I am Wang Junjie, a second-year Ph.D. student in the real sakai lab. Due to COVID-19 and visa issues, my previous conference attendance was virtual. But this time, I had the honor of physically attending my first international conference, SIGIR-AP, held in Beijing, China, from December 26th to 28th, 2023.
Our research paper discusses integrating human values into Conversational Information Retrieval. We introduced a model named EALM and designed two datasets for this purpose.
Day 1: Tutorials and Learning
The day was dedicated to tutorials. The standout session was “Rethinking Conversational Agents in the Era of LLMs: Proactivity, Non-collaborativity, and Beyond.” It provided a comprehensive overview of the evolution of conversational AI since 1966. The future seems to hinge on how LLM-based conversational AI can incorporate interactive learning to understand human feedback, values, and unbiased responses.
Day 2: Presentations and Networking
On the second day, we presented our work.
The highlight was the evening banquet. The Beijing duck was a culinary delight, alongside other exquisite dishes. It was a great opportunity for networking and enjoying the local cuisine.
Day 3: Poster Sessions
We spent most of our time at the poster area, discussing our work with attendees. It was a fantastic platform for in-depth discussions and feedback.
Conclusion: A Valuable Experience
Attending an international conference was valuable. I met many outstanding international scholars, broadened my horizons, and showcased our work. This experience was not just about learning; it was about connecting and growing in the global academic community.