PURPOSE

In your experience, what is the purpose of a conference? 

Conferences are opportunities for individuals interested in a topic/theme/organization to share knowledge, works-in-progress, or research; network; collaborate; impact conversations; and grow as scholars and practitioners. Conferences are where knowledge is formed and ideas are cultivated and nurtured. As I’ve grown as a scholar, conferences are also places where I get to see my friends and start new projects. I’ve had the opportunity to meet new people at conferences and those encounters have led to articles, grant projects, and long-term collaborations. If I hadn’t gone to the conference, those things wouldn’t have happened! (Dr. Janine Morris, Writing)

The purpose of a conference in my opinion is to bring together scholars to explore themes or issues in a given academic field or discipline. It is an opportunity for scholars to stay connected and network. Conferences offer opportunities for scholars to share their research with their peers with a view to receiving critical feedback and insight on their work.  Conferences also allow participants to learn from peer presentations about new research and thus enable scholars to take the pulse of their field or their particular area of specialty.  While research in a filed like history is largely a solo endeavor, conferences provide the forum for a gathering of community of scholars with the shared goal of advancing knowledge about the past. (Dr. David Kilroy, History)

I don’t believe there is a single purpose to all conferences.  Different conferences, different purposes.  At “prestigious” conferences, too many big egos want to show people how important they are.  At more specialized conferences real collegiality and learning can take place. (Dr. Ben Mulvey, Philosophy)

Professionalization and getting your ideas off your paper and into someone’s ears. (Dr. Ransford Edwards, Political Science)

The purpose of a conference is to learn - through instruction or actually doing. It is also a place for networking and connecting to those who have the same passion/interests. (Prof. Kandy Lopez, Art + Design)

The main purpose of a conference is to share ideas and hopefully build better research models. However, the tangential benefit of an academic conference is that it allows you to see how others go about not only their research – but their presentation of research. It provides the attendees with a sense of how others in the field present themselves and their research and gives you new ideas for your own presentation style (as well as to consider different ways of approaching phenomena). (Dr. G. Nelson Bass III, Political Science)

From my experience, the purpose of a conference is a) to share research with colleagues in your field, b) learn about the latest research in your field being conducted by colleagues, and c) network and connect with others who share your same scholarly interests. (Dr. Yvette Fuentes, Modern Languages)

To share current research in the field and thereby/also gain perspectives on the important issues in the field, both in research areas themselves and professional issues for the teachers/researchers (Dr. Marlisa Santos, Literature & Film)

The purpose of a conference is to present one's own work and consume the work of others. This is to share discoveries. It is a way to know the state of the art of one's field and to ensure that you are at the forefront of techniques and analysis. It is also a venue for networking to find job opportunities and form new collaborations. Humans are social and they allow the benefits of social interactions for members of a field, and in discussions new ideas and paradigms can emerge. (Dr. J. Matt Hoch, Life Sciences)

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Academic conferences are a great way of sharing your work with others and receiving some thoughtful feedback from attendees and fellow panelists. For those new to conferences, giving a talk provides ample opportunity to sharpen your presentation and public speaking skills. Attending a variety of conference panels exposes you to current debates and ongoing research in the field. (Dr. Yair Solan, Literature & Film)

To share your ideas with peers, have your ideas open for critique, hear new ideas, meet people in your field, and have fun while you're at it. (Dr. Jeremy Weissman, Philosophy)  

A conference has a few purposes, whether you are presenting or simply attending. For participants, conferences are an opportunity to share your research, whether you are sharing a new item such as research in progress, or giving your expertise to a conversation with others engaged in the same or similar fields. For an audience member, conferences are often a way to learn more about things beyond your specialty, such as the work of historians of other time periods or places. Increasingly, conferences are also including workshops and opportunities for people to learn new techniques, think about job searches, or just recharge by hearing about exciting work other scholars are performing. (Dr. Katy Doll, History)

The purpose is to network and share your ideas with your colleagues so you can receive feedback and input from them and ultimately improve upon your work. (Dr. Amanda Furiasse, Religious Studies)

To understand what is going on in the field and what are the cutting-edge research topics in the field. (Dr. Teng Li, History & Legal Studies)