Welcome to the 13th Annual IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) in Philadelphia. Our first East Coast GHTC promises to be an exciting conference with some new twists from years past. GHTC addresses the need to bring together researchers and practitioners to share practical technology-enabled solutions that address the needs of underserved populations worldwide.
The response to the call for papers was very positive. We received a total of 152 submissions of full papers, short papers, and oral-only presentations that represent earlier stage projects. 84 of the original submissions have been accepted, resulting in an array of exciting presentations from 17 countries that broadly cover the UN Sustainable Goals that underly the conference. We personally read every paper and are confident that all attendees will leave the conference inspired to create more impact. This year, presentations are spread across only 10 technical sessions, allowing attendees to see more of the papers and have more time to interact with presenters.
This year we are using a new process to organize each of the technical sessions with the hope that it will promote even greater discussion and future collaborations. The technical paper presentations are complemented by an array of keynotes, plenary presentations, and panel discussions on a variety of topics.
An exciting new addition this year is the GHTC Souk. A marketplace for everyone to present impactful ideas whether they are just a notion, or something fully implemented. We know that everyone will find ideas, collaborators, and connections to cherish in a fun filled and informal atmosphere.
We are very thankful to all the track chairs and paper reviewers for their thoughtful evaluations of the submissions. The dedicated help and hard work of these individuals helped us to put together a strong technical program for the conference. We would in also like to thank the entire conference planning committee for their invaluable leadership and patience with two new program chairs during the planning of the conference. Everyone’s hard work and dedication to creating the best possible event should have all attendees excited.
We welcome you to Philadelphia and hope that you will enjoy the conference program and the technical discussions with other researchers and practitioners. We also look forward to your continued participation in future GHTC conferences.
Toby Cumberbatch and John Gershenson
IEEE GHTC 2023 Technical Program Committee Chairs
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- Toby Cumberbatch
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- John Gershenson