Maximizing Your Academic Conference Experience Through Networking
Conferences provide important networking opportunities, but too often, these opportunities are not maximized. Admittedly, networking can be challenging for many—including us. This is especially true when you are new to the field and attending academic conferences for the first time. Personally, the three of us are in different stages of academia, including Professor (Leanna Archambault), Associate Professor (Jered Borup), and Assistant Professor (Cecil Short). While writing this chapter, we also reached out to the following colleagues to learn from their networking experiences:
- Curtis Bonk—Professor at Indiana University Bloomington
- John Curry—Professor at Idaho State University
- Tonia Dousay—Dean of the School of Education at University of Alaska Anchorage
- Mohammad Shams Ud Duha—Graduate Student at Purdue University
- Charles Graham—Professor at Brigham Young University
- Elizabeth Langran—Professor at Marymount University
- Patrick Lowenthal—Professor at Boise State University
- Florence Martin—Professor at North Carolina State University
- Rob Moore—Assistant Professor at University of Florida
- Larisa Olesova—Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Florida
- Thomas Reeves—Professor Emeritus at University of Georgia
- Mary Rice—Assistant Professor at University of New Mexico
- Rick West—Professor at Brigham Young University
Based on our experiences and those of our colleagues, we developed the 4Ps of conference networking that can help you to make the most of networking opportunities before, during, and after the actual conference date:
- Prepare before the conference.
- Provide ongoing service.
- Participate in a variety of activities during the conference.
- Pursue networking opportunities after the conference.
For each P, we aim to offer tips, strategies, and experiences to make networking at conferences a little less daunting, whether you are new to conferencing, a well-seasoned veteran, or somewhere in between.
Prepare
Taking the time to prepare for a conference is important for everyone, but it is especially important for first-time conference attendees. That said, it is not possible to do everything. Consider which of the following suggestions might be most helpful.
Create Conference Goals
Knowing your goals for the conference will directly influence how you prepare. Examples of conference networking goals may include:
- meeting experts
- finding future colleagues/collaborators
- conducting a job search
- gathering project ideas
- sharing your research
- getting involved with the organization
Meeting new people can establish future collaborations. In fact, our first project together as authors resulted from a conference discussion! If you attend conferences to meet people in your field, you will want to prepare ways to introduce yourself and keep track of who you meet. Be ready to exchange business cards. In recent years, people have created digital business cards through services like HiHello, Dibiz, or Haystack. Tonia Dousay has found that digital business cards are helpful because “people may not carry business cards or a pen/paper, but they will likely have a phone. And the phone camera can scan a QR code that displays/saves preferred contact info.”
Changing Goals Over Time – Cecil Short
When I attended my first academic conference as a doctoral student, I knew that I wanted to have a future in academia. As such, I had very specific goals for this conference. First, I wanted to meet the scholars who were doing foundational work in my field of interest. At that first conference, I presented with Michael Barbour and had dinner with Leanna Archambault, Jered Borup, Kathryn Kennedy, and many others with whom I would work with in the future. Second, I wanted to get involved in the conference so I could become recognized as a potential leader. I attended a Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting, and made valuable connections with the leaders of that group. When I attended the same conference in 2019, I was elected as a co-chair of the group. I had a similar experience with a different conference when I voiced my interest in running for a communications position within the SIG and was elected the following year.
Having met these two goals, I set a new goal for myself and began going to conferences to seek collaboration opportunities. This led me to meeting other leaders within SIGs. I published a book with Jered and Leanna, whom I met at my first conference, and through my interactions at a different conference, I co-edited a special issue of TechTrends, become co-editor in chief of the Journal of Technology Integrated Lessons and Teaching, and co-author of numerous presentations and publications. And it all started by knowing what I wanted to accomplish when attending the conference.
If you are on the job search, introducing yourself to potential colleagues and co-workers may give you an inside scoop on upcoming positions. If there is an open position that you are interested in, make plans to connect with faculty on the search committee or others at the institution to learn more about the position. Some conferences will also have a job board posted with openings and contact information of the search committee members attending the conference.
