As I head into SIGGRAPH 2017, I am thinking about direction. When I scour through the Advanced Program, I am thinking about what I need to see for work and what will inspire me for the future. One of my “must events” is the Meet the Executive Committee (EC) Candidates forum on Thursday, August 3rd from noon-1pm in 511BC at the Convention Center. I want to meet the candidates to make an informed choice because the ACM SIGGRAPH election is about the future of the Conference and the Organization.
If you are an ACM SIGGRAPH Member in good standing as of May 31, 2017, you are entitled to vote in this election. We are choosing the President and Vice President of the Organization, as well as a Member at Large, all of whom affect the direction of the Conference and all the activities associated with ACM SIGGRPAH throughout the year. It is important to get to know the candidates and then vote. My voice needs to be heard and so does yours!
In the electronic age, voting can be done at any time. If you haven’t yet had a chance because of a busy schedule, we will have a computer set up in the SIGGRAPH Village for you to vote and people able to assist you if you have any issues. Election Services Corporation (ESC) sent out information via email in mid-June, but if you deleted the email or by chance didn’t receive one, you can contact them at acmsiggraph@electionservicescorp.com or toll-free at 1-866-720-4357.
Another thing to do at the Meet the EC Candidates forum is to announce your candidacy. Scott Owen will be at the event and he can talk to you about the Treasurer position and the two Director At Large positions which will be on the ballot in 2018. We all have talents. This is your opportunity to volunteer for the organization whose mission is “to foster and celebrate innovation in Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. The organization promotes its vision by bringing people together in physical, on-line, and asynchronous communities to invent, inspire, and redefine the many creative and technical artifacts, disciplines, and industries that are touched by computer graphics and interactive techniques.”
I have done many volunteer jobs with ACM SIGGRAPH, from reviewing courses to being the Conference Courses Chair, from being VP of the EC to running the booth for the Education Committee. Now I am Communications and Membership Chair, and I appreciate the voice I have had throughout all my activities over the years. Volunteering gives you a voice. But more importantly, from my perspective, it has been a lifelong effort of giving back to an organization that has changed my life and my perspective. I am not who I am without the people in the ACM SIGGRAPH community that supported my efforts to succeed, and every success I have had can point back to my first involvement with this community.
Vote. Get involved. It is not only about the future of the organization and conference, but your future as well.
Barb Helfer is Communications and Membership Chair for ACM SIGGRAPH
