How to Get the Most Out of Attending Academic and Professional Conferences

Ever gone to a conference for the free swag and accidentally left with a career‑changing conversation? From data‑themed outfits to awkwardly empty presentation rooms, Stacey and Bill swap stories about how to get the most out of your conference experience. Drawing on years of attending, presenting at, and navigating professional and academic conferences across evaluation, psychology, sociology, and research spaces, Stacey and Bill share honest reflections about what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they’d known sooner. In this episode, they cover: Why people go to conferences in the first place How networking leads to jobs and collaborations Big conferences vs. small ones, and which might be better for you Simple ways to be more approachable (and memorable) The highs and lows of presenting, from packed rooms to empty ones How location, planning, and conference structure shape the experience Episode takeaways: Conferences are most valuable when you’re intentional about why you’re attending. Smaller or regional conferences often lead to more meaningful conversations. Being prepared—and approachable—can open unexpected doors. Not every presentation will be a hit, and that’s okay. Serendipity plays a bigger role than most people expect. Links to organizations and conferences mentioned in this episode: American Evaluation Association (AEA): https://www.eval.org/ American Psychological Association (APA): https://convention.apa.org/ Eastern Evaluation Research Society (EERS): https://www.eers.org/ Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP): https://www.siop.org/events/the-annual-conference/ Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE): https://www.sree.org/2026-conference Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA): https://mmira.wildapricot.org/australia2026 Podcast music written and produced by Stacey Merola. Podcast artwork was created by Zoe Targino.