SYLEN - Founding Advisory Board

Help shape the strategic direction of a new professional home for computing and ML systems practitioners.

The founding advisory board gives senior practitioners and academics a seat at the table as SYLEN sets its direction, governance structure, and community standards before those decisions calcify.

Role and commitment

Term length: 2 years. Time commitment: approximately 6–8 hours per year (4 quarterly meetings plus async input as needed).

  • Attend quarterly advisory board meetings (virtual, 60–90 min)
  • Review and advise on the network's strategic direction, scope, and governance model
  • Serve as a public advocate - share and endorse the network in communities you participate in
  • Connect the founding team to practitioners, researchers, or institutions who should know about SYLEN
  • Optional: contribute a perspective article or conference keynote to launch-year activities

Who we are looking for

  • Senior industry leader, department head, principal researcher, or standards body participant in computing, ML, infrastructure, or an adjacent technical field
  • Recognized reputation in the computing systems, ML systems, infrastructure, or security community
  • Willingness to be publicly named and associated with the network
  • At least one of: executive or technical leadership for a production systems organization, active participation in standards or open-source ecosystem work, or faculty or research leadership with relevant publications

What founding advisors receive

"Founding Advisor" designation

Permanent on your SYLEN profile. Listed in journal acknowledgments and conference materials for the founding year.

Complimentary Senior Membership

Full Senior Member standing for the duration of your advisory term.

Strategic input

Direct advisory role in how the organization is governed, how it positions itself, and which communities it serves first.

Named in inaugural issue

Advisory board listed in the inaugural journal volume acknowledgments.

Express interest

Introduce yourself and your perspective.

Send a brief note - your name, current role, affiliation, and why you think a practitioner-led network for computing and ML systems is needed. Founding advisory board selections will be made before the next public membership outreach wave.

Email the SYLEN team

All expressions of interest are reviewed personally by the SYLEN team and held in confidence.