If one of your networking goals is to share your work, you will need to begin preparing proposals for various session types. Understanding the various session types can also help you determine which sessions to attend. The following are common presentation types:
- Research papers and best practices presentations allow you to share and pique interest in your research and/or practice. These sessions have mostly unidirectional communication but provide a few minutes for discussion at the end. Some of the best networking opportunities occur as hallway conversations after these sessions. On the last slide of your presentation, share your contact information and encourage people to follow up.
- Poster presentations and round table discussions typically occur in a conference hall and are centered on multidirectional discussions usually focused around works in progress. As a result, they offer some of the best networking opportunities and allow you to gain helpful feedback.
- Panel discussions can have unidirectional communications coming from a group of experts sharing/debating thoughts or have more multidirectional discussions between attendees and the panelists. Participating in or attending a panel is a great way to network with multiple people focused on a particular topic.
- Workshops are meant to be the most hands-on and collaborative sessions. They are great for learning something new or refining something you already know. However, they also often come with additional costs and time commitments, limiting the number of people you can network with.
Create Your Conference Schedule
Once you know your networking goals for the conference, you should create a conference schedule that reflects your goals. If you aim to meet specific people, you should find out when they are presenting and build your schedule accordingly. Likewise, if you are attending to learn about a specific topic, you should search the schedule for that topic and use it to drive the creation of your schedule. Some people wait to make their schedule the night before the conference, while others plan out which sessions to attend well in advance. A final group of attendees embrace the chaos of the conference and plan where to go on a moment-by-moment basis. Your approach should ultimately be informed by your goals for attending the conference.
Provide
As the popular adage goes, “What you put into something is exactly what you get out of it.” It is important to keep in mind that what you get out of a conference is largely dependent on the investment you make in the event itself. There are a number of ways to provide service to the conference along with the professional organization running the event. These in turn offer networking opportunities at the event and throughout the year.
Review Conference Proposals
Serving as a reviewer for the conference is a good-will gesture that helps to familiarize yourself with the topics, themes, and various formats of submissions. It is also a great way to get engaged with the conference prior to the actual event. Regardless of your years of experience in academia, your insights can be valuable in helping conference planners select sessions for the conference, though some conferences may require first-time reviewers or student-reviewers to work alongside a mentor. Depending on the conference, reviews can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.
Each conference handles proposal reviews a little differently and will commonly provide useful guidelines and instructions on their website. If you are struggling to find information on becoming a reviewer or how to review, reach out to conference leadership. Generally speaking, they are always looking for quality reviewers.
Volunteer at the Conference
You may also want to consider providing volunteer service at the conference itself. There are formal volunteer opportunities arranged in advance and those that come up more organically while at the conference itself. At many conferences, formal volunteering agreements can be made prior to the start of the conference and offer a way to have registration fees reduced or waived. Not only does volunteering help financially, it also offers networking opportunities while you do things like working at the registration/help desk, acting as a judge for the poster session, and being a presider for various sessions. These roles are commonly organized before the conference, but organizers might look for additional assistance during opening sessions and other gatherings. Offering your time and service at conferences can easily lead to a multitude of networking opportunities, including with other volunteers.
Identify Leadership Opportunities
When it comes to leadership within the organizational structure of a conference, often many positions need to be filled. These leadership positions serve as another path to get more involved with the inner workings of an academic conference. Typically, leadership positions involve running for election. The requirements and commitment for holding a leadership role will vary, and it is important to gauge at what point committing to serving in a leadership capacity makes sense for you.
Certain roles may be specifically for graduate students. For example, the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) has a Graduate Student Assembly (GSA). The GSA has representatives who serve as liaisons between AECT divisions and the GSA by attending division meetings and then reporting to the GSA membership on divisional activities and collaboration opportunities. Mohammad Shams Ud Duha, the 2023 GSA president, shared that GSA membership and leadership will help you to do the following:
- connect with fellow graduate students who are facing similar challenges
- collaborate with other students on research projects and instructional design projects
- gain useful leadership skills and expand your network as you get to work with professionals
For some individuals, it may be good timing to seek a leadership role as they are completing their doctoral program and planning to go on the job market. To gauge timing for this and other leadership opportunities, it may be helpful to check the conference website for any guidelines, requirements, and commitment lengths. You may even wish to seek input and advance from those who have previously held leadership positions.
