<div dir="ltr"><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain gmail-md-expand" style="box-sizing:border-box"></span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">2019 Victor Lesser Distinguished Dissertation Award<br></span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">Nominations are invited for the 2019 Victor Lesser Distinguished Dissertation Award sponsored by IFAAMAS, the International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (</span><span class="gmail-md-link" style="box-sizing:border-box;word-break:break-all"><a href="http://www.ifaamas.org" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(65,131,196)">http://www.ifaamas.org</a></span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">) and to be presented at AAMAS-2020 (</span><span class="gmail-md-link" style="box-sizing:border-box;word-break:break-all"><a href="https://aamas2020.conference.auckland.ac.nz" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(65,131,196)">https://aamas2020.conference.auckland.ac.nz</a></span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">).</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">Eligible doctoral dissertations are those defended between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019 in the area of Autonomous Agents or Multiagent Systems.</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">This award includes a certificate and a 1500EUR payment.</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">The selection of the dissertation will be based on the originality, significance, and impact of the work. Evidence of such impact include publications at highly selective conferences and journals in the field, with due importance given to the AAMAS conference series and JAAMAS. Research output that resulted primarily from the student's initiative will be considered more favorably. The selection committee will be the final arbiter in the decision process. The selection committee might decide to consult external assessors and reserves the right to not award the prize if the nominations do not meet the expected quality level.</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">The dissertation must be nominated by the thesis supervisor and must be supported by the following documents, all should be delivered via the link below before or on February 20, 2020:</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span style="box-sizing:border-box">-</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box"> A PDF file of the dissertation. If the dissertation is not written in English, the nomination must include a substantial manuscript in English, with the nominee as the first author, published in a journal or a prestigious conference.</span><span class="gmail-md-softbreak" style="box-sizing:border-box">
</span><span style="box-sizing:border-box">-</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box"> A list of citations to published papers based primarily on this dissertation with links to corresponding PDF files.</span><span class="gmail-md-softbreak" style="box-sizing:border-box">
</span><span style="box-sizing:border-box">-</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box"> A two page document (single column) in PDF format, explaining the contribution of the dissertation to the field with regards to the state of the art, as well as possible future impact of the work.</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span style="box-sizing:border-box">-</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box"> A recommendation from the dissertation supervisor, on departmental letterhead, nominating the dissertation for the IFAAMAS-19 Victor Lesser Distinguished Dissertation Award. The recommendation should argue the merit of the dissertation and highlight, where relevant, how the work resulted from the initiative of the student. This document, not to exceed 500 words, should also certify the eligibility of the PhD by asserting that the PhD was defended in calendar year 2019.</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span style="box-sizing:border-box">-</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box"> - The names, email addresses, and affiliations of at most three referees, familiar with the research of the candidate and experts in the pertinent research area, who will directly email their recommendations for the candidate to the chair of the selection committee (Noa Agmon, <a href="mailto:agmon@cs.biu.ac.il">agmon@cs.biu.ac.il</a>). A reference letter should be no more than 500 words in length and should be on official letterhead, signed and emailed as scanned PDF file.</span><span class="gmail-md-softbreak" style="box-sizing:border-box">
</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">NOTE: IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DISSERTATION SUPERVISOR TO CONTACT THE REFEREES AND ENSURE THAT LETTERS (max 500 words, signed, and on letterhead) ARE SUBMITTED BY THE DEADLINE.</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-softbreak" style="box-sizing:border-box">
</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">Though the nomination is to be submitted by the nominee's dissertation supervisor, it is required that the nominee has consented that the dissertation be considered for this award and, if selected for the award, commits to attend the AAMAS-2020 conference, where he/she will receive the award, and will give a presentation in a special session of the conference on the work contained in the dissertation. The cost of attending the conference is not covered by the award.</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">Submission link:</span><span class="gmail-md-softbreak" style="box-sizing:border-box">
</span><span class="gmail-md-link" style="box-sizing:border-box;word-break:break-all"><a href="https://forms.gle/3Wjtezxrza4rgnMN9" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(65,131,196)">https://forms.gle/3Wjtezxrza4rgnMN9</a></span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">Submission deadline: </span><span class="gmail-md-softbreak" style="box-sizing:border-box">
</span><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">February 20, 2020</span></p><p class="gmail-md-end-block gmail-md-p gmail-md-focus" style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:inherit;margin:0.8em 0px;white-space:pre-wrap;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:"Open Sans","Clear Sans","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><span class="gmail-md-plain" style="box-sizing:border-box">For questions, please contact the chair of the selection committee, Noa Agmon <a href="mailto:agmon@cs.biu.ac.il">agmon@cs.biu.ac.il</a></span></p></div>