The 20th ACM International Conference on Distributed and Event-based Systems (DEBS 2026) took place in Lisbon from June 23 to 26, 2026. This conference serves as a leading forum for the academic community and industry to discuss cutting-edge research, emerging trends, and new challenges in the fields of distributed and event-driven computing and data processing.

Hugo Miranda, LASIGE integrated member and General Co-Chair of the conference, stated “The topics addressed here are applicable to many areas of today’s society. For instance, when we enter a hospital, we notice numerous devices operating and generating data. In a smart city, this field of knowledge can help us develop edge computing solutions that prevent congestion in telecommunications networks. Air traffic control is another example, as it has historically managed large volumes of information. Therefore, society as a whole benefits from these tools, which we now consider ubiquitous and always available”.

The organization of the event benefited from the strong involvement of LASIGE researchers, including: Nuno Cruz (General Co-Chair; Industry and Application Co-Chair); Diogo Lima (Local Organization Chair; Proceedings Chair); Bernardo Almeida (Poster and Demo Co-Chair; Web Chair).

Overall, more than 50 researchers from various backgrounds attended the conference to learn about and share the latest trends in handling and processing large volumes of data that support critical societal functions. Sessions also covered crucial topics such as security and privacy, data stream management, latency and communication optimization processes, principles of serverless computing, and the emergence of AI agents, among many others.

Photo credits: DCI Ciências ULisboa