Most papers in computer science are published at various yearly conferences. There's usually a flurry of activity in the department near paper submission deadlines as people write up and Federal Express papers to conference committees.
Some conferences where graduate students often attend and/or present papers are POPL, SIGPLAN PLDI, ASPLOS, SIGGRAPH, SIGARCH ISCA, SOSP, ICS, PPoPP and Supercomputing. People also attend occasional workshops. Research grants will usually cover costs for students presenting papers at conferences. Support can also be obtained from the Dean's Office or the Department.