SCAN logo
What's happening at SCAN

Updates, stories, and ideas.

We're early, but we're moving. Here's what's driving us, what we're building, and where we're headed.

Our story

FoundingSCAN

The panel that started everything.

We attended a panel at ACM — five top academics at the peak of their fields, in a room that could have held hundreds. There were five people watching. We were the only two students there.

That's the problem in miniature. Brilliant ideas, important conversations, and the next generation of researchers completely absent from the room. Not because they didn't want to be there — but because no one had opened the door.

Research is a collaborative effort. Conferences exist to move ideas forward. But if only established academics are in the room, we're missing a critical portion of the voices that should be shaping those ideas: students. The next generation. The people who will carry this work forward.

“Conferences shouldn't be a closed room. Students should be able to attend, ask questions, and listen. Isn't that what academia is all about?”

What we're building

The initiatives taking shape right now

Membership
Student membership is launching soon — and it's free.
Sign up to receive weekly newsletters, conference opportunities, and invitations to our student forum. We believe access should never cost you.
Conferences
Partnering with conferences to open their doors.
We're working with conference organisers to list last-minute student tickets — free or heavily discounted — so empty seats become learning opportunities.
Community
A forum for student researchers.
We're building a space where students can collaborate on publications, share opportunities, and connect with others who care about research.
Funding
Funding and sponsorship for student research.
We're pursuing sponsorships and grants to directly fund student research and help cover the costs of conference attendance for those who need it most.
Workshops
"Meet the researchers" — coming to conferences near you.
We're partnering with conferences to run introductory workshops, lab walk-throughs, and mentoring circles so students get more than just a seat in the audience.
Access
The "Free Tickets for Impact" scheme.
Many conferences already have community and education quotas. We're helping them use those seats better — connecting 5 free tickets or a "sponsor a student" programme to the people who'll benefit most.