA & E) • GEC Summit 2009, China • Student support for GECCO attendance • $20K+ per year over recent years • Membership dues of $13K in ‘10 SIGEVO Viability Report
SIGEVO member benefits • Reduced registration rates at sponsored conferences/workshops -> increase reduction for members? • Access to publications via DL • GECCO (since 1999), FOGA (since 2007) • SIGEVO mailing list • SIGEVOlution, electronic newsletter, now in volume 5, just released 5(3) -> keep regular schedule • Awards • SIGEVO Impact Award • Best paper awards at GECCO • GECCO Humies award (10K award money) • -> develop more awards SIGEVO Viability Report
Goal 1: Developing Membership and Leadership • SIGEVO membership right now steady at 550 - 600 -> upward potential • Total retention is between 57% and 63% over the years, retention after first year between 75% and 85% -> increase retention using incentives • SIGEVO Executive Committee has 18 members, with elections every two years for a third of the committee -> renewal of leadership is healthy, but needs to be fostered • New SIG officers were elected at EC meeting in Dublin in July (two new , two old) • Moving to longer planning horizons, progress on GECCOs up to 2015 • Conference leadership is getting younger. We scout for talent. SIGEVO Viability Report
Goal 2: Improve Conferences and Workshops • GECCO-2011 (Dublin, July 12-16); 600+ registrants • GECCO attendance between 400 and 650, larger if held in Europe -> go for more international venues • Acceptance rate steadily pushed down, now at 38% -> continue to becoming more selective • FOGA-2011 (Austria) was successful, will continue on a biannual schedule -> we are open to add more events • GEC Summit 2009 in Shanghai our first venture to Asia -> valuable lessons learnt • GECCO-2012 to be held in Philadelphia, 2013 in Amsterdam • Growing globally has challenges (mainly in Asia/Pacific region) SIGEVO Viability Report
Future Plans • Increase our ACM involvement • Address the award situation • ACM at large • partly historical • Liaison with industry • Career development • Online material • Conference and journal quality/quantity • Improvements to internal organization • Globalization SIGEVO Viability Report