SIOP Presentation

One academic presentation down.  Not really a presentation, exactly; it was a poster session which means, for those non-academic folks out there reading this (incidentally, if that's you, why are you reading this?  Seems boring...), that you prepare a poster outlining your paper--the overall concept, your hypotheses, your research methodology, your results and conclusions.  Then you place that poster on a wall along with 20 or so other researchers working on related research.  Then people walk through, peruse the various posters and, occasionally, ask questions about the research.  A few even request that you send them a copy. 

It was a neat experience.  Probably not the most glamorous sort of presentation, I know; I think my wife initially had this idea that hundreds of people would pack into a hall to hear me expostulate on my lofty findings, all hanging on my every word.  Not quite like that.  But still very rewarding.

Hard to explain it because, in a sense, it's like writing your first novel and, pre-publication, boiling it all down to a few pictures posted on a bulletin board, and standing next to it as folks meander by, every once in a while stopping to ask a question.  When you think about it, it seems like it cheapens the work.  But that's not really true.  It allows you to expose a work in progress to the rest of the world.  Perhaps some get to know the work a little better; a few get to know you (a great thing if you're planning to pursue a PhD at their university); and a few provide you with pretty valuable feedback. 

So, all in all, it was a pretty rewarding experience.  I'm glad I got to experience it.

Next: a presentation at an international conference in early July (I'm going to Italy!). 

On another note, I had a chance to meet with some faculty from a number of other universities while I was at the conference.  One of my recommendations took me to a reception and introduced me to a few folks who he knows from a few other universities.  Turned out to be a very valuable experience; two of the folks I met are from universities I'll be applying to this fall--both of the universities very highly regarded (high research producing schools).  I've already been in email contact with one of the profressors, and she's brokered email introductions with four other faculty members!  Pretty excited about that!

Also had a chance to sit down with to faculty members from a very prestigious university--one that's rapidly rising toward the top of my list.  They're going to be working with me and the company I work for on some research beginning next month.  It'll be a great experience; I'll get additional research exposure and likely have at least one additional paper accepted to the Academy of Management conference next year (I can put it on my CV at app time even though it hasn't happened yet).  It'll also, likely, result in at least one additional publication by the time I start whatever program I go into.  Of equal importance, I've developed a pretty good relationship with two very influential people from a university that I'm increasingly attracted to.

All in all a good thing!