Conferences

[thatjewishgirl]

I've always sent a simple email saying I have attached my proposal for the 20-- conference, thanks, etc. then attach a word doc with my name, instituion and abstract. And as a panel chair, that's the sort of thing I've received, also.

[nada.am]

One quick question. I'm presenting at a conference next month (mostly comprised of other grad students) and was asked for my academic affiliation. Since I'm not currently enrolled I just gave them the name of the university that I'll be attending in the fall. By the time the conference proceedings are published I will be enrolled there, but obviously next month I won't have started yet. Now I'm wondering if it's a faux pas to list a future institution instead of a current one or if I'm just over thinking this?

[DisplayCancel]

so a very basic question- where do you find out about conferences? I'm in the UK, so it may be a little different- butis is just through your undergraduate institution?

[literary_tourist]

This site might help: http://www.conferencealerts.com/ 

[literary_tourist]

Follow up question: would a conference and a publication that is not specifically in one's field hurt one's application?

 

I'm a Victorianist, but I presented a paper before on a video game in an interdisciplinary conference. It was something that I did for fun, and it was my first conference. Would I be deemed by an admissions committee as someone who is unfocused?

Edited April 17, 2013 by literary_tourist

[lo.lee.ta]

so a very basic question- where do you find out about conferences? I'm in the UK, so it may be a little different- butis is just through your undergraduate institution?

This is the best site I know of--fairly comprehensive list of American & international conferences (you can sort by subfield on the left):

http://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/category/all

[lo.lee.ta]

One quick question. I'm presenting at a conference next month (mostly comprised of other grad students) and was asked for my academic affiliation. Since I'm not currently enrolled I just gave them the name of the university that I'll be attending in the fall. By the time the conference proceedings are published I will be enrolled there, but obviously next month I won't have started yet. Now I'm wondering if it's a faux pas to list a future institution instead of a current one or if I'm just over thinking this?

Yes, I'm wondering this too! I don't even have a current institution (I'm "between institutions," as it were), and it seems odd to submit a proposal institutionless. In my case, the conference itself does not take place until after I will have started at my future grad program, but the proposal is due before that. So, to echo Nada.am's question: can I list my future institution when I submit my proposal?

[crazyhappy]

Yes, I'm wondering this too! I don't even have a current institution (I'm "between institutions," as it were), and it seems odd to submit a proposal institutionless. In my case, the conference itself does not take place until after I will have started at my future grad program, but the proposal is due before that. So, to echo Nada.am's question: can I list my future institution when I submit my proposal?

Good question!  I graduated with my MA in December, and I'm currently applying for Phd programs, so I have been putting my MA institution....Anyone have any insight?

[MissHavishslam]

One quick question. I'm presenting at a conference next month (mostly comprised of other grad students) and was asked for my academic affiliation. Since I'm not currently enrolled I just gave them the name of the university that I'll be attending in the fall. By the time the conference proceedings are published I will be enrolled there, but obviously next month I won't have started yet. Now I'm wondering if it's a faux pas to list a future institution instead of a current one or if I'm just over thinking this?

 

You would register as an "independent scholar." I'm not quite sure about how you would go about it since the conference isn't until you have started your program...that might be something to ask the DGS at your school or maybe your future advisor.

[HHEoS]

One quick question. I'm presenting at a conference next month (mostly comprised of other grad students) and was asked for my academic affiliation. Since I'm not currently enrolled I just gave them the name of the university that I'll be attending in the fall. By the time the conference proceedings are published I will be enrolled there, but obviously next month I won't have started yet. Now I'm wondering if it's a faux pas to list a future institution instead of a current one or if I'm just over thinking this?

 

 

Yes, I'm wondering this too! I don't even have a current institution (I'm "between institutions," as it were), and it seems odd to submit a proposal institutionless. In my case, the conference itself does not take place until after I will have started at my future grad program, but the proposal is due before that. So, to echo Nada.am's question: can I list my future institution when I submit my proposal?

 

 

Good question!  I graduated with my MA in December, and I'm currently applying for Phd programs, so I have been putting my MA institution....Anyone have any insight?

 

Hey everyone, I was in a similar position when I got a paper accepted for publication after I'd graduated from my MA program. I used my MA affiliation (didn't have a future institution at that time) and sent a note to my former DGS giving him a heads-up about it. He was happy for me, cool with it, and even posted it on that institution's website. So what I'm saying is, if you're going to somewhere new, I think you should tell them you're headed to a conference and ask politely if they don't mind you using their name and your future affiliation. They probably would be happy to have the publicity for their program's name. 

 

In crazyhappy's case, I'd say go ahead with using your MA affiliation, but be sure to notify them if you are accepted and will be using that affiliation publicly. Hope that helps!

