Distinguished Visitors Program

The IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Visitors Program (DVP) is a popular offering where top-quality/world class Technology Leaders and Innovators are available to Computer Society professional and student chapters to make both Online Visits (Virtual Presentations) and On Ground (In-person) Visits to the chapter’s locale.

Each year, a new cadre of Distinguished Visitors (Presenters) and topics are selected and previous years’ topics reviewed and updated to ensure the currency, relevance and continued excellence of the program.

A sample of recently covered topics is below. Find a Distinguished Visitor. View the Archive.

Topics Covered:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Twins
• Machine Learning
• Natural Language Processing

Nominations for Distinguished Visitors are accepted annually during a 10-week period that occurs from mid-June through the end of August with Appointment of DVs for the upcoming year and DV Orientation occurring in December.

Program recommendations, suggestions for desired topics, and other suggestions/ comments are welcome at any time and should be sent to dvp@computer.org.

Requesting Distinguished Visitor participation, both online (virtual) and On Ground (In-Person) is accomplished through the following steps are as follows. Chapters can review our DVP class of Distinguished Visitors here.

1. A chapter identifies an event which would benefit from the participation of a Distinguished Visitor.
2. For an online/virtual event, the chapter may select any DV from the online catalog of active DVs and contacts the DV directly to determine availability.
   • The chapter and DV discuss the chapter’s proposed event, expected attendance and the requested level of DV participation and establish an agreement as to date, time, and online platform.
   • The DVs agreement to participate constitutes approval of the DV event and the chapter then submits the notice of DV event to the DVP.

3. For an On-Ground/In-Person event the chapter chooses a DV from the online catalog ensuring that the selected DV is listed as available for On-Ground/In-Person events and contacts he DV directly to discuss the chapter’s proposed event, date(s) of the event(s), venue and availability of AV and computer equipment.
   • The discussion about the event can include the request that the DV make one or more presentations, speak with students, participate in a round table discussion and other like activities during the period of the visit.
   • The Chapter is responsible for the DVs local expenses and should consult with the DV about local transportation, lodging and meals planned.
   • The DV should provide the chapter with an estimate of their inter-city travel expenses in accordance with the IEEE CS travel policy and within the $1,500 limit.
4. The Chapter then submits a Request for Approval Of Inter-City Travel Expenses Form to the DVP no later than 6 weeks prior to the scheduled visit. This allows for a minimum of 21 days between the approval date and the scheduled visit date, so that DVs may take advantage of advance purchase tickets at lower fares. DVs should not purchase any tickets/expend any funds until the chapter makes notification that the request has been approved.
   • The IEEE Computer Society will not be responsible for and will not reimburse expenses of any travel that has not received prior approval, and/or has not complied with program policies.
   • Chapters are notified of the approval/disapproval of the request with approval based upon, among other things, number events/attendees, scope of visit, and a fair distribution, of DV funds. Disapproved requests may be modified/updated by the chapter and resubmitted keeping in mind program time constraints.
   • The Chapter conducts the event with the DVs participation.
5. Upon completion of the visit both the chapter and the DV complete their respective post event report.  Post Event Report – Chapter and Post Event Report – DV.
6. For an OnGround/In-Person event the DV then invoices the chapter for any local expensed incurred and completes Concur for intercity travel expenses to be reimbursed.

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The Distinguished Visitor Program exists to support IEEE Computer Society professional and student chapters. The following information provides an outline of general policies and procedures.

• All Distinguished Visitor correspondence should be directed to dvp@computer.org.
• The program year runs 1 January – 31 December.
• The nomination period for new DVs occurs during a 10-week period from mid-June through the end of August of each year with appointment of new DVs for the following year occurring in December.
• The IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Visitor program reimburses up to US $1,500 for DVs travel from home to event city and return.
• Chapters are responsible for local expenses.
• Chapters may arrange for an unlimited number of online visits and request no more than two DV on ground (to the chapter’s locale) visits per calendar year.
• Approval for online visits is gained upon agreement of the DV and Chapter hosting the event.
• Approval for on ground/In-Person visits must be obtained from the DVP Committee in advance.

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• Requests Per Year — Chapters may arrange up to three DVP visits per calendar year. Approval for visitors must be obtained in advance. Additional visits can be requested subject to availability of funds
• Requesting a Visitor. Chapters should first confirm speaker’s availability. Chapters should work directly with the speaker. Second, chapters should submit the request via the online speaker request form, E-mail Requests are acceptable as long as all required information is included in the submission. Submit visit requests to dvp@computer.org.

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All Distinguished Visitor requests must be approved in advance. Arrangements made by visitors, chapters, and/or others outside of DVP policies and procedures are not the responsibility of the IEEE Computer Society, and will not be reimbursed.

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US $1,500 for inter-city travel for approved visits to Computer Society professional and student chapters. Local expenses to include accommodations and meals are paid by the host chapter.

