UC Irvine Research Forum Series – Developer Experience

Join us for the UC Irvine Research Forum on Developer Experience

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We are excited to announce the inaugural event of a new Research Forum Series at the University of California, Irvine. This forum brings together researchers, industry leaders, and practitioners to discuss latest developments in software and information technology.

📅 Date: Friday, May 15, 2026, from 1-5pm, followed by a reception

📍 Location: UC Irvine – Donald Bren Hall 6011
Registration is required for all attendees.

The first forum will focus on Developer Experience, with speakers sharing insights on how software engineering work is evolving in the era of AI.

A special highlight of the event will be a rare in-person reunion of the original authors of the SPACE framework, which has shaped how organizations understand developer productivity and experience. The program will also feature thought leaders from companies including SAP, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and others discussing emerging trends in developer tools, AI-assisted development, and engineering practices.

Speaker Lineup

• Cat Hicks (Catharsis Consulting)
• Eirini Kalliamvakou (GitHub)
• Lizzie Matusov (Quotient)
• Olga Lvova (JetBrains)
• Tobias Schimmer (SAP)
• Yanina Ledovaya (JetBrains)
• The SPACE panel:
  • Nicole Forsgren (Google)
  • Margaret-Anne Storey (University of Victoria)
  • Chandra Madilla (Meta)
  • Thomas Zimmermann (University of California, Irvine)
  • Brian Houck (DX)
  • Jenna Butler (Microsoft)

Main Event: