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Hi Ali,</div>
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Thank you for reaching out! Please feel free to arrange your travel including flights, lodging, etc. as you see fit. We will reimburse you later based on ACM's “Reimbursing Speaker Expenses” policy (<a href="https://www.acm.org/special-interest-groups/volunteer-resources/conference-planning/conference-finances" data-outlook-id="23518bad-e78c-452f-a879-3d750334f5bd">https://www.acm.org/special-interest-groups/volunteer-resources/conference-planning/conference-finances</a>).
Please note that "Receipts are required for all expenses over $25” (-:</div>
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Thanks again for accepting our invitation. We’re very much looking forward to your talk!</div>
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Best,</div>
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Mai</div>
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On 8/14/26, 5:36 PM, "Ali R. Butt" <butta@cs.vt.edu> wrote:<br>
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<div>Hi Mai,</div>
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<div>I am working on my flights this weekend, and will plan to be there on 28 and 29 both. Since I start from a small airport, I’ll do this now rather than later to get the best available journey.</div>
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<div>Let me know if I arrange my own lodgings and seek reimbursement, or will you guys do that direct for me. Either is ok. I’d need 27-30.</div>
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<div>Thank you and excited for the talk,</div>
<div>-ali</div>
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<div>> On Jul 21, 2026, at 12:14 PM, Zheng, Mai [E CPE] <<a href="mailto:mai@iastate.edu" data-outlook-id="ca337fd6-ad3e-4b74-a4fa-2fee21d156cd">mai@iastate.edu</a>> wrote:</div>
<div>></div>
<div>> Hi Ali,</div>
<div>></div>
<div>> This is great! Thank you so much for accepting our invitation! We are honored to have you join us! We will follow up with more details once the program is finalized. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or specific
requirements.</div>
<div>></div>
<div>> Thanks again, and we are looking forward to hosting you!</div>
<div>></div>
<div>> Best,</div>
<div>> Travis and MaiFrom: Ali R. Butt <<a href="mailto:butta@cs.vt.edu" data-outlook-id="75fb52ee-1d51-401c-b58c-6e2b791d3220">butta@cs.vt.edu</a>></div>
<div>> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2026 10:09 PM</div>
<div>> To: Zheng, Mai [E CPE] <<a href="mailto:mai@iastate.edu" data-outlook-id="a95d2544-30d3-4c68-8639-b04267ec7cd7">mai@iastate.edu</a>></div>
<div>> Cc: <a href="mailto:chairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="3bc6d9b0-e16d-46c4-8534-5c8e1d02a2d3">
chairs26@hotstorage.org</a> <<a href="mailto:chairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="34887414-47de-4822-ab2d-aa1132e2738c">chairs26@hotstorage.org</a>>;
<a href="mailto:generalchairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="4bfb76cc-3f0c-44f6-8c5d-b7ef985184b7">
generalchairs26@hotstorage.org</a> <<a href="mailto:generalchairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="fda664e2-2519-42da-a9d6-db89c7ff9c0f">generalchairs26@hotstorage.org</a>></div>
<div>> Subject: Re: HotStorage'26 Keynote Address [Reminder]</div>
<div>> Hi Mai and Travis,</div>
<div>></div>
<div>> I am honored to be invited, and happy to accept.</div>
<div>></div>
<div>> Also, thank you for the follow up, the earlier email has fallen through the cracks.</div>
<div>></div>
<div>> Warm regards,</div>
<div>> -ali</div>
<div>></div>
<div>></div>
<div>> > On Jul 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM, Zheng, Mai [E CPE] <<a href="mailto:mai@iastate.edu" data-outlook-id="9d8ff99a-781a-46e4-8f9a-66d39a17c938">mai@iastate.edu</a>> wrote:</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > Dear Ali R. Butt,</div>
<div>> > Hope you’ve been well. We're writing to follow up on our invitation for you to serve as a keynote speaker at HotStorage'26, to be held on September 28–29 in Prague, Czechia (<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hotstorage.org%2f&c=E,1,e6wQPveqoFzZ2JDqmfjdkjeww3tRXBepG8m6KW2_RqjZqVuulHsnO6hAPtSKNnqrEd15klGNZL_qAKC8wwqov4MsoNplWb25wrSMtYZebKdn3ylDZ2w7ugMSuQw,&typo=1" data-outlook-id="61a89ffa-ff4b-40ad-bdfa-1c12241c380f">https://www.hotstorage.org/</a>),
co-located with SOSP ’26.</div>
<div>> > We would be delighted to have you join us, and your perspective on storage systems would be a great fit for the program. We realize your schedule is busy, so we wanted to check whether you’ve had a chance to consider the invitation.</div>
