Comments on: Increasing Grad Student Participation in Conferences http://www.makinghistorypodcast.com/2009/08/10/increasing-grad-student-participation-in-conferences/ Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:06:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Katrina http://www.makinghistorypodcast.com/2009/08/10/increasing-grad-student-participation-in-conferences/#comment-68 Katrina Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:49:14 +0000 http://makinghistorypodcast.com/?p=344#comment-68 I agree with the points about conference costs; particularly in the current economic climate, conference committees should think about offering ECONOMICAL choices for attendees (and a "conference rate" at the Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, etc of $150 that doesn't include breakfast or wifi is not it). I attended conferences as a grad student by staying nearby at a bed & breakfast or hostel. For grad student participation in banquets, the AHA for several years now has offered a number of free tickets to graduate students to the Women's History Breakfast (which I always enjoy), I don't know if other events do this too. I've actually found the best way to get to meet and spend time with other attendees is to go on a tour or other organised local event, where people are more relaxed, it's fun, and you have time to talk. I agree with the points about conference costs; particularly in the current economic climate, conference committees should think about offering ECONOMICAL choices for attendees (and a “conference rate” at the Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, etc of $150 that doesn’t include breakfast or wifi is not it). I attended conferences as a grad student by staying nearby at a bed & breakfast or hostel.
For grad student participation in banquets, the AHA for several years now has offered a number of free tickets to graduate students to the Women’s History Breakfast (which I always enjoy), I don’t know if other events do this too. I’ve actually found the best way to get to meet and spend time with other attendees is to go on a tour or other organised local event, where people are more relaxed, it’s fun, and you have time to talk.

]]> By: Sean Winslow http://www.makinghistorypodcast.com/2009/08/10/increasing-grad-student-participation-in-conferences/#comment-67 Sean Winslow Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:52:21 +0000 http://makinghistorypodcast.com/?p=344#comment-67 I think a big improvement would come from just choosing to avoid venues where no affordable housing or food can be found--the last conference I committed to, in Oxford, booked a 'Student Rate' of $200/night after conversion. Add to that airfare, separate-charges for all the meals and the banquet, and it was horridly expensive. Thankfully, there are hostels in Oxford, but even they cost as much as some cheaper universities' rooms in the States. I think a big improvement would come from just choosing to avoid venues where no affordable housing or food can be found–the last conference I committed to, in Oxford, booked a ‘Student Rate’ of $200/night after conversion. Add to that airfare, separate-charges for all the meals and the banquet, and it was horridly expensive. Thankfully, there are hostels in Oxford, but even they cost as much as some cheaper universities’ rooms in the States.

]]> By: Jana http://www.makinghistorypodcast.com/2009/08/10/increasing-grad-student-participation-in-conferences/#comment-66 Jana Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:14:30 +0000 http://makinghistorypodcast.com/?p=344#comment-66 Yes, my thoughts are really very practical and logistical ones, mostly aimed at actually getting the grads <i>to</i> the conference. However #4 is really about making the conference more useful for grad students who can feel either very alone at a con (if they don't know anyone else attending) or overwhelmed by the formality of the event. Listening to prepared papers is stimulating, but the informal connections could ultimately be more helpful in aiding their progress. As an example, at the PCB there was a excellent panel about "The Status of Women in the Profession." The speakers were women who were educated and hired in the 60s & 70s--their stories were amazing & heart-wrenching. But what would have made that panel even better, would've been an informal 'support group' meeting afterwards for women who are currently trying to get hired and balance stage-of-life issues with their work. Certainly this model of creating informal working groups shouldn't be limited to grad students only, but perhaps because I'm in that stage of my career right now (and both frustrated with the high price of conferences and desperate for further networking opportunities), I think it's a great place to start experimenting with unconference models of collaboration. Yes, my thoughts are really very practical and logistical ones, mostly aimed at actually getting the grads to the conference. However #4 is really about making the conference more useful for grad students who can feel either very alone at a con (if they don’t know anyone else attending) or overwhelmed by the formality of the event. Listening to prepared papers is stimulating, but the informal connections could ultimately be more helpful in aiding their progress. As an example, at the PCB there was a excellent panel about “The Status of Women in the Profession.” The speakers were women who were educated and hired in the 60s & 70s–their stories were amazing & heart-wrenching. But what would have made that panel even better, would’ve been an informal ‘support group’ meeting afterwards for women who are currently trying to get hired and balance stage-of-life issues with their work.

Certainly this model of creating informal working groups shouldn’t be limited to grad students only, but perhaps because I’m in that stage of my career right now (and both frustrated with the high price of conferences and desperate for further networking opportunities), I think it’s a great place to start experimenting with unconference models of collaboration.

]]> By: Laura Mitchell http://www.makinghistorypodcast.com/2009/08/10/increasing-grad-student-participation-in-conferences/#comment-65 Laura Mitchell Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:51:20 +0000 http://makinghistorypodcast.com/?p=344#comment-65 Thanks, Jana, for posting concrete suggestions--useful for anyone planning a conference in straitened economic times. The majority of your comments were aimed at the financial side of conference travel and participation, always a challenge for grad students and now increasingly uncertain for faculty at many institutions. Facilitating pre-conference communication to help with material issues (transportation, lodging, meal options) can certainly make participation feasible for more people. The idea of "unconference forums" has appeal beyond a specifically grad-student audience. Despite the success in some spheres (especially tech/digital scholarship), the concept doesn't seem to be getting much purchase at mainstream academic gatherings. Thoughts about how to help bring about such a change? Thanks, Jana, for posting concrete suggestions–useful for anyone planning a conference in straitened economic times. The majority of your comments were aimed at the financial side of conference travel and participation, always a challenge for grad students and now increasingly uncertain for faculty at many institutions. Facilitating pre-conference communication to help with material issues (transportation, lodging, meal options) can certainly make participation feasible for more people.
The idea of “unconference forums” has appeal beyond a specifically grad-student audience. Despite the success in some spheres (especially tech/digital scholarship), the concept doesn’t seem to be getting much purchase at mainstream academic gatherings. Thoughts about how to help bring about such a change?

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