Communications of the ACM (CACM), the flagship magazine of the Association for Computing Machinery, has launched Regional Special Sections to cover computing research and innovations from around the world, with roughly one such section being published every quarter. The first regional section on China Region was published in November 2018. In about a year, around October 2019, CACM plans to bring out a similar section on computing innovations in India Region, including Sri Lanka.

This is a wonderful opportunity to tell the world about the unique and influential activities happening in Sri Lanka that may not be easily known outside or inside the country. CACM is a magazine with articles that present an overview and impact of a broader topic, leading interested readers to more detailed articles and sources present elsewhere. We invite ideas for articles along the themes listed below from individuals or groups involved with them closely.

1. ◾ CS research highlights:
   Important CS research undertaken by the Sri Lankan groups in the recent years. Research with high academic or societal impact—either actual or potential— will be natural candidates. Articles with a theme that has special relevance are likely to be more suitable than those presenting narrow research results.
2. ◾ Computing as a tool for scientific research:
   Innovations and research results about the use of computing as a tool in the natural or social sciences.
3. ◾ Sri Lankan service industry:
   Sri Lankan service industry has contributed to transform the world and is now moving up the value chain. What innovative practices or ideas or processes facilitated this?
4. ◾ Startups and unicorns:
   Startups and unicorns targeting the Sri Lankan and global market and their innovative work, with an emphasis on the innovative ideas or factors that made them successful.
5. ◾ Societal impact using technology:
   Examples of making a significant impact on the society through the use of computing should be of interest to the global audience.
6. ◾Government and digital technology:
   Sri Lanka has seen a number of large-scale experiments in the use of computing technologies in the way the population is empowered and enabled. Experiences and learning from these efforts will be ideal to be featured.
7. ◾ Other topics:
   Anything else about Sri Lankan computing that could be relevant to the CACM audience, and not covered above.

If you think you can contribute to this effort, please prepare a short 1-page abstract on your topic along with pointers to sources that can provide more details. The abstract should explicitly highlight the impact and importance of the work in the broad Sri Lankan and/or global industrial, academic, or societal context. The abstract should clearly mention the name, affiliation and contact information of all the authors. The abstract should also mention the theme (see seven themes listed above) about which you are submitting the article.

Please submit your abstract as 1-page PDF file through the Submission Portal on or before January 22, 2019. Your abstract will be reviewed by a team of experts. Selected authors will be invited to a workshop to be held in Bangalore on February 23, 2019. The workshop will collectively examine all ideas and will take the final decision on the articles to feature in the CACM regional special section.

For queries, please write to: Sanath Jayasena at sanath@cse.mrt.ac.lk

Team:

• ◾ Prof. Sanath Jayasena, University of Moratuwa
• ◾ Sriram Rajamani, Anand Deshpande, PJ Narayanan, and Pankaj Jalote: Team in India for Regional Special Section
• ◾ Andrew A. Chien, Editor-in-Chief of CACM