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CoNGA-Q@SC26: Call for Participation and Application

Please respond by September 14, 2026. Notifications will be issued by October 1, 2026.

Survey feedback will help us plan an event surrounding the Supercomputing Conference in Chicago, Illinois - U.S. November 13–14, 2026.

Applications are welcome from Research Computing, Data and Cybersecurity (RCDC) students and professionals who actively support or utilize HPC systems in academia, industry or government labs. International applicants who hold valid US visas and whose employers can support their long-haul flights, visa fees and travel insurance will be favored. Otherwise, international applicants MUST be able to secure a visa by November 1, 2026 (and provide verification to STEM-Trek by November 2; visit the link below to see what the estimated wait-times are for your country). If you haven't received a visa by the deadline, we will revoke and redistribute the award to the next person on the waitlist.

US State Department - Global Visa Wait Times: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/global-visa-wait-times.html
1.Are you interested in attending SC (willing to travel, can get a US visa in time, have release time from your employer), and have financial support for your flight (to Chicago - US from your home destination), travel insurance (with health coverage while traveling), and visa fees?

If your employer can cover the cost of your long-haul flight and visa fees, STEM-Trek will support lodging, per diem and incidental costs for a limited number, FUNDS PENDING (subject to review/selection process). A limited number of SC26 full tech (workshops) registrations are available; SC26 tech program registrations (with workshops) were donated by the conference general chair.

All who receive support of any kind must agree to attend the full pre-conference workshop and SC conference workshops during the week. They must take full advantage of what SC has to offer, or they will be ineligible for future awards.
2.Please let us know who you are: Name, country, university (if student), employer, and email address. Use your institutional email address (not a gmail or other social account).
3.BUDGET:

Please provide an itemized budget of anticipated expenses including transportation, lodging and per diem (US GSA Rate for Chicago). Also, indicate whether or not your employer will cover the cost of your flight, travel insurance and visa. INSURANCE MUST PROVIDE HEALTH COVERAGE WHILE TRAVELING AND WHILE IN THE US!

STEM-Trek will issue a limited number of travel awards. Those who provide their own flight/visa/insurance will be favored for the limited number of registrations that were donated. Proof of (full health coverage while in the U.S.) insurance must be provided.

If you are granted a full tech registration (plus workshops), and/or participant support, you are expected to participate in the full conference and pre-conference workshop. All who accept participant support are required to pay-it-forward by blogging for STEM-Trek, or by hosting a workshop at home (and blogging about it for STEM-Trek). Blogs are required to be considered for future programs. If you have accepted an award in the past and failed to blog for STEM-Trek, you will be immediately disqualified. Past participants who followed through with their blogging obligation are favored for reconsideration. Blogs are due January 15, 2027.

See: FY 2026 Per Diem Rates for Chicago, Illinois - U.S. | GSA: www.gsa.gov/travel