Digital government academic society forming

SEATTLE - Organizers of the digital government research and development conference are planning to start their own independent society. The fifth annual conference, underway in Seattle, provides a meeting ground for participants in the National Science Foundation’s to share ideas and present research.A community of about 100 individuals has sprung up around NSF’s program area since the start of the program, conference finance co-chair Yigal Arens said.Although NSF has traditionally funded the conference to help facilitate the community, the organizers wish to make the group self-sufficient, Arens said.The yet-unnamed society, to be registered as a not-for-profit-entity, will be similar to other scientific societies. It will charge dues, which will go toward paying for the yearly conference, supporting the Web site and perhaps a newsletter or a professional magazine.Arens sees the American Association of Artificial Intelligence as a model for how the group may be organized.Arens solicited volunteers at the conference to help develop the constitution and establish governance. For information on joining, e-mail Arens at arens@isi.edu or join the group’s email newsletter .Founded in 1999, NSF’s Digital Government Research Program funds projects that show how to use cutting-edge computer science research within government.