Is it worth it to attend academic conferences (e.g., STOC, FOCS) as an undergraduate without any research to present?
As a professor, I take the development and growth of my graduate students very seriously. My students’ eventual success is probably the one single most important metric that I use to measure my career.So what do I do with first year PhD students who have just joined my research lab? I take them to my favorite conferences, typically IMC or CCS, which usually take place 2–3 months after the students first set foot in my lab. This is in stark contrast to what many other faculty do (and what I used to do when I first started as an assistant professor), which is to send students only to conferences when they have a (co)authored paper.Why? Because I now believe the best way to teach someone about good research is immersion. Think about the process of learning a foreign language. The best approach is usually total immersion by moving to a country that speaks only that language. Similarly, I think the best way to teach fresh graduate students how to do research, is to “calibrate” their gauge by showing them as much good research as possible. In addition, young students get a real sense of what they are expected to produce, and what their eventual community might look like. They’ll meet interesting people, start building their own network, and see what it’s like to present research at the best venues in their field.This process might be a little bit different for undergraduates interested in exploring research, but not by much. By attending STOC/FOCS, an undergraduate thinking about doing research in CS theory can set/reset their view of what research can and should be. S/he can meet the luminaries in the field, and it might just spark a lifelong love for research. For others, an unobstructed view of what academic research is like might clarify their life choices and avoid wasting years in a MS program.Assuming the resources are there, then yes, it is absolutely worth it for an undergraduate to attend a top CS conference in their field.
How do I get the most from attending an academic conference?
Attend as many sessions as possible, related to your area of interest. Take notes, and follow up with authors if necessary. Ask questions, but don’t be a jerk.Don’t be shy, and try to talk to others in the conference. Whether others here are students, professors, or professionals.Don’t sit with your friends, and try to network with/talk to people you don’t know/didn’t meet before. Best times for networking are coffee breaks and meal times (some conferences have breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner/reception).Consider volunteering (if you are a student or a postdoc) on the organization of the conference. That way you’d have a chance/commitment to learn a lot from the conference.
What advice would you give to a student attending an academic conference for the first time?
Congratulations on your first paper! Trust me this will encourage you to write more :)To add to the already outstanding answers:You should work hard to attend lots of sessions and read lots of the papers. But it's unlikely that you'll go to every session: some will be genuinely uninteresting to you. In addition, the most important part of a conference is "schmoozing", standing in hallways talking to colleagues (satisfying most or all of the items in the list above). You'll see lots of people doing this.It's scary trying to meet "famous" people. It's usually best to get an adviser or a colleague to introduce you to others. But you shouldn't rely solely on this: it's OK to be a little pushy. If you see people you want to listen to having a conversation, feel free to move on up to them and try to listen (unless for some reason it seems like it's a personal conversation and is thus inappropriate). Sometimes they'll acknowledge you, sometimes they won't. But it's worth trying to get involved in these conversations when possible. (Even listening by itself can be valuable.) Of course, the best way to get involved is to ask a question: it flatters people and makes them respond to you. And you learn something.Trying to have meals with folks is a really good way to meet them. Some people you know probably know other folks; make sure to remind them to bring you along if they set something up; watch the bulletin board for announcements.Hang out some with the folks you already know. But don't do this exclusively, since you can do that elsewhere, but you can only schmooze with other folks here. Debriefing with each other on sessions, papers, interactions with others, etc. is of value, though, and you should do this with each other on occasion.Hope you'll enjoy your conference experience!
How can I find out about academic conferences near me?
The short answer: contact academic departments at local universities.These are not quite at the level of conferences (usually), but many academic departments conduct symposia. These may be a chance for students to show their stuff. These also give faculty a chance to discuss their ongoing research. Faculty may be trying to sharpen their thinking or soliciting feedback prior to publication. You can therefore serve as a valuable sounding board.Sometimes the local university may be hosting something more formal. Often local universities host smaller conferences. You may be able to serve as a volunteer. These smaller conferences need warm bodies to assist with local arrangements, reception, ushering, etc.
Do undergraduate courses have you do presentations at academic conferences?
To prove your point/submit salient features of work/give data presentation with your interpretations, a simple but with all salient features is a good way for presentation in front of an audience.The College teachers do encourage the students to undergo such an exercise many times over. In the initial year or two, they will be attending presentations of the seniors, from which they easily learn in time.Seniors would mean Post Graduates, PhD's & even teachers.
How does GRAD SCHOOL compare to UNDERGRAD?
I'll be starting grad school this fall and I was wondering if anyone had any information they could share about their experiences in grad school! Perhaps the best way would be to compare it to undergrad OR you can also compare it to law school (if uv been) because I used to go to law school until I realized I hated it! Haha! What is grad school like, in terms of class format? professors? final exams? midterms? research papers??? student/social activities???? internships??? I'm getting my masters in Criminal Justice, so if you know anything specifically for that field, that would be great, but if not, Id still love to hear your thoughts!! Any advice? Suggestions??? Thanks! :o)
Is it possible for undergrads to find out which other undergrads are attending an academic conference?
Due to the associated costs, it is rather rare for a non-presenting undergrad to attend a conference, unless the event is in his/her home town or he volunteered to help. Small workshops do publish usually the names of all attendees and their affiliations, but there is no "discrimination" against undergrads; usually the names are listed with no titles (Prof., Dr, etc.). Similarly, big conferences do list all authors, but again with no titles. However, in the modern world there is facebook! Given that most young people, especially undergrads, tend to post their every move, my suggestion would be to search facebook (or other social networks) for people who plan to attend the conference.