<div>> > If helpful, we're happy to provide any additional details. We would appreciate it if you could let us know your availability at your earliest convenience.</div>
<div>> > Thank you again for considering this, and we hope we’ll have the chance to host you!</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > Best regards,</div>
<div>> > Travis Janssen & Mai Zheng</div>
<div>> > On behalf of HotStorage’26 Organizing Committee</div>
<div>> > <a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hotstorage.org&c=E,1,38jdOqjCHwSq91Ue-Jk-pjXvxPgcGD_4JBgFv5Lxi9FPI_AA9Jf4V9Zg5Fbj9_cze82j0AdWMCjC0BatSZaA3y3qwQNSAguAtcCWQ0lPDmM_lyce8f4oww,,&typo=1" data-outlook-id="5adeae73-f604-4ff7-a2eb-f4d2d4b02ff5">
https://www.hotstorage.org</a></div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > From: Zheng, Mai [E CPE]</div>
<div>> > Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2026 1:12 PM</div>
<div>> > To: Ali R Butt <<a href="mailto:butta@cs.vt.edu" data-outlook-id="e06fb10c-5d7d-4aa4-970c-ff1358921274">butta@cs.vt.edu</a>></div>
<div>> > Cc: <a href="mailto:generalchairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="e1d58b65-7b0e-45a4-8285-2b909a2030c0">
generalchairs26@hotstorage.org</a> <<a href="mailto:generalchairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="9bdcb938-3e2a-4606-8e3a-7bc2d472f946">generalchairs26@hotstorage.org</a>>;
<a href="mailto:chairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="9d73935e-93b3-478f-92c1-cd09612ee00b">
chairs26@hotstorage.org</a> <<a href="mailto:chairs26@hotstorage.org" data-outlook-id="a31ba8d6-b7e0-48fa-8b61-09aefec7a3cf">chairs26@hotstorage.org</a>></div>
<div>> > Subject: HotStorage'26 Keynote Address</div>
<div>> > Dear Ali R. Butt,</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > On behalf of the organizing committee of HotStorage '26, we are writing to invite you to deliver the keynote address at HotStorage '26, taking place September 28–29 in Prague, Czechia (<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hotstorage.org%2f&c=E,1,5XS3MUUzGYr6VSkvEoF3VKoxxV4Moomto6Zo9B9VI2QVqxqnYoBRA35UkTB9RlugfyD_4Rns2XW8_4c3SpYRJMnGFsNbtBMYmF1D_y5jwqCyOIiXKvs,&typo=1" data-outlook-id="4a5d6ad2-6310-4c51-8065-7f534718236e">https://www.hotstorage.org/</a>),
co-located with SOSP ’26.</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > Your work on storage and I/O systems has had a significant impact on the field, and we believe your perspective would resonate strongly with our community. We would be honored if you would accept our invitation.</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > The keynote would run approximately one hour on September 29, the day before the SOSP main conference. We are happy to work around your schedule and accommodate any preferences you may have regarding the format. We will cover your travel and accommodation
expenses, and provide an honorarium in accordance with ACM policy as a token of our appreciation.</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > If you are interested, we would be delighted to share further details and answer any questions you may have. We would greatly appreciate hearing from you at your earliest convenience, and no later than July 21.</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > Thank you for considering our invitation, and for your many contributions to the community!</div>
<div>> ></div>
<div>> > Best regards,</div>
<div>> > Travis Janssen & Mai Zheng</div>
<div>> > On behalf of HotStorage’26 Organizing Committee</div>
<div>> > <a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hotstorage.org&c=E,1,53MgLboiTVCXuvN85ZzEzI3k8DILeqC23WariY-VzJHmrMA9-tMnVrRp6vIbtG97vFwjYpCpZB-6VgRounkL_gdkqn3RaX2EIXAgn4npCMO1&typo=1" data-outlook-id="fb19ff92-08fe-46f0-9af7-295aab553c84">
https://www.hotstorage.org</a></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">-- </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Mai Zheng</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Associate Professor</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Iowa State University</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.ece.iastate.edu%2f~mai%2f&c=E,1,nLs55XKSO9FhAJUjM5HduR3YvhBNe7z9kGKReX8KtF8IEDPoagEnq4glYRPuyHjR0rYgKKy1k9b0DRwvZZE958_4O4utKVLq03l-vloEQbUYew,,&typo=1" title="https://www.ece.iastate.edu/~mai/" data-outlook-id="a2e8619f-e39b-43f4-a213-0c2dec615ad4" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">https://www.ece.iastate.edu/~mai/</a></span></p>
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