The schedule is tentative and will be updated later.
Monday
Workshop: Advanced Tools, Programming Languages, and PLatforms for Implementing and Evaluating algorithms for Distributed systems (ApPLIED)
Time: Full day
Website: https://www.cse.chalmers.se/~elad/ApPLIED2026/
Abstract: Designers of advanced systems wishing to implement and evaluate distributed algorithms in practical settings are often faced with challenging questions regarding the transformation from design to a working prototype. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together designers and practitioners of distributed systems from both academia and industry to share their point of views and experiences.
Keynote Speakers
- Philippas Tsigas (Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden) will talk about Relaxed Concurrent Data Structures.
- Philipp Woelfel (University of Calgary, Canada) will talk about Efficient Randomized Shared Memory Primitives and Algorithms.
Workshop: Student Spotlight Workshop 2026
Time: Morning
Abstract: This workshop will showcase student-led research through short talks and poster presentations, offering students a welcoming venue to share their ideas, receive feedback, and connect with the broader community early in their academic journeys. The program will feature a mix of published results, work currently under submission, and exciting research in progress on topics relevant to SPAA, PODC, and algorithms more broadly.
We especially encourage senior researchers, faculty, postdocs, and experienced community members to attend. By asking questions, offering perspective, and starting conversations, your presence can help students refine their ideas, build confidence, and feel more connected to the field.
Submissions can be made by this form and are due by June 10.
Tutorial: Grassroots Computing: Distributed Systems Without Global Resources
Organizers: Idit Keidar (Technion), Andrew Lewis-Pye (London School of Economics), and Ehud Shapiro (London School of Economics and Weizmann Institute of Science)
Time: After lunch (half-day)
Abstract: A distributed system is grassroots if it can have multiple instances that can (1) operate independently of each other and of any global resource other than the network, and (2) coalesce into ever larger instances, possibly resulting in a single global instance.
Introduction (conceptual + formal definitions)
- What are grassroots systems/platforms?
- Characterizing platforms (centralized, decentralized, federated, grassroots) using essential agents
Atomic transactions framework and applications (formal definitions)
- Framework and implementation
- Applications: social networking, currencies, democratic federations
Consensus (technical depth)
- The blocklace
- Morpheus
- Constitutional Consensus
- Flash payment systems
- Optional: Grassroots Federation
Why this matters for PODC:
- Covers PODC scope areas: distributed algorithms, fault-tolerance, consensus, cryptographic protocols, peer-to-peer systems, mobile computing
- Addresses fundamental questions: What can distributed systems achieve without global coordination or resources?
- Novel data structures (blocklace) with provable Byzantine resilience
- Protocols with optimal communication complexity bounds
- Bridges distributed computing theory with emerging societal applications (digital democracy, financial inclusion, sovereign communities)
Friday
Workshop: Gems of Distributed Computing (GODC@PODC)
Time: Morning (+ possibly afternoon)
Abstract: Distributed Computing is a deep and impactful field, and over the course of time it has also become a broad and diverse field. The Gems of Distributed Computing (GODC@PODC) Workshop invites experts of various areas of study in Distributed Computing to share the highlights of an area of their expertise with the entire greater Distributed Computing community at PODC.
Tutorial: Erasure Coding in Distributed Protocols
Organizers: Vivian Bambert (University of Bern), Mariarosaria Barbaraci (University of Bern), Annalisa Cimatti (University of Bern), and Christian Cachin (University of Bern)
Time: Morning
Abstract: An erasure code is a method to divide large volumes of data into pieces so that some pieces may be lost but the data itself can still be recovered. Starting with RAID storage devices, erasure codes have been deployed widely in local and in networked storage systems to increase resilience against failures. More recently erasure codes have been combined with distributed protocols in many ways, often for protocols that tolerate Byzantine faults. When used within broadcast and consensus protocols, erasure codes can reduce the communication complexity of such algorithms to the minimally required cost. Erasure codes have also found compelling applications to blockchain and cryptocurrency platforms where they ensure that transaction data is available. The tutorial will consist of multiple parts that illustrate the basic concepts of erasure codes and how they are used in recent theoretical protocols and practical systems.