Dear Colleagues:
Our topic to discuss is the attendance of academic conferences to expand your reach as a scholar and to get the word out regarding your results. Let me offer some tips to consider.
First, many scholars offer their surprise (I did!) regarding the cost to attend academic conferences, even when selected as a presenter. In talking with many of our colleagues, we expected the expense if we were attending the conference, we did not expect the expense when we and our paper was selected as a presenter for the conference. We must pay for our conference registration, airline or transportation, hotel accommodations, and for some conferences, the expense of publishing the final conference journal.
Many universities will however offer a reimbursement program or at least a potential reimbursement program to attempt to help defray costs of attendance. The challenge is knowing if you will get reimbursement before you go. How do scholars afford the expense of publishing their results?
My thoughts for this blog are the expectations of universities who expect a scholar to both publish as well as attend conferences, while giving credit to the universities for whom we work, yet there is no guarantee of financial help. What is the incentive again? The last conference I went to for IBAM in San Diego, even as an award winner for the conference, no reimbursement was obtained. The conference ended up costing me $1000.00. While a tax deduction, I can’t help but wonder what help this conference may have offered to my personal and professional development?
Thank you for sharing your time with me. Please post your comments regarding your thoughts regarding professional development and the expense of attending academic conferences. I look forward to your thoughts.
My best,
Dr. Cheryl
The Academic EntrepreneurTM
