Maximizing Your Conference Experience By David Wren Conferences are many things to many people. They can be both exciting and stressful, a lot of work and a lot of fun. Conferences can be expensive, when registration, travel, food and lodging are all factored in. So how do you maximize your conference experience? We (Younger Chemistry Education Scholars) asked 22 experienced conference-goers for their tips on how to get the most out of a conference. We are excited to share with you the results of this informal survey and hope you find their sage advice beneficial! So, before heading to your first or next conference, here are some pro-tips on getting the most out of your time at a conference.
Baby on Board: Navigating Your Academic Career When You Have Children It was my third time attending a Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, and this one was held was at my alma mater, so I had some idea of what to expect. It was, however, my first time attending a conference with a 5-week old infant in tow, so I was very nervous about how that might impact my experience at the conference. Would Matt nap while I attended talks, or would he fuss and cry? Would I be able to find places to feed and change him with the frequency that a newborn requires? What would my colleagues think? Since becoming a parent seven years ago, I have been trying to navigate questions like this. I don’t have all the answers, but my experiences have taught me four lessons that I would like to share with you.
Home is Where Your CER Is: Pursuing CER at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution by Jessica VandenPlas, PhD, Grand Valley State University When I accepted my first tenure track job teaching at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI), I assumed it would be a temporary stop—a stepping stone to the coveted R1 position for which I had been groomed in graduate school.  This was a path I had seen many of my well-respected senior colleagues in the field of chemistry education research (CER) take, and I assumed my path would be no different.  I graduated at a time when there were still very few post docs in CER, and even fewer R1 institutions willing to hire a newly minted grad student without a proven track record, such as myself.  Most of the chemistry education researchers I saw being successful at R1s at the time had started out at PUIs themselves, building up that track record, before moving into these elusive R1 positions.  My plan was to use my time at a PUI to build a similar track record, and then move on to the position I thought (at the time) I truly wanted.  However, as is the case with many temporary stops, this one has become my home. Some 10 years later, although freshly-graduated-Jessie would have rolled her eyes at this, it is a position I have grown to love, and honestly cannot see myself leaving.
You Will Never Know Never You Ask: Undergraduate Research in Chemistry Education by William Marmor, Rochester Institute of Technology An Unexpected Beginning So many people wonder how the influential and prestigious men and women of the world end up where they are today. Who would not want to be successful and admired for years of hard work finally paying off. For some it happens, accepting a Nobel Prize in front of your family, friends and that one high school teacher who never believed in you. As you reach out and grasp that medal a grin comes across your face as cameras flash and an applause erupts! Then, the sound and lights instantly disappear as the medal shoots out of your hand. Your grin slips away and your eyes open wide, as only the sound of the shower head fills your ears. Groggy and tired you bend down and grab the bar of soap, once a gold medal, off the shower floor. Brought back to reality, you can’t help but enjoy the day dreams of an early morning shower. Time to get ready for work.
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