Additional funding may be available if multiple talks are given on a single trip.

Covered Expenses:

• Inter-city Traveling Costs are defined as reasonable expenses incurred traveling from the DV’s home or office to the host chapter’s city and departure from the host chapter’s city until arrival at the DV’s home or office.
• Normal economy coach class airfare, bus fare, train fare, parking at home airport, mileage, or nominal gas to and from the DV’s home airport. The use of advance-purchased tickets is encouraged whenever practical.

Distinguished Visitors should purchase economy class airfare, bus, and/or train tickets. It’s advised to purchase tickets as early as possible to secure the lowest possible fare.

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Chapters are responsible for Local Expenses which are defined as reasonable expenses incurred after arriving in the host chapter’s city, including accommodations, transportation, and meals. These expenses are to be submitted by the DV to the host chapter for reimbursement and should be agreed upon by the DV and the host chapter in advance.

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All requests for reimbursement must be submitted within 60 days from completed travel.

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A Road Trip is when two or more chapters come together to develop a multi-city visit.  The chapters are requested to form an ad hoc consortium with a single person, the chair, to contact the DVP and to represent the chapters in their discussions with the DV leading to formation of an agreement.

The chair is then responsible for coordinating the venues, AV and computer support, activities to include DV travel, lodging, meals and other expenses.  The chair also submits the request for funding which may be up to $3000 to cover all of the DVs inter-city travel including city to city travel when cities are father than 100 KM apart. As a Road Trip is a bit out of the ordinary it is strongly suggested that chapters contact the DVP which will be happy to help with supporting the ad hoc committee as well as submission of the request for funding.

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The procedures to request the services of a Distinguished Visitor are as follows. The DVP serves all Computer Society professional and student chapters.

1. Chapters should consider DVs from the current online catalog only.
2. Chapters should contact the DV directly to set up a tentative date for a visit. Both the chapter and DV should provide estimates for inter-city travel and local expenses.
3. IEEE Computer Society will fund transportation for visitors to and from the host chapter up to US $1,500 and for a Road Trip up to US $3000. Chapters are responsible for local accommodations and transportation.
4. Once a date for a visit has been established, the chapter must submit the DVP Request Form included in this catalog at least six (6) weeks prior to the scheduled visit.
5. After completing a visit, both the chapter and the DV should fill out the Post Event Form.

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Nominations for Distinguished Visitors are advertised and formally solicited by the program chair starting May of each year and accepted via online submission during Mid-June through August 30th (11:59 PM EST) of the year with appointments made in early December. The selection of Distinguished Visitors is conducted in accordance with the following guidelines:

1. Prospective DVs must be members of the IEEE Computer Society and must remain so as long as they are a DV.
2. DVs are recognized authorities in their respective fields as indicated by the following criteria with respect to their chosen topics:
   • A record of public speaking at significant conferences or technical meetings,
   • Articles published in technical or trade journals with the DV as a principal author.
   • Books published
   • Demonstrated leadership in Technology
   • Industry
3. The DV Catalog offers topics of interest to the Computer Society membership as determined by the following criteria:
   • Society member interest
   • Current Topics represented in publications, trade journals, and books.
4. DVs’ schedules permit them to respond positively to requesting chapters whether for online (virtual events) or to make an In-Person visit the chapter’s locale.
5. DVs have the support of their employer to participate in the DV Program and activities
6. DVs are appointed as a DV for the Computer Society for an initial three-year period where they are eligible for reimbursement for intercity travel when making an approved visit to a chapter’s locale and conducting a visit which should include a minimum of one presentation and attendance at other events such as meeting with students. After the initial three-year initial period DVs are invited to continue their active participation in the DVP via offering their participation in online/virtual events and continuing to update their topics/presentations on the DV Website.  DVs continue as DVs so long as they maintain the Computer Society Membership or status as an Affiliate of the Computer Society in good standing.
7. Nominations are scored within the DVP Committee and rank ordered within regions leading to selection. A DV accepts selection and re-confirms their availability and organizational support which then leads to their appointment by the DVP Chair.
8. Highly placed non-selectees may be requested to self-nominate in the successive year.
9. DVs may be returned to eligibility for reimbursement for inter-city travel through the annual nomination process following a two- year holding period and/or by request to the DVP to fill a specific need within the program approval of such a request can be for one to three years and is based upon the needs of the DV Program. Such a request must gain the recommendation of the DV Program chair and the approval of the DVP committee.
10. A DV may make an early transition from Travel Eligible status to online only status upon request and approval of the DVP Chair.
11. A DV may be removed following a review of circumstances and the recommendation of the DVP Chair with the concurrence of the DVP Committee.
12. Representation from underrepresented groups is highly encouraged.

Please include the nominee’s biographical information and two or three abstracts of proposed topics (use the entries in the current catalog as a reference for text length).

Submit nomination HERE.

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All correspondence for the Distinguished Visitors Program should be sent to dvp@computer.org.

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