Summer Conferences?

[cjmullis]

Hi everyone, 

I'm planning to transition from undergrad to serious grad student in just a couple weeks, and I would love to get a head start on beefing up my CV for my 2017 PhD applications. Does anyone know of conferences being held this summer which allow independent researchers (since I would be between universities)? Cost isn't really an object, although conferences in the southeast would be super convenient. 

[duran0]

http://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/ for your general browsing pleasure. Though I think it might be a bit late for CFPs for summer conferences, which are pretty rare as it is...even many fall conference CFP deadlines have passed.

 

I also wanted to throw out a cautionary note about conferences. I truly believe that conferences are much more about quality than quantity -- and by this, I don't mean simple prestige. I think you might be better served by taking the time to root out the best conference for your subfield, the best conferences for networking, the best conferences for grad students, etc. and applying for those, even if they don't take place over the summer. Consider using the summer months to submit to a conference like SAMLA (which I hear great things about) as opposed to trying to find something that's in the next 2-3 months. 

 

(P.S. You're about to start the grad school grind! No need to feel guilty about just relaxing!)

[ProfLorax]

Agreed with duran0. Take a breath! Enjoy! You likely missed all the deadlines for summer conferences (the deadlines are usually months and sometimes over a year in advance). Plus, as someone who rushed to present at a conference early in her MA program, lemme tell you, presenting a good seminar paper without being knee deep in the current conversations on your topic can lead to some awkward times during Q&A. Keep your eyes open for grad student conferences next year--they are a great place to practice!

[Roquentin]

To reiterate with an example, I’ll be presenting a paper this summer in London at the International Conference of Historical Geographers. It’s in July, and CFPs for it started to come out about a year prior to that. I submitted an abstract to the organizers of a panel in late August. They accepted my paper and, in turn, proposed their panel, which was itself accepted in late November. That kind of timeline isn’t out of the ordinary (e.g. MLA 2016 CFPs have already been circulating for a few months), so I’d suggest that your best bet for the time being would be to consider conferences that will take place next fall or winter. Smaller, earlier local talks might be an option too, but, in general, things like that wind down in the spring and pick up again in the fall. It’s the fabled summertime lull!

[cjmullis]

Thank you all for the advice! I think I will spend this summer trying to find and apply for conferences, rather than worrying about presenting right away.