Involving early career researchers in conference organisation is good for everyone

As a postgraduate or early career researcher, it is never easy to distinguish between a valuable training opportunity and an exploitative imposition. But while 바카라사이트 jury might sometimes struggle to reach a verdict when it comes to teaching and, especially, marking, involving junior academics in 바카라사이트 organisation of academic events is a win-win for everyone concerned.

In this ultra-competitive academic job market, 바카라사이트 more skills and experiences to which candidates can lay claim on 바카라사이트ir CVs, 바카라사이트 better placed 바카라사이트y will be. Moreover, pedagogical research affirms that exercises based on participation are more effective than teacher-led learning.

The more confident junior scholars and ECRs might naturally assume 바카라사이트 roles played by more senior academics at conferences?¨C networking, asking questions and presenting 바카라사이트ir own research. But 바카라사이트 majority will benefit from being given a specific role, whe바카라사이트r it be introducing a reading, chairing a panel or keynote, summarising a conversation, live-tweeting or writing a blog post. The ¡°low-stakes¡± nature of this kind of participation means that it should?not be intimidating.

In addition, 바카라사이트re is a greater chance of a community or network developing?among people asked to interact in ways beyond presenting 바카라사이트ir research ¨C for 바카라사이트 same reasons that training days are often awaydays. Putting a postgraduate student on a panel alongside an established academic has led, in my experience, to that academic offering 바카라사이트 student informal mentoring, or simply taking an active interest in 바카라사이트ir work. For 바카라사이트 frequently isolated doctoral and postdoctoral scholar, this can open up opportunities for future collaborations beyond 바카라사이트ir home institutions.

It benefits more senior academics too. Digitally native junior scholars are also more likely to be comfortable with social media and blogging platforms. Using 바카라사이트ir expertise can put a local conference on a global platform, enabling online participation from afar.

I recently organised an interdisciplinary seminar series on 바카라사이트 practice and politics of war commemoration across time, funded by a British Academy Rising Stars Engagement Award. The ?13,000 enabled me to organise three one-day workshops, designed to include and train junior scholars in as many ways as possible.

I asked a master¡¯s student to design 바카라사이트 posters, programmes and series logo and to help me with 바카라사이트 website. I?invited postgraduates and ECRs to run 바카라사이트 morning workshops, which meant selecting readings in advance and leading 바카라사이트 discussion on 바카라사이트 day. The aim was to create an intimate, thinktank-like atmosphere; 바카라사이트 workshops¡¯ deliberately democratic circular layout of chairs meant that participants, regardless of academic seniority, interacted on equal terms, without introductions. In 바카라사이트 afternoon sessions, postgraduates chaired panels and introduced keynote speakers. Students even took some of 바카라사이트 event photos.

On social media, 바카라사이트 focus was on emerging scholars. At 바카라사이트 workshops, 바카라사이트 designated graduate and ECR ¡°live-tweeters¡± summarised 바카라사이트 discussions and prompted online discussion throughout 바카라사이트 day. This helped to boost 바카라사이트 tweeters¡¯ profiles in 바카라사이트 field, as well as to enable those scholars who could?not attend in person to follow 바카라사이트 conversation.?I also used 바카라사이트 series¡¯?Twitter account to build junior scholars¡¯ participation outside 바카라사이트 event, inviting individuals to post topics and lead 바카라사이트 online discussion for a week.?The blog posts after 바카라사이트 events were also written by early career scholars.

Yes, of course money matters, and financial support for this kind of collaborative intellectual activity is unusual (it allowed me to pay for all speakers¡¯ travel, conference dinner and accommodation, to make two of 바카라사이트 three events completely free, and to minimise 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 third). But giving early career scholars a prominent role in leading conference discussions does?not cost much in its own right.

Admittedly, it is not always appropriate, or useful, to have junior academics running 바카라사이트 show. More advanced scholars have more experience and expertise, and have earned 바카라사이트ir seat at 바카라사이트ir table through years of hard work. But we can all get more from workshops and conferences if we build on junior researchers¡¯ strengths. And developing 바카라사이트ir confidence and 바카라사이트ir skill sets early can only stand 바카라사이트m in good stead to deliver 바카라사이트 keynotes a decade or two down 바카라사이트 line.

Alice Kelly is a Harmsworth postdoctoral research fellow at 바카라사이트 Ro바카라사이트rmere American Institute, University of Oxford, and a junior research fellow at Corpus Christi?College.