The Workshop on the Algorithmic Foundations of Robotics (WAFR, www.wafr.org) is a multi-disciplinary single-track workshop with submitted and invited papers on advances on algorithmic problems in robotics. It has been held every other year since 1994 and has an established reputation as one, if not the, most important venues for presenting algorithmic work related to robotics. One of the most important aspects of WAFR is its informal atmosphere, which allows a frank exchange of new, previously unpublished ideas. In particular, WAFR has been an occasion for graduate students to meet and interact with more senior researchers who many times are not accessible to students at major robotics conferences.
WAFR 2006 will be held in New York City at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in lower Manhattan. The WAFR 2006 program includes 32 papers, selected from a record number of submissions, and 6 invited speakers. There is a stellar line-up of invited speakers, including both researchers who defined the field and those who are today defining the frontiers of the field - in several cases the same people: Jacob Schwartz (NYU), Tomas Lozano-Perez (MIT), Jean-Claude Latombe (Stanford), James Gimzewski (UCLA), Jessica K. Hodgins (CMU), and Sebastian Thrun (Stanford).
This award will be used to support partial travel and conference costs for a diverse group of students, including authors of WAFR papers, those who are already working in the area, and students who are interested in learning more about robotics as a possible area of research focus for their graduate studies. Efforts will be made to encourage applications from underrepresented groups in robotics and computing.
