Frequently Asked Questions#
In case you find that your question is not covered here, please write us an email at info@scipy.in, or ask us on our Zulip chat.
Attending#
Do I need to know the Python programming language?
Yes and no. Most sessions will assume you write code in Python or an allied programming language for computational and scientific work, not that you use any particular language. Some workshops do expect Python specifically, and each one states its prerequisites.
Do I need to be a researcher or work at a university?
Nope! The conference is open to anyone, whether in academia, industry, or independently. We welcome students, hobbyists, and professionals alike. The conference is about scientific computing and data science, and we expect attendees to be interested in those topics.
Can I attend just one day of the conference?
Yes. We plan to sell a single-day ticket for the workshop day on Saturday, a ticket for the conference day on Sunday, and a combined ticket for both days. See registration.
When does the registration open?
We will announce the opening of registrations and ticket sales on our news page and on our social media channels. Please keep an eye out for updates.
What language is the conference in?
The conference is conducted in English. All sessions, including talks, workshops, and discussions, will be in English. We encourage attendees to communicate in English to ensure that everyone can participate, understand, and contribute to the discussions. If you have any concerns about language accessibility, please reach out to us at info@scipy.in.
What time does each day start and finish?
You may plan for a full working day on both days. The conference will start in the morning at 08:30 AM IST and finish in the evening at 06:00 PM IST. The exact schedule will be published on the programme page once it is finalised.
Is food included?
Yes. We plan to provide lunch and light refreshments, including tea/coffee on both days.
Can you cater for my dietary requirements?
We plan to ask about this on the registration form. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or preferences, and we will do our best to accommodate them. We cannot guarantee that we can meet all dietary requirements, but we will make every effort to provide suitable options for attendees with specific needs.
Is there a dress code?
No. You may wear what you would wear to work or to a lab, or casual attire. Chennai in December is warm and humid, and rooms with air conditioning can be a good deal colder than outside, so something with sleeves is worth carrying. We recommend comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for walking around the campus and attending sessions.
Should I bring a laptop?
For the workshop day, yes, and it is close to essential. For the conference day, it is optional. You may want to bring a laptop for taking notes, following along with presentations, or participating in interactive sessions. However, it is not mandatory for attending the conference day. It is required to bring a laptop if you are speaking. We recommend that you bring your own laptop with the necessary software and tools installed for the workshops you plan to attend. Please check the workshop prerequisites and setup instructions in advance. Please also carry any accessories you may need, such as chargers, adapters, headphones, portable storage devices, HDMI ports, or any other equipment required for your participation in the workshops or presentations.
Will there be Wi-Fi?
Yes, we are expecting to have, and will be working towards, guest Wi-Fi for attendees at the IC&SR Building on the conference day, and we will confirm it here once it is arranged. We recommend having a mobile connection as a fallback, particularly if you are presenting or following along in a workshop, or if you are relying on cloud-based tools or resources as part of your participation at the conference.
Will I get a certificate of participation?
We will confirm this before registration opens. If you need one for your institution, please inform us at info@scipy.in so that we can consider it in our planning and accommodate your request.
Tickets#
How much is a ticket?
The ticket price is not set yet. We are keeping prices low to make the conference accessible. We will announce the ticket prices on our news page and on our social media channels once they are finalised. Please keep an eye out for updates.
What does a ticket cover?
A ticket gives you access to the sessions on the days your ticket covers, lunch and refreshments, and conference materials. It does not cover travel or accommodation.
My employer is paying. Is there a different ticket?
Yes. If your institution or company is covering your attendance, please buy a corporate ticket. It costs a little more, and it is what lets us keep the standard ticket affordable for students and independent researchers.
Can I get an invoice or a receipt for reimbursement?
Yes. We will explain how on the registration page once we have picked a ticketing platform.
Can I get a refund or pass my ticket to someone else?
We have not settled the policy yet. It will be on the registration page before tickets go on sale.
Workshops#
How do I choose which workshop to attend?
Places in each workshop are limited, so we will ask you to pick one when the programme is out. We will announce how that works alongside the programme. Since the workshops will be conducted in parallel, you will be able to attend two workshops on the Saturday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Please read the workshop descriptions and prerequisites carefully to choose the ones that best match your interests and skill level.
Do I need to install anything beforehand?
Usually, yes. Each workshop will publish its own setup instructions and prerequisites in advance. Please work through them before you arrive!
Are the workshops suitable for beginners?
It depends on the workshop. All workshops will state their prerequisites and skill level in the workshop description. Some workshops are designed for beginners, while others may require prior experience or knowledge in specific areas. Please read the workshop descriptions carefully to determine if a workshop is suitable for your skill level.
Can I attend the workshops without attending the conference day?
Yes. A workshop-day ticket covers Saturday on its own.
Watching online#
Can I watch the conference remotely?
Unfortunately, no. We do not plan to livestream the conference. However, we will publish recordings of the conference day sessions on YouTube after the conference, free for anyone to watch.
Are the workshops recorded?
No. Workshops are in person only.
What time zone are the times in?
India Standard Time, which is UTC+5:30.
Will talks be recorded?
Yes, and we will publish them on our YouTube channel after the conference. If you are a speaker and would prefer not to be recorded, please tell us and we will keep your session out of the published recordings.
Speaking#
When does the call for proposals close?
The call for proposals is now open, and will close on 19th October 2026, 23:59 IST. We review proposals on a rolling basis, so we recommend submitting early.
Can I submit if I have not spoken at a conference before?
Yes, we love first-time speakers! We will work with you to solidify your proposal if it is selected. Based on interest, we may also run a speaker mentorship programme to help you submit a strong proposal. For selected speakers, the editorial board will provide guidance and support to help you prepare for your talk or workshop through mock presentations. We want to make sure that everyone has a positive experience and feels confident in their presentation.