 

Edit: I'd say, in the second case, you should probably stop using your previous affiliation after about 6 months have elapsed, or when you no longer have access to their resources (library holdings etc.). At that point, it might be wiser to consider yourself an "independent scholar."

Edited April 17, 2013 by HHEoS

[somethinbruin]

Follow up question: would a conference and a publication that is not specifically in one's field hurt one's application?

 

I'm a Victorianist, but I presented a paper before on a video game in an interdisciplinary conference. It was something that I did for fun, and it was my first conference. Would I be deemed by an admissions committee as someone who is unfocused?

 

It should not hurt your application or your CV at all. Yes, it is important to convey a focus (particularly in your SOP), but it's also important to show that you're capable of engaging in the sort of professionalism that the field demands. I think the fact that you can engage with different media can be a way into exploring how you can bring Victorian Lit to students through digital humanities (see! Anything can be spun to relate to your field!)

 

Just as an example, I am a contemporary British lit and postcolonial studies MA student (soon to be PhD). I have one presentation on my CV that deals with contemporary British poetry, but the second presentation concerns itself with adaptations of Shakespeare's Coriolanus. The first is in my field, but the second is not, and when I went on PhD visits, every school that I went to mentioned how appealing of a candidate I was because I had actively participated in conferences. None of them brought up that one of my presentations was outside of my focus.

[literary_tourist]

Thanks so much! That is a great idea and I will definitely put that in my SOP. 

[crazyhappy]

Anyone know if you can submit multiple proposals to the cfp for the SAMLA conference.  I'm sure that you can only present one of the proposals (if accepted), but I know that PAMLA (for example) lets you submit multiple proposals.  I can't find anything on the SAMLA website that answers this question. Anything to up the odds of getting to present

[toasterazzi]

Anyone know if you can submit multiple proposals to the cfp for the SAMLA conference.  I'm sure that you can only present one of the proposals (if accepted), but I know that PAMLA (for example) lets you submit multiple proposals.  I can't find anything on the SAMLA website that answers this question. Anything to up the odds of getting to present

 

I looked all over their site, but I didn't see anything either. Maybe email someone?

[crazyhappy]

In most cases you can submit to two, apply to one at various conferences. sometimes you can participate in both if they're different types (a roundtable and a panel). sending in 10 proposals, for example, would not be cool. I would even say 3 is too many.

Thanks, I knew someone would know something about this!  So, I guess now I have to decide between submitting 1 or 2. 

 

 

I looked all over their site, but I didn't see anything either. Maybe email someone?

 

Thanks for checking!

 

[toasterazzi]

I sent in 3 to PAMLA even though I know they only let you do one. I initially only sent in two, but I got an email from one of the session leaders saying she wasn't going to be able to attend, which made me think the session was canceled. So I sent in another proposal to a different session I was interested in then. Then I got an email saying that they got someone to replace the person for the first session, but they rejected my proposal lol. I'm still still waiting to hear about the other two sessions though.

[OctaviaButlerfan]

I sent in 3 to PAMLA even though I know they only let you do one. I initially only sent in two, but I got an email from one of the session leaders saying she wasn't going to be able to attend, which made me think the session was canceled. So I sent in another proposal to a different session I was interested in then. Then I got an email saying that they got someone to replace the person for the first session, but they rejected my proposal lol. I'm still still waiting to hear about the other two sessions though.

Wow. You heard back for one of them already? I submitted one proposal. I hope to hear soon.

[toasterazzi]

Wow. You heard back for one of them already? I submitted one proposal. I hope to hear soon.

 

I just woke up this morning to an email saying one of my proposals was accepted!   

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you 

[crazyhappy]

I just woke up this morning to an email saying one of my proposals was accepted!   

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you 

Yay! I also submitted just one...here's hoping!

[toasterazzi]

Yay! I also submitted just one...here's hoping!

 

Fingers crossed for you too!

 

On the off chance your proposals aren't accepted, when they sent that first rejection to me, they said they were going to be posting a list soon of sessions with extended deadlines to get more submissions. So maybe if your original submissions don't work out, then check out that list and see if something grabs you.

[crazyhappy]

Fingers crossed for you too!

 

On the off chance your proposals aren't accepted, when they sent that first rejection to me, they said they were going to be posting a list soon of sessions with extended deadlines to get more submissions. So maybe if your original submissions don't work out, then check out that list and see if something grabs you.

Thanks, good idea!

[crazyhappy]

Got accepted to present at PAMLA  , and I just found out that I can probably receive a grant covering conference expenses---any ideas if it's ok to be a member/present at both the PAMLA conference and the SAMLA conference.  Hope everyone else has been getting good news!!!!

[toasterazzi]

Congrats! San Diego, here we come!

[OctaviaButlerfan]

I will also be presenting!

[crazyhappy]

I will also be presenting!

awesome...congrats!