Special Interest Group Leadership Opportunities
Special Interest Groups (SIGs), or divisions, offer a variety of service and leadership opportunities. SIG service is a great way to demonstrate leadership, get to know SIG members/leaders, and network with senior faculty. Patrick Lowenthal found that serving in SIG-level leadership roles was particularly helpful because it helped to structure his networking efforts: “It forced me to meet people I might not otherwise, and had structured events where I had a purpose when I was at a social place.”
Specific SIG positions will vary from conference to conference. At some conferences, a SIG co-chair or president position is considered an entry level position, whereas other conferences may offer more positions aside from SIG chair (e.g., board representative, communications officer, member-at-large, and awards committee member). Typically, members provide service to a SIG before running for a chair position. Some SIG service positions are elected while others are selected, so it is important to check with the SIG website or leadership to learn more about the process. Rick West remembered that while serving as a communications officer was a relatively low time commitment, it allowed him to get to know SIG membership and for the SIG membership to get to know him.
“Oh, YOU’RE Rick West!” – Rick West
When I was a graduate student, I knew I wanted to be involved and have the opportunity to network with people, especially other division leaders, so I volunteered to be the communications officer for the Distance Learning division of AECT. Also, this felt like a job I could do fairly easily, as it involved sending emails and maintaining a division blog. What I didn't expect was how effectively this helped me network with others in the division. At one AECT conference, I introduced myself to someone else, and they immediately replied, "Oh, YOU'RE Rick West!" I had never met her before, but she knew me—or rather my name—because of all the emails I sent out for the division.
A SIG co-chair position might have more time-intensive responsibilities, such as:
- communicating with SIG members about deadlines for submission,
- helping to manage the review process for submissions to the SIG,
- holding a SIG business meeting at the conference, including overseeing voting for new SIG officers as needed,
- organizing relevant SIG online events throughout the year and in-person events during the conference,
- attending leadership meetings while at the conference, and
- reporting out about SIG activities to leadership.
Doctoral students can and do successfully serve in SIG positions, so it is something to consider, especially if there is a SIG closely aligned with their research agenda.
After gaining experience at the SIG level, there may be additional opportunities to move into leadership at the conference or whole organization level. As you attend conferences, becoming aware of their organizational structure is helpful so that you can plan for future leadership opportunities.
Participate
For some, participating in networking activities at a conference can come naturally. For others, networking at conferences can be challenging or even anxiety inducing. If that is the case for you, know that you are not alone. In fact, some of the people we reached out to for this chapter who we viewed as model networkers, expressed their personal uncertainties about their abilities to network. Conference networking is a skill that you will develop throughout your career so long as you are willing to simply participate.
Attend Social Events
Almost all academic conferences will offer social events, from coffee breaks to parties, that are designed for networking—do not miss them! Curtis Bonk explained that social events are where “you can meet people in a fun and informal way.”
Be open to new experiences. Relax, be yourself, have fun, and participate. You never know what will come as a result. Patrick Lowenthal also suggested, “Sign up for the tours or things where you find yourself with strangers at the conference.” Some of these social events require a fee but it can be well worth the cost just to network in a relaxed, fun setting. Lowenthal also learned to “tour the city with friends and colleagues.” He wrote, “At my first AERA, my colleague wanted to go see Columbia and a Cubs game; I didn't know you could NOT attend a day but he had someone I didn't know join us. It was great.”
Dressed for Success – Mary Rice
My first year on the job market I sent out over 30 applications and did almost 20 phone interviews and 4 onsite visits but didn’t end up with a job. So, I finished my dissertation and graduated feeling very bad. There was a conference during the summer that I had gone to for several years, but as I said, it was silly to spend time and money on academic conferences when I might not even end up being an academic. My friend, Stefinee Pinnegar, told me to just come and hang out with her. At the conference, there was a dinner on the second night with some games and mingling, and we were free to dress up silly. Stefinee and I went in our orange feather boas and silly sunglasses and laughed and chatted with people. At some point, I ended up seated next to a very friendly scholar who asked me lots of questions, and we had a great conversation. I remembered that she had been on an interview committee for a job I had done a teleconference interview for and then I did not advance. The next day, the scholar from the dinner made a point to get into my conversation group. After the presentation, she told me that she thought I seemed familiar and had done some digging and remembered that I had indeed applied. She told me there would be another position this year due to retirement and encouraged me to apply. I watched for the announcement, and I applied. I got that job!