How long is a talk or a workshop?
The length of a talk will be 30 minutes, including time for questions. Workshops will be 3 hours long, with a short break in the middle. Posters do not have a set duration, and will be presented during a dedicated poster session on the conference day. We will provide more details on the call for proposals page.
Can I submit more than one proposal, or co-present?
Yes to both. Please submit each proposal separately, and name every presenter on your proposal. If you are co-presenting, please ensure that all presenters are available for the session and that you have coordinated your presentation accordingly.
Do speakers get a free ticket?
Yes. If your proposal is accepted, your conference ticket is free. However, please note that if you purchase tickets, they are non-refundable, and we gratefully count them as support for the conference.
Can I present remotely or send a pre-recorded talk?
We are planning an in-person programme, and we will not be able to accommodate remote presentations or pre-recorded talks. We encourage all speakers to attend in person to engage with the audience and participate in discussions.
How do I give a lightning talk?
Lightning talks do not go through the call for proposals. We will explain how to sign up, and confirm whether there is a lightning talk session, when the programme is out.
Can I present a poster?
Yes. There will be a poster session on the conference day. Please submit through the call for proposals! You do not need to submit the final design of your poster, only an abstract. Posters should fit on a standard poster board (ISO A0 size).
Will slides be published?
Yes, we require that all slides be made available under a permissive license, and we will publish them on our website after the conference. We encourage speakers to share their slides and any accompanying materials to benefit the wider community.
Getting there and staying#
Where exactly is the conference?
We are excited to be bringing the conference to the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, Tamil Nadu, India. The workshops on Saturday are at the Department of Physics and the conference day on Sunday is at the IC&SR Building, about 400 metres apart. The venue and travel page has directions.
How do I get to the campus from the airport or the railway station?
The venue and travel page has routes by taxi, bus, and metro from the airport and from both main railway stations.
Do I need identification to get onto campus?
Please come in through the main gate. We are still confirming whether you will be asked for identification there, and we will publish it on the venue and travel page once we have this information. Please bring your ID. We will issue conference badges to all attendees at the registration desk, which will be in the foyer of the IC&SR Building. For the workshop day, we will have a registration desk at the Department of Physics. Please wear your badge at all times during the conference and workshops.
How far is the venue from the campus gate?
It is about 2.4 km from the main gate to Gajendra Circle at the centre of the campus. An internal campus bus runs the route and we would recommend it over walking, though it does fill up, so please allow extra time when you arrive on the workshop and conference days. Please see the venue and travel page.
Can I drive in and park?
Yes. Parking at the main gate is free. There is a limited number of spaces, but we expect there to be reasonable room.
Where should I stay?
We will list options at a range of prices near the campus on the venue and travel page. The guest house rooms on campus are limited, and we expect to need them for speakers and volunteers, so please plan on staying off campus for now. You are welcome to make your own arrangements, but please book early if you are coming from outside Chennai.
Can you send a letter of invitation for a visa application?
Yes. Please see the venue and travel page for details on how to request a letter of invitation. We will provide a letter of invitation for visa applications, shall you require one.
Is the venue accessible?
Yes, the venue is partly accessible. We have confirmed that the workshop building (the Department of Physics) has a ramp, a lift, and an accessible restroom. The conference day building (the IC&SR Building) has a lift, and every session will be in the auditoriums on the ground floor. However, there is no ramp at its entrance, and we are still confirming the accessibility of the restrooms. The venue and travel page has the detail for each building, along with a note on the distance across the campus, which is the other thing you should plan for. If you have a specific accessibility requirement, please write to us pre-emptively at info@scipy.in so that we can make arrangements to accommodate your needs.
What is the weather like in December?
Warm and humid, with mild evenings and the occasional passing shower! Please see the venue and travel page.
Sponsorship and volunteering#
How does my company sponsor?
Please write to sponsor@scipy.in. We are happy to discuss sponsorship options and how your company can support the conference. We will provide details on sponsorship packages, benefits, and opportunities for visibility and engagement with the conference attendees. We welcome sponsors from various industries who share our commitment to scientific computing and data science.
Can I sponsor as an individual?
Yes. Please write to sponsor@scipy.in. We are happy to discuss how you can support the conference as an individual.
Can I volunteer for the conference?
Yes! We are looking for volunteers to join the programme committee and help with various aspects of the conference. Please visit our volunteer page page for more information. We welcome volunteers with a range of skills and experience, and we value diversity and inclusivity in our volunteer team!
How can I help spread the word?
You may post about us somewhere we are not already reaching, such as a lab mailing list, a department, or a local user group. You may also share our news posts on social media, or write about us on your own blog. We are happy to provide graphics and text for you to use in your posts.
Anything else#
Is there a Code of Conduct?
Yes. It applies to both days, and social events around the conference and all activities of the conference and community, in person and online. Please refer to the Code of Conduct page for details.
Who runs the conference?
The SciPy India community, through the programme committee. Afrost, the Association for Promotion of Free and Open Source Technologies, is our organising partner and fiscal host.
How is this conference related to the other SciPy conferences?
The SciPy India conference that runs in the same spirit as the SciPy conferences elsewhere such as SciPy US, EuroSciPy, SciPy Japan and SciPyData Japan, SciPy Latam, and SciPy Korea, and several PyData conferences and meetups all around the planet. Please refer to https://scipy.org/community/#conferences for more. This is the fourteenth edition, and the first since 2021. For more details, see past editions.
How do I keep in touch afterwards?
You may join us on Zulip, where the community carries on between conferences. Thank you for your interest!
My question is not answered here. Who may I reach out to?
Write to info@scipy.in or ask on Zulip. If it is a question other people are likely to have, we will add it to this page.