ICAPS 2026 LaunchPad Workshop – Call for Applications
Alessandro Saetti
ICAPS 2026 LaunchPad Workshop – Call for Applications
In addition to the Doctoral Consortium, ICAPS 2026 will host the LaunchPad Workshop, a program designed for undergraduate and Master’s students interested in automated planning and scheduling. The LaunchPad Workshop will be held in Dublin, Ireland, June 27, 2026.
The LaunchPad Workshop will give students the opportunity to interact closely with established researchers in the ICAPS community. Its primary goals are to provide a venue where students can:
Present research ideas and early results and receive feedback in a supportive environment.
Receive advice on how to get involved in graduate-level research and on early-career decisions.
Identify potential advisors, graduate programs, and research topics in automated planning and scheduling.
Build professional networks with senior researchers and peers that may last beyond the conference.
The workshop will be open to all undergraduate and Master’s student attendees of ICAPS 2026. Registering for the LaunchPad Workshop will be part of the conference registration process, and all eligible students are invited to participate.
*** Workshop Format and Mentoring ***
The LaunchPad Workshop will include:
Introductory and career-oriented talks relevant to starting out in research in planning and scheduling.
Panel or open discussion sessions on topics such as applying to graduate school, choosing research directions, and building a research profile.
A Mentoring Program, under which each workshop participant will be matched with a mentor (an established researcher) with whom they can interact during the conference and potentially beyond.
The mentoring component is intended to provide:
One-on-one feedback on research ideas and plans.
Guidance on how to develop a successful research career in AI planning and scheduling.
Support in connecting to the broader ICAPS research community.
*** Who Can Apply? ***
The LaunchPad Workshop is aimed at:
Undergraduate students (BSc or equivalent) interested in exploring research in automated planning and scheduling.
Master’s students (MSc or equivalent) who are considering a research career or planning to apply for PhD positions in related areas.
No prior publications are required. We welcome applicants with strong motivation and curiosity about research, regardless of their prior research experience.
*** Application Procedure for LaunchPad Workshop Participation ***
To be considered for the LaunchPad Workshop, applicants are asked to submit a single PDF file containing the following items (in order)
Personal Statement (up to 2 pages, AAAI Style)
Research Statement (up to 2 pages, AAAI Style)
Curriculum Vitae (CV, AAAI Style)
Optional Advisor Letter
For complete details on the application process, please refer to https://icaps26.icaps-conference.org/calls/launchpad_call/
*** Important Dates for the LaunchPad Program ***
All deadlines will use UTC-12 as the reference timezone (i.e., the deadline has not passed as long as there is still time anywhere in the world). Final dates will be announced on the ICAPS 2026 “Dates” and LaunchPad pages.
Application submission deadline: March 2, 2026
Notification date: March 27, 2026
LaunchPad Workshop at ICAPS 2026: June 27, 2026
*** Student Support ***
The ICAPS 2026 organizers and the DC & LaunchPad chairs are exploring options for student support, which may partially cover travel and/or registration costs for some LaunchPad participants. If such funding becomes available, the LaunchPad organizers will contact selected students directly with further details.
*** Contact Information ***
For questions about the ICAPS 2026 LaunchPad Workshop, please contact the DC & LaunchPad organizers:
Malte Helmert – malte....@unibas.ch
Jane Kiam – jane...@unibw.de
Ivan Serina – ivan....@unibs.it