Introduce Yourself
As a graduate student on the job market, the simplest and best networking advice Jered Borup received was to, “just shake hands and introduce yourself.” Tonia Dousay explained:
Every event is an opportunity to meet someone new. Worst case, you spend a few minutes and learn an interesting detail. Best case, you make a new friend/mentor or find an opportunity. Either way, you only win if you take a chance and introduce yourself.
Introducing yourself can be especially intimidating if you are not a native English speaker. Larisa Olesova encouraged those whose native language is not English to “practice small talk in English at home and then talk to anyone at the conference just to practice good professional English.”
Be a Conference Angel – John Curry
I'd say one of the things I always try to do is talk to people sitting alone. There are a lot of folks who are just as lost, lonely, or nervous as you are. Somebody has to make the first move. Some of the folks I look forward most to seeing at conferences are people I met in random places. For example, I met Jin (Joy) Mao on the airport shuttle on our way to the conference hotel about 15 years ago or so. Now we have served in division leadership together, and we are currently editing a special issue of TechTrends together. I look for folks waiting by an elevator or who are trying to find rooms (you can tell who is there for the conference by the tag, right?) and introduce myself and ask where they are going or what their favorite session they've been to has been. Granted, I'm in a position now within my organization that many know who I am, but I tried to do it even before then. Most folks wish they had someone to talk to. Most folks wish they had someone to eat with. Most folks don't want to experience the conference alone. So go be someone else's conference angel!
Be Curious and Ask Questions
As you meet new people, show genuine interest in who they are and what they do. Tonia Dousay shared:
Don't be afraid to ask questions, and be genuinely interested in the answers. You never know when you might be the only person familiar with a topic simply because of a chance encounter. And you'll know who to contact when you have more questions or can recommend an expert on the topic.
Cecil Short experienced this first-hand as a graduate student, when he met Tonia Dousay at a poster presentation on technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK). Not only did Cecil learn about a new framework, he developed a friendship that led to conference planning collaborations.
When you attend sessions, stay present and focused on what is being shared. At the end of the presentation, you will likely have an opportunity to ask questions. Show your curiosity and interest by asking a question—it’s a great networking and learning opportunity. Charles Graham shared, “Being curious about others' presentations and ideas has helped me to ask meaningful questions that sometimes lead to further conversations and interactions. It is important to always approach asking questions respectfully and with sincere intent to understand."
Linger Longer
Rather than leaving immediately after sessions, linger longer to talk with the presenter. Often a “thank you” can turn into a memorable hallway conversation. Like Curtis Bonk and Thomas Reeves (see the callout box below), some of the most famous scholars in our field are also the most generous with their time and have a soft spot for those new to the field, so attend their sessions and do not be intimidated to talk with them after.
Networking with the Stars – Thomas Reeves and Curtis Bonk
When I went to my first AECT in 1975, Professor Don Ely encouraged me to stay after sessions and speak with the presenters no matter how "famous" they were. I made this a lifetime habit and encouraged my UGA students to do the same. We have a weekly lecture here at The Spires at Berry College, and my wife (also a former Professor) and I always make sure to go up to the lecturer and let them know how much we appreciate them and their presentation. –Thomas Reeves
Go to talks of famous people or those you want to know better. Then at the end of the talk, walk up to the front of the room and ask to get your picture with them. And then send him or her a digital copy of one or more pics after the conference. When you send it, you might include a question or two or three. In the exchange, you have just expanded your network. –Curtis Bonk
Curtis Bonk and Thomas Reeves in Madison, WI, (Aug, 2016)
Photo © 2016 Thomas J. Tobin. Used under Creative Commons 4.0 BY-ND license.
