Some conference networking tips from my CSSE-SCÉÉ experience
Big conferences such as the Canadian Society for the Study of Education’s annual event can be overwhelming and intimidating especially for graduate students who are still novice in the complex and sometimes exhausting arena of conferencing. Trust me, conferences are ecologies of their own. Attending conferences nowadays as graduate students is a privilege not everyone can have. With the skyrocketing cost of living and expensive membership and registration fees, one needs to make sure that they get the most out of their conference experience. Whilst conferences such as the annual CSSE are good avenues for graduate students to present our on-going work, we also need to take advantage of the event to widen our network and establish connections from other universities and professional organisations. Here are some tips I could offer from my first CSSE conference attendance this year.
Know when to ask and when not to ask questions
Chances are you are attending a presentation because you are interested in the topic or it is closely related to your own area of research. Most of these presentations need specialist knowledge and for novice scholars, there might be some concepts we do not understand yet or perhaps some methodological concerns we want to inquire about. I found asking genuine questions as one way of connecting and engaging with the presenters at the end of the session. It can be nerve-wracking to ask questions during the allotted time and with everyone in attendance listening to you. So the best alternative is to approach them after their talk.
For Melissa-Ann Ledo, a fellow doctoral student at McGill University, attending the sessions by the scholars she has spent years reading was a unique opportunity to speak with them directly about her own scholarly interests and curiosities. “I filled a full notebook with further directions for my own work, and found new confidence that I have chosen the right path,” she remarked.
Introduce yourself to experts
I get it. It can be quite intimidating to just approach a scholar whose work you have been reading and closely following. However, highly regarded experts they may be in your discourse community, they are first and foremost humans and teachers. Based on my experience, these superstar professors genuinely want to connect with students and are always happy to talk about their work. And sometimes, it is not just about research. Professors are always keen to give advice about navigating academia in general. Moreover, scholars do not just attend a conference to present their work. Just like you, they are there to learn. Also, if you are teaching or have taught a course and have used their work as one of your class readings, you might want to let them know and this can be a good opening line as you initiate the conversation.
Connect with other grad students
No matter what life’s trajectory is after earning your PhD, connecting with fellow PhD students from other universities is a fantastic way to expand your network. If we are lucky enough to land an academic job post-PhD, there is a high chance that we will be collaborating with these other grad students in future projects. Some of these students might also introduce you to their supervisors whose work you are interested in. Given the call for interdisciplinarity of research orientations these days, I highly suggest you do not only confine your networking activities to people in your SIG.
Attend gatherings or side parties
I was lucky to be invited by a friend to be her +1 to a party hosted by one of her committee members. Whilst it honestly took extra energy on my part to attend due to conference exhaustion, I was so glad I went. I had the chance to talk to a professor from another university whose work in gender inclusive teaching in schools I have been reading. I even just bought one of her books at the conference venue the day prior! Getting invited to attend one of her courses at her university was an icing on the cake. It was also at this gathering where I got to continue my conversation with another scholar whose work I have been following. Their offer to be involved in my doctoral work in any capacity was perhaps one of the best outcomes for attending the event.
These are just some of the conference networking tips I have learned from my first CSSE! I am sure other fellow graduate students out there have tricks that worked well for them. I think the key here is to be both intentional and flexible when attempting to network. Take care of your well-being first and try to conserve your social energy!
Doctoral student
McGill University