The Colombo ACM SIGCHI Chapter is launching a mentorship program to support Sri Lankan researchers in submitting to ACM CHI 2027 — the world’s #1 Human-Computer Interaction conference, taking place May 10–14, 2027 in Pittsburgh, USA.
Sri Lankans are already publishing at CHI. Dr. Suranga Nanayakkara (NUS/MIT Media Lab), Dr. Anusha Withana ( University of Sydney), Dr. Dilrukshi Gamage (University of Colombo School of Computing), Dr. Roshan Peries (Rochester University USA), Dr. Thilina Halloluwa (University of Queensland), Dr. Senuri Wijenayake (RMIT), Dr. Danula Hettiachchi (RMIT), and Dr. Primal Wijesekera (UC Berkeley) have all carved paths from Sri Lanka to the world’s biggest HCI stage.
Now we’re building a bridge for the next generation.
🔍 What you get:
→ One-on-one mentorship with experienced CHI researchers
→ Weekly reading groups & writing workshops
→ A peer cohort working toward the same September 2026 deadline
→ Guidance on study design, paper writing, and the submission process
→ Travel Grant from the ACM Colombo SIGCHI Chapter
⚠️ This is not a casual reading group. Only a limited number of applicants will be selected for intensive mentorship. We’re looking for genuine curiosity, a clear research direction, and a commitment of 5–8 hours per week.
📋 To apply, you must:
→ Describe a high-level HCI project idea
→ Read one CHI paper and reflect on why it interests you
→ Tell us what unique perspective you bring
🗓 Deadline: May 15, 2026
📩 Decisions shared before: June 1, 2026
🔗 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gkcSe6fq
📖 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/grPtseCa
Whether you’re an undergraduate, master’s or PhD student, lecturer, or industry practitioner doing UX, accessibility, AI, or tech for social good in Sri Lanka — this is your moment.
CHI 2027’s theme is “Bridges.” Let’s build one from Colombo to Pittsburgh. 🇱🇰