Rethinking Academic Conferences
Dear Real Academics, When I started my career in higher education, I thought conferences were places to connect with others and network and learn new information and develop as a researcher. They were supposed to be places for anyone who wanted (and could afford) to go. And, they were. As a graduate student, I was lucky to have my fees and travel paid for, and I enjoyed traveling with my research group to new places. I was excited to hear "famous" academics speak in person. As I moved into my tenured position, conferences were great places to connect with colleagues from other universities. In the last few years, however, many academic conferences have become anything but places to connect and learn new information or develop as a researcher. And it's not just me. I am hearing from other colleagues and graduate students about the same "complaints" I'm listing below, though they would not likely say this publicly as it's not "academically kosher...