I am honoured to be nominated for this position and excited about the possibility of contributing to the EATCS community. The EATCS has long been a cornerstone of theoretical computer science, facilitating collaboration and innovation across the field. If elected, I aim to help shape its future in ways that reflect both the evolving nature of our field and the global challenges we face.
As we confront both the climate emergency and the inequities of academic publishing, we must reassess our practices to ensure they align with the values of sustainability, openness, and fairness. If elected, I will advocate for:
- Addressing the climate emergency and promoting sustainability by rethinking our conference and publication models. We must reduce the environmental impact of academic travel and high-carbon publishing practices while encouraging hybrid and distributed conference formats for global participation with minimal plane travel. Additionally, we should integrate climate-conscious decisions into our academic work and reduce the environmental footprint of EATCS events.
- Strengthening open-access and fighting predatory publishing practices by advocating for non-profit, community-driven publication models that ensure transparency, affordability, and ethical standards. We must move away from the current system, where universities, funded by taxpayer money, pay exorbitant subscription fees to publishers who profit from the work (writing and peer reviewing) conducted by researchers, also typically supported by public funding. Open-access platforms can break down financial barriers, ensuring scientific knowledge is accessible to all.
By prioritizing both sustainability and accessibility, EATCS can lead by example, showing how the theoretical computer science community can engage with important global issues while maintaining its commitment to scientific inquiry and knowledge sharing.
I hope to contribute meaningfully to this vision, should I be elected as a Full Member of EATCS.
Denis Kuperberg
CNRS, LIP, ENS Lyon