IEEE S&P 202 Shadow Program Committee

I had the privilege of participating in the Shadow PC for IEEE S&P 2020. The Shadow PC mirrors the entire peer review process of the main conference, running parallel to it. This involved reading and reviewing papers, engaging in discussions and debates with fellow members, and ultimately reaching a consensus on which papers to accept. We then compared our decisions with those of the main PC to identify any significant differences in judgment.

The process of reading and reviewing papers was similar to what we typically do as graduate students. However, the added dimension of debating our evaluations with peers and comparing them with the main PC’s assessments provided a rich learning experience. It was fascinating to observe the reasoning behind the main PC’s decisions and how they differed from our own.

Being a part of the Shadow PC was an invaluable opportunity for students. Here are my key takeaways:

1. Mastering the art of reviewing papers.
2. Enhancing my ability to write insightful reviews.
3. Learning to effectively debate the merits of a paper.
4. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the peer review process from an insider’s perspective.
5. Networking with fellow students and understanding their research groups.
6. Enjoying the experience, with the added bonus of a sponsored trip to NYC! Google NYC was an excellent host.