ICAPS 2025 First LaunchPad Workshop Call

In addition to the doctoral consortium, this year’s ICAPS will start a new LaunchPad workshop program. The LaunchPad workshop will provide undergraduate and master’s students with the opportunity to interact closely with established researchers. The primary objective of the workshop is to provide a venue for Master’s and Undergraduate students where they can:

  • Present research ideas and results and receive feedback in a nurturing and supportive environment
  • Receive advice on how to get involved with graduate research, and other advice for early career researchers.
  • Identify potential advisors, graduate schools, and research areas related to automated planning and scheduling.
  • Create professional networks that include senior researchers and even other students.

The workshop will be open to all undergraduate and master’s student-attendees of the conference, which will take place on November 9th. Registering for the workshop will be part of the registration process for the conference, and all students are invited to take part in it.

The workshop will include both general talks relevant to starting out in research and a Mentoring Program. Under the mentoring program, each workshop participant will be assigned a mentor with whom they can interact through the conference and beyond. This will provide the students with an opportunity to get one-on-one feedback not only on their specific research goals but also on how to build a successful research career.

Application Procedure for LaunchPad Workshop Participation

To be considered for the workshop, please provide the following information as part of your application process:

  • Personal Statement - A two-page personal statement that describes your preparation for and interest in a research career in automated planning and scheduling. Some of the things to consider while preparing the statement include:

    • Your reasons for interest in the area, including future goals
    • What you might gain from being part of the ICAPS LaunchPad Workshop?
    • Do you have any previous experience being involved in research projects of any kind, specifically AI/automated planning and scheduling-related ones?

  • Research Statement - A two-page research statement that describes the specific problem/research project that you would like to work on. This might be a topic you might be interested in tackling as part of your doctoral studies. Some of the things to consider while preparing the statement include:

    • Provide evidence (be specific when possible), why this is a problem that is significant and feasible.
    • Have you done any preliminary work on this topic?
    • Are you aware of any researchers from ICAPS who have worked on similar problems?
    • Are you aware of any papers that have been published related to this problem? Please make sure to provide specific citations.

  • CV - Please make sure to mention the university, the country, and the current year of the program you are enrolled in (and the total duration of the program). You can also list any prior publications you might have been involved in and any references (not required).

  • Optionally, you can include a letter from your advisor on whether they will be ready to fund your travel and lodging.

When preparing your statements, please use the AAAI-25 Author Kit. You can upload the documents at the link: https://forms.gle/w1aPhs7yWS63VNAW9

Review Process

If all applications cannot be supported, selection will be based on the above material and the student’s graduation date. Institutional representation and research interests will be taken into account while selecting the cohort.

Important Dates for the LaunchPad Program

  • Submission deadline: Monday, June 23rd, 2025.
  • Notification date: July 2025
  • Pioneers Workshop: November 9th, 2025
  • Students who require an early decision due to visa application are encouraged to reach out to the workshop chairs by email (given below) after submitting their application.

Student Support

We are looking into ways to provide student support, partly covering travel and/or registration costs. Additional funding information will be available closer to the notification date.

Contact Information

For any questions or concerns, please contact the LaunchPad workshop chairs: