S01E17 -- Planning for International Conferences and Making the Most of Them as a Student or New Faculty.

Summary: For this episode of the Unlikely Academics Podcast, the co-hosts (Dr. Jenny Holcombe, Mr. Tommy Coleman, and Dr. Christopher Silver) discuss the importance of planning early to attend international research or professional conferences as part of one’s graduate journey. In this podcast, the co-hosts suggest that graduate students should begin planning and preparing even as early as the summer before they start their program. This includes identifying possible conferences, applying for a passport (not a passport card), and reaching out to graduate students in the current program to determine if they have attended international conferences. The hosts then suggest networking at the conference by socializing with participants from various countries, sharing business cards with social media information, and following up with emails thanking attendees met during the conference. The podcast also includes suggestions for finding funding and capitalizing on graduate student status by reaching out to conference organizers, one’s department or university, or seeking outside funds mainly if the graduate student is from a developing nation.