Not only can you linger longer after sessions you attend, you may also choose to have a “hallway conversation” rather than attend a concurrent session. Rob Moore added that if you need to catch up on work, rather than returning to your hotel room, “do work from the lobby as much as possible since that’s where people tend to congregate.” It’s a great place to see friends and make new ones.
Joining the Hallway Conversation – Elizabeth Langran
Don’t underestimate the value of “hallway conversations.” At a conference, you certainly want to take advantage of the concurrent sessions, but some of my best conferences where I learned the most and set the groundwork for future collaborations were ones where I spent time hanging out in the hallway areas and getting into conversations with other conference attendees.
Find Your Academic Home
Florence Martin shared, “I would recommend new attendees get involved in division or SIG meetings and activities, as that will help them connect with those who have similar interests.” SIGs often have open membership meetings that are a good place to network, but don’t stop there. Some of the best SIG networking opportunities are less formal than membership meetings and can take the form of dinners, SIG-specific presentations, or SIG social events such as casual game nights, sponsored dinners, or even yoga/running meet-ups. Following SIGs on social media, or joining their other communication platforms, can be a great way to learn about these opportunities and become familiar with people’s names before the conference. During the conference, SIG members may also post invitations to impromptu meet-ups.
As previously mentioned, some conferences may have a SIG specifically for graduate students. Even if you do not seek leadership opportunities in these SIGs, they are still a great place to start. You will meet other graduate students as well as executive members of the conference. Members of the graduate student SIG are the future leaders of the conference organization, so establishing relationships with them is great for your longevity and involvement in the conference. We encourage graduate students to not only get involved with a graduate student SIG but also a SIG based on their research or practice interests.
Never Eat Alone
Meals and drinks are great networking opportunities. Rob Moore advised conference goers to “never eat alone.” Rick West elaborated, “try to find groups to eat with, even if it's peers as a student. Your student peers will be leaders in the field someday.” It is natural to gravitate toward eating with people you know, and that is good. What is better is to invite others you do not know to join you as well. West added an example from a recent conference where he wanted to get to better know someone he interacted with on social media, so he asked if the person wanted to catch lunch. Pretty soon, the group expanded, and he was able to meet several new people.
Get a Little Help from Your Friends (and Mentors)
All of the tips above are much easier with help from others. Encourage friends and colleagues to attend with you. Conferences are better when you attend with someone you already know. If you are a graduate student, ask to shadow your mentor or other faculty. Their inside knowledge can be extremely helpful by showing you the lay of the land and introducing you to others. Curtis Bonk suggested, “Go to the conference socials (perhaps with your professor(s) or senior people) and watch them get excited to see old friends and wait to be introduced.” As John Curry, remembered:
With David Merrill as my chair, when I was with him, EVERYONE wanted to talk to him. But whenever someone would come up and start talking to him, he would always say, "Do you know John?" And he'd introduce me. I got to know so many people that way. Now I do the same with my students.
Graduate students and early career faculty and professionals can receive mentoring but they can also be a mentor. Elizabeth Langran explained, “You can be a mentor too! Even if you are early in your career, there’s probably someone at the conference who is even newer than you.”
Navigating the Network – Leanna Archambault
For many of us in the learning/instructional design and technology space, it can be challenging to find our place at a conference, especially when it may seem like everyone already knows everyone else. Early on, I certainly struggled to find my niche. I tried attending newcomer sessions and talking to editors at “Meet the Editors” sessions, but on my own, it was difficult to make connections. As a result, very little networking happened until I met a senior scholar at a small conference who introduced me to her doctoral student, Kathryn Kennedy. As it turned out, not only was Kathryn interested in the same research topics, but also was at a similar stage in her graduate work. It was connecting with this “friend of a friend” concept that proved invaluable. We went on to become close colleagues and friends, collaborating on a number of projects. We also began attending conferences together, which proved extremely helpful. As it turns out, for me, the “buddy system” was extremely useful when it came to networking. Kathryn was able to introduce me to her colleagues, and together we felt more comfortable meeting new people. We soon felt ready to take on a leadership role, starting out as SIG Co-Chairs. This role provided additional structure to the conference, with required leadership meetings where we were able to connect with more senior faculty.
Over time, I met many colleagues this way –through leadership gatherings as well as being introduced to friends of friends. At mid-career, I felt ready to take on a larger leadership role at the council level, which provided the opportunity to engage in planning meetings and have additional input on the conference itself. However, I still looked for those close trusted colleagues who were interested in serving together as a support system. For me, having at least one “wing person” has been a key strategy to making the most out of the networking opportunities that conferences can provide. Now, as a more senior scholar myself, I make it a point to introduce others, especially if they are doctoral students, and include them in social gatherings. My hope is that it helps others connect, expands their network, and makes conferencing a little less daunting—just as it did for me many years ago.
Pursue
Congratulations! You have made it through the conference! However, you are not done with your conference networking quite yet. Even after the conference, you can enrich the time you spent networking if you pursue lasting connections with those you met.
Reach Out to New Colleagues
It is important that you maintain your connections to the people you met at the conference, especially if you plan to attend the conference again or if you met anyone you might want to work with in the future. Go through the records of handouts, business cards, and contact information you collected at the conference. Send emails to anyone who might provide opportunities for collaboration in the future. As Mary Rice noted, “I take people seriously when they say they are interested in doing something together, and I remember them.” If you have not already, connect with the people you met by following them on social media. Follow up with others about potential collaboration opportunities discussed during conference sessions, in the hallways, or over dinner. In fact, while you are at the conference or flying home, you can draft emails that you schedule to go out to your new colleagues a week later when memories of the conference begin to fade. If you exchanged contact information with those who attended your session, send updates about your work when it becomes publicly available.
Organize Conference Notes
During a conference, you encounter a lot of information. Post-conference it is important to create a system for tracking any handouts, presentations, or notes from the sessions you attended. Possible systems include keeping a well-organized file folder in Google Drive or on a Flash Drive. Cecil Short uses Google Drive and has a parent folder for each organization’s conference that he has attended. Within that folder are folders labeled for certain years of the conference, e.g., “AECT 2021,” “AECT 2022,” or “AECT 2023.” Within the annually named folders are places for proposals, presentations, and notes (Figure 2). Other knowledge management systems may allow you to tag session notes and presentations according to authors or topics.
Conclusion
Conferences are a part of academic life that offer unique networking opportunities. However, at times, networking can feel a bit overwhelming if it is your first—or even 21st—conference. Networking is easier with a friend and/or mentor by your side. We also hope that the 4Ps can help you to prepare, provide, participate, and pursue networking opportunities not only at the conference but throughout the year. The ideas in this chapter can help you to think big about conference networking, but we encourage you to start small. Set achievable networking goals, and celebrate your accomplishments.
Author's Note
This chapter focused on attending in-person conferences. While many of the tips and strategies for networking at in-person conferences would apply to online conferences, if you are looking for tip and strategies specific for online conferences, we recommend reading Thomas J. Tobin’s article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (14 Jul. 2020), "How to Make the Most of a Virtual Conference."
URL: https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-to-make-the-most-of-a-virtual-conference
George Mason University
Jered Borup is the professor-in-charge of George Mason University's Blended and Online Learning in Schools Master's and Certificate programs that are devoted to improving teacher practices in online and blended learning environments. Previous to earning his Ph.D. at Brigham Young University, Jered taught history at a junior high school for six years. He has also taught online and blended courses since 2008. His current research interests include developing online learning communities and identifying support systems that adolescent learners require to be successful in online environments. A full list of his publications can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/jeredborup/
Arizona State University
Dr. Leanna Archambault is a Professor of Learning Design and Technology in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University (ASU). Her research addresses teacher preparation and professional learning for K-12 online and blended classrooms, online pedagogy, the nature and application of learning design frameworks, and the use of emerging technologies, such as social media, in educational settings. Dr. Archambault is the Program Coordinator for the Learning Design and Technologies master’s program at ASU and serves as Editor for one of the field’s leading journals, Computers & Education. Prior to entering the field of teacher education, Archambault taught middle school English/language arts. For additional information about her work, please visit leannaarchambault.com
Emporia State University
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