This week I went to Missoula, Montana with a few Macaulay Honors students to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Since this was my second time attending the NCUR conference, I already knew what to expect and the experience was a lot less nerve-wracking. But I remember when I had to present my paper at NCUR for the first time last year in La Crosse, Wisconsin, i was completely terrified… So I thought it would be a good idea to write a post discussing what I have learned and hopefully offer some helpful advice or information for anyone interested in presenting at academic conferences.

First of all, I have to stress that undergraduate conferences in particular, are not as intimidating as you would expect. In fact, students and faculty members are often incredibly supportive and even though some of them may ask you a difficult question or two about your research, no one expects you to know everything about your field of study. Presenting your work at conferences also allows you to gain invaluable exprience and definitely forces you to practice public speaking and thinking on your feet in the Q&A session, which I believe will be useful for any future career. (And don’t forget, it also looks really great on a resume!)

Secondly, attending an academic conference like NCUR also helps you network with other students or faculty who are interested in your research. For instance, when I attended my first NCUR conference and presented on a paper about 9/11 fiction and trauma, I met a professor who was trying to organize a class on the same topic as well as a few students who were working on simiilar projects. In addition, because NCUR is a conference open to various disciplines you can work on speaking to a broader audience and engaging them in your research. I was especially excited when I presented my paper this year on transnationalism and race in Gish Jen’s The Love Wife and my moderator, a professor who specializes in the sciences, asked me some of the most challenging and thought-provoking questions.

Finally, I think that conferences are also a great way for you to interact with students from across the nation as well as the unique culture and environment of the city in which the conference is held. Missoula is not a place I would ordinarily choose for a vacation, but overall it was an awesome experience exploring the city, hiking up mountains, and even attending a Native American pow wow. See Sharon’s blog for more details about the cultural advantages of attending academic conferences: http://sharon.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu/2010/04/18/ncur